Sky Ghost Hunt
by Fantasy-Magician
Summary: For my sake, my older twin took the mantle of Vongola Neo Primo and start a revolution to change the dark world of mafia. Now I am here, in Japan, living normal life of a high school student. Until I stumbled upon different kind of dark side of the world. The world of supernatural, psychic, and Ghost Hunter. ch 45 re-updated!
1. Case 01, Part 01

**READ AUTHOR NOTE FIRST! IMPORTANT!**

 **I tried to develop a fluffy story based on my first version of summary, but end up writing half-fluff and drama. In the end I concede defeat that writing full blown fluffy story is not my cup of tea. I tried but end up writing something off... I don't know if any other writer think like me, but I just can't stand it when I wrote it didn't 'CLICK' with what I have in mine and ended up hauling the whole story to a different direction. Although... it end up minimizing presence of KHR character for first few chapters... =_=' However I don't know IF someone who read KHR but not GH can enjoy this so I need your opinion.**

 **Disclaimer: This is a fanfiction, obviously I don't own anything but the plot!  
**

* * *

She still remembered that fated day clearly as if it was yesterday. She was urging her older twin to push her swing harder even though he was scared she would get hurt. Mai didn't care and pouted, shooting puppy eyes she knew he couldn't resist until he relented. She was the luckiest sister alive to have such a compliant brother she could order as she please. Unlike her friends, whose brother always bullied them.

Tsuna never said no to her, Mai was his princess after all!

Suddenly Tsuna stopped pushing and the swing halted. Mai looked back at his brother was frozen on his pushing pose so his hands was touching her back. She looked at where he was looking, the sun had set and cast a dark shadow on the figure that was approaching the. It was a tall man dressed in black and a fedora on his head.

He knelt down to their eye level and wordlessly took Mai's hand to his lips in gentlemanly manner, "Good afternoon, Tsunayoshi, Mai... from now on I am your home tutor."

Mai still remembered how tight her older brother hugged her from behind as if trying to pull her away from this man.

 **"Mai, I am so sorry…  
but never forget that you mean the world for me…" **

**Ting~ Ting~**

Mai opened her eyes slowly, rubbing her eyes to get rid of crust that formed around it. She sat up, covering her yawning mouth. Hands shot up above her head, stretching the soreness from good sleep. Her hazel eyes softened at the pocket watch resting on her bedside table, soft melody of familiar song emitted from it. The pocket watch had classic design, on the lid embezzled an elaborate carving of butterfly with amber colored stones embedded on the butterfly body and wings. She clicked the button that opened pocket watch, revealing the backside of the lid where one line was carved in cursive.

 ** _Il Nostro Caro, Mai._**

She closed the clock, beaming a smile at the framed photo rested on her bedside table. It was a picture of a young mother who looked like an older Mai, hugging younger Mai and her brother. They were smiling to the camera, but Mai thought her brother's smile was the most beautiful. His smile was not wide or sunny like hers in this photo, but gentle and kind.

"Ohayo, Okaa-san, Onii-chan…"

* * *

 **(April, third week, Tuesday) Mai's POV**

It was spring, the season of beginning in Japan. I was so happy that my closest friends, Michiru and Keiko were in the same class with me. I didn't wait for summer to come to have ghost storytelling in AV room to celebrate, because there was no rule saying it had to be done in summer. Keiko and Michiru never understood why I love ghost stories, but my reason was perhaps pretty mean. Considering my dear Onii-chan couldn't stand it, and he cried easily whenever we were watching horror movies back then. I did love ghost stories, even though part of it was because I couldn't resist teasing my brother it was mostly genuine love for it I couldn't explain.

It was completely dark inside the AV room. Using a blue penlight's glow we passed around, the light too weak to illuminate the entire room but that was the idea. The blue light shone on the floating silhouette of the Michiru who was holding the penlight. It was her turn to tell her story.

"It's a story about this school..." Michiru began, the blue light is shining on her auburn hair, her hair that is hanging down from around her face.

"Mai, have you heard the story of the old school building?"

I shook my head in negative, and Michiru continued her story. It was about our ex-school building that was located at the opposite side of the sport hall, and she heard their headmaster wanted to build a gym in its place. It was already half-collapsed anyway, but for some reason there was no progress on that project.

Michiru's story was telling us why they never get to demolish that old building, the reconstruction stopped and that was why it looked half-collapsed. It was stopped because of a _curse_ that prevented people from doing anything to it. A lot of strange incidents happened there, every year someone died there for various reasons, diseases, accidents, and other unexplainable causes.

The list of unfortunate incidents continued, a child from the neighborhood was found dead in the ex-building, three days after that a teacher committed suicide there and so on.

Michiru then continued to most recent incident, "The demolition was restarted last year in order to rebuild the gym. But again only the half of it got demolished, before the work got suspended. The same as last time. A machine broke, a worker got..."

Whoaa, that was horrible.

"Once a truck went out of control and drove through the sports ground during class. Two students died and seven were severely injured. It was on the newspapers too."

I believed I read that on newspaper before, the incident yes, but I didn't recall anyone died. If there was, there should be a bigger coverage on that accident.

Michiru lowered her voice, "My senpai's friend saw a man's ghost at the ex-building..."

Why don't just tell us which senior? Instead of vague way of addressing someone, obviously Michiru was retelling the story word to word.  
Aah, no Mai! Don't think and analyze ghost story logically! It would suck out all the fun! Damn Spartan tutor who almost destroy my love for ghost story with his teaching!

"It was waving his hand like he was inviting me… I got the feeling that I shouldn't go inside the old school so I left staggering on my feet."

Much to my exasperation, Michiru didn't even notice she accidentally switched the story to first person point of view. You're so _not_ helping your case to convince me that you heard it from your senpai's friend, Michiru.

"A-and..?" Keiko was still buying it.

I envied Keiko, she could enjoy a story full of plot holes without noticing a thing. There was never a day of ghost storytelling without cursing Reborn who corrupted my brain. I was thankful he was such a good and knowledgeable tutor to us, but I would never forgive the way he taught me logical thinking. He just had to tie me up and forced me to watch a marathon of horror series as explaining why all of that didn't make sense and fake.

Since then, even though my love for ghost stories persist, I couldn't enjoy all of it because my trained mind would always punch logic shaped holes on reflex like now.

"That's all. When I started walking, my dog burst out barking with great energy, so I got back there. I looked again at the window, but the person wasn't there anymore."

Because that person was never there, and the waving you saw could easily explained by classic curtain and wind. Not to mention it used to be a favorite haunt for local delinquents, smoking and other troublemaking activity. And also if… Argh! Stop trying to make sense of everything, brain!

By the way Michiru, you also forgot that you didn't have a dog.

"...I'm turning it off." Michiru said quietly, turning the penlight off. The room got quiet again but in my case it was because I was still cursing my logical mind.

"One..." Keiko said, her voice was trembling. After we tell the ghost stories and turn off the lights we have to count upwards from one. The last one should be a ghost.

"Two..." My voice sounded tired when I said it, how stupid of me arguing with my own traitorous mind.

"Three..." Michiru's low voice echoed.

There were three of us, and we were waiting for the fourth with excitement as we strained our ears. Not going to happen unless someone decided to add excitement in our life, just lower your voice a bit and said 'four/shi' that would scare any high strung schoolgirls after ghost storytelling.

Brain, don't make me hurt you.

 **"Four."**

KYAAA!

They all screamed, horrified at once. I envied them because I didn't, because logical part of my mind told me the voice sounded human but… it was from a guy? It was a ghost after all?! Some part of my mind wanted to fall together with my friend's panic and let out an agonizing cries, but the logical part argued the voice sounded very calm and human.

"No-o, no-o！" Keiko and Michiru were hugging each other, judging from their muffled voice.

At that instant, the dark room was lit up, and my eyes blinked at sudden assault of light after staying in a dark room for quite some time. We turned to the direction of light switch, and saw a tall boy standing near the door, looking at us with amused expression.

He had a beautiful face, even by my standard –the girl who was used his brother's and his friends' good looks- and for a moment I was staring at him openly in awe before I caught myself. His hair was dark as if it could melt to night sky, a pair of dark blue eyes. His black clothes made his fair skin stood out in contrast like full moon in starless night sky.

My god, I was making a lyric out of this! Good looks _only_ good for eyes, the inside was more important! After all, my mentor was the epitome of good looking guy with heart as black as his suits!

Back to reality Mai!

Keiko asked, "W...was that you?"

"Yes... did I do something wrong?" The stranger asked in deep, solemn voice.

Michiru slumped down in relieve. "Ahh that surprised me. I thought I was going to die."

"Excuse me. The lights were off so I thought there was nobody in here, but suddenly I heard voices... so I just…" The stranger trailed off.

"That's... it's alright!" Keiko said cheerfully, "Are you an exchange student?"

He paused a little, very brief that even I almost missed it. "...is it like that, I wonder..." His voice was calm and confident but I could fell the pause meant something. It was not hesitation, more like…

"A first-year?"

"...I'm seventeen this year."

What was that answer? This guy… he was trying to fool us!

"So, you are a senpai."

Ohoo, I knew something was off! Reborn played 'this game' with Onii-chan and me a lot in the past! Telling people a small truth or half-truth and let them concoct their own conclusion, very handy for impressionable mind like Keiko and Michiru. It didn't help the guy had beautiful face, I swore in the past Reborn said that pretty face was one of greatest tool on their trade. This guy would make a fine hitman.

"We are sorry to have surprised you too!" Keiko chimed in.

"We were telling ghost stories." Michiru added.

"Heeh," He said and smiled, a smile that eerily reminded me of certain hitman when he was cooking something up on his twisted manipulative brain. "Would you mind if I joined you?"

Everyone screamed in delight, and I got a headache. Hook, line and sinker! You guys didn't even last a minute, and he had you wrapped around his finger!

"Please, please...sit here." Michiru pulled his arm.

"What's your name?"

"Shibuya..." He said, throwing another charming smile at them and the reaction was immediate, I could almost see the pink hearts floating around Michiru and Keiko. "Shibuya Kazuya." However for some reason the way he introduced himself made me even more suspicious of him. This was why I hated half-truth, because we would get mixed signal from them.

"Shibuya-senpai, do you like ghost stories too?"

"Sort of."

"Kyaaa!" They screamed happily.

Yep, he was playing _that_ game with my friends. It was not a yes or no, and with his looks alone he made my friends fooling themselves with their own imagination. Was this manipulative behavior that made feel wary of this person? No, Reborn and a good number of person I knew were manipulative, including my idiotic father. However, they didn't make me dislike them at the first sight.

So far he had not done anything other than made my friends squealing in his glory, but I should stop this now before my friends embarrassed themselves even more.

"Shibuya-san..." I called, drawing his attention to me.

He had the nerve to throw the same charming smile at me, and my left eyebrow twitched in annoyance. Good try, pretty boy. Too bad I had experience with someone like you, who was ten times better at this. Your smile didn't reach your eyes, and that was a telltale sign of hidden intention.

"What are you doing in a place like this?" I asked bluntly, and I could feel his eyes sparked with interest. I almost instinctively took a step back, when I felt him trying to read me.

"I had something to take care of." He informed, eyes never leaving mine and it annoyed me because Shibuya was interested in why _I_ didn't buy his bluff. Instead of making himself scram, he pushed in and I could almost see his lips was about to voice an inquiry to me but I won't let him.

"Then do it faster." I said in sternest tone I could muster, "Because we're going home now."

"Eeh!" Keiko and Michiru definitely didn't agree with me. "That Mai...Don't worry about it senpai." He wasn't our senpai! And he was definitely up to no good and I was saving you!

My friends, their mind was already addled by this pretty boy so badly. The pretty boy in the other hand was still staring at me from the corner of his eyes, he was pretty good at hiding it though.

"What is it that you have to do here? We will help you!"

"...Nah..." Shibuya was definitely forcing his smile, because he was trying to read me but my friends were distracting him with their questions. "The truth is, I'm in a hurry right now." Good! Shoo! Go away! "How about, next time you tell ghost stories, you let me join in?"

He was still looking at me from the corner of his eyes, and I could tell while I was not the main objective to join us, I was part of it. Any other teenage girl would be ecstatic that a boy this beautiful was curious of her but not me. I was definitely not happy to have a guy that eerily reminded me of certain hitman to be interested in me, more like feeling the dread of a hunted prey.

"Then, tomorrow after school!"

"Alright. Where?"

Noooooooooooooo!

"Our homeroom! Room F1!"

"Take care." He bid us good bye and boy! I had never been happier to see someone's back since certain illusionist and his rival wrecked our home, and my brother kicked both of them out.

"Hai~"

The bastard had the gall to throw last smirk at my direction, and my friends squealed, thinking it was for them. On second thought, the next time I was stuck in a room with that guy –which I pray would never happen- I would take a leaf out of my brother's book and kick him out myself!

For now since he was out of sight, hopefully my friends' brain start functioning again. I really need to talk to them about asking an unknown guy to join them in a dark room, and how dangerous was that. It seemed they had not learn since that disastrous double date.

* * *

 **The next morning**

Oliver Davis, nicknamed Noll, and now using Shibuya Kazuya as his alias in Japan couldn't get his thought off of that girl from yesterday, the one her friends called Mai. Of course his interest was not romantic in nature, but scientific. Noll was well aware with his looks alone he could fool naïve schoolgirls to get information from them effortlessly. He was not above using his charm to get his job done.

However instead of displaying normal reaction like other schoolgirls -squealing and begging for his attention- she was looking at him with suspicion and her body language screamed cautiousness. In fact while Noll was no mind reader, he could almost see her expression screamed _-Don't throw that pretty smile at me, I don't buy it-_ at him.

She saw through him so easily, as if he was an open book. She didn't like his presence, and especially because he tried to take advantage of her friends. Not to mention the last glare she threw at him was pretty alarming.

He had seen the same look on his ex-mentor's face before.

Definitely not your everyday schoolgirl.

Tok

His ears picked up the sound of something sharp hitting, almost like knocking in haunted place but not quite. He looked to the side to see a wire mesh fence surrounding a field, there was an archery target and a platform with tatami mats around sixty feet away from it. He recalled seeing this kind of setting before in international culture festival in London, for a demonstration of ancient art of Japanese archery.

Tok!

Another arrow flew and hit just an inch away from the first that had hit the center of the target. It seemed the archer was better than the demonstrator he watched before. Noll glanced to the tatami platform, his eyes widened a fraction at the person of his concern.

Mai

The girl was quickly aware of his presence and sending the nastiest glare. It was almost cute how she tried to intimidate him. He took it as an invitation instead, and entered the field from closest door. She glared harder as Noll approached closer, smile firmly in place as he greeted the girl.

"Good morning, your archery is pretty impressive." Noll complimented.

Mai was sitting with her legs tucked in, Japanese traditional sitting position Noll recalled was very unpleasant. She was straightening her arrow on the long bow with practiced ease and grace, and for a moment Noll thought the girl was going to ignore him until he go away.

"So… I wonder why none of you show up yesterday…" He trailed off.

She reacted, and it almost took all his self-control to not activate his PK when she pointed her arrow at him. "Because I told them you're up to no good so let's don't go to see you." She drawled on, her voice was stern and unyielding.

"I see…" Feisty girl…

Mai looked pretty serious to shoot him but then as abrupt as her threat, she lowered her bow with a smile on her face. He almost imagined the girl was trying to mirror his smile. "So… Shibuya-san, to what I owe you this visit?"

Then it hit him, this girl was the only one who called him with honorific –san and not –senpai like her friends. She knew he was not a student and didn't jump to a conclusion like the other girls. No wonder she was suspicious of him, she was very observant and picked up something was amiss with him.

"May I ask you a few questions?"

She looked stunned for a moment, as if she didn't expect him to ask instead of… something else. She definitely wasn't expecting something romantic in nature if her expression was anything to go by. More likely something that would give her a legit reason to shoot him.

"Seriously…" She sighed loudly as she stepped down from the platform, "Shibuya-san, you're not a student… an outsider shouldn't…"

"Your headmaster hired me, I am permitted to enter the school ground." He returned smoothly.

Mai raised an eyebrow at that, "Hee… Kochou-sensei hired a seventeen years old boy for something?"

Okay, he walked on that one himself.

"Age matters not when talent speak for themselves." Noll retorted smoothly.

In return she gave him a long and hard stare, before coming to a decision. "Alright… what is your question?"

Why he felt as if he just passed a test or something? "I want to ask about the ghost story surrounding the old school building."

"…That's it?" She raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Including some details…" Noll added.

Her shoulders slumped as she heaved a sigh. It was a strange reaction in Noll's opinion, but at least it didn't seem like she was going to shoot him with her arrow. "Well, about the old school building…" She was not going to ask why he wanted to know? Could it be she just chalk him up as a ghost story enthusiast?

"In summary nothing is wrong with that old building aside from it should be demolished soon before someone gets hurt." Mai said in dry tone, and sensing Noll's inquiring look she elaborated. "It looks like it's going to collapse on its own, the pillars full of holes from termite… and when something heavy like truck passed nearby the whole building shook a little." She was shaking her head, "Most of students in this school don't want anything to do with that building because of the rumors, but some delinquents from other school sometimes sneaked in…"

She didn't tell him the story, but outright giving him her opinion instead. Which was very sound considering he did saw the frail structure of the building, it didn't age well. "Rumors?" He pressed on.

"Most of it are tragic, but hardly supernatural…" She supplied and she was about to say more when a soft tune coming from her duffel bag that rested on the corner of platform.

Noll narrowed his eyes at the object she fished out of her bag, it was a pocket watch and a classic looking one. A curious object for a schoolgirl like Mai.

She flipped the watch open, and said. "I am sorry but we have to cut this short… if I need to hurry to change my clothes, if not I will be late for my first period."

Not willing to leave empty-handed, Noll tried to persuade her. "May I meet you afterschool then? I would like to know more."

"I don't think there is any ghost in that building, Shibuya-san." Mai insisted.

"I would be the judge for that." He retorted.

She sighed, "Well… no promise, but where can I see you?"

She was surprisingly helpful in spite of her initial suspicion of him, perhaps it was because he left her friends out. "In front of old school building." He wished he could go to main building but he had to check on a lot of things today so it would be more sufficient to be in close proximity with his base. Not to mention he wanted to record his interview with her too.

Mai didn't answer, instead she gave him a curt nod and walked away briskly.

Well, that was one interesting girl.

* * *

 **Headmaster's office**

"Is that all Mai-chan?" Kochou-sensei asked, rubbing his sweaty palm together.

She nodded, "Yes… I am just worried a stranger suddenly enter our school ground, and I don't know of it at all…"

Kochou-sensei looked nervous, after all her ' _father'_ was the most generous investor for this school. Not to mention the headmaster was one of many people who owe her _family_ a favor. "Well… I thought it's not important enough for you to be notified, but if Shibuya-kun disturb you… maybe I will warn him to stay away… or dismiss him."

"Iee…" Mai said sternly, ignoring his flinch. She hated sensing nervousness and fear towards her person, it was unpleasant. "Let him be… I was surprised, but that's all." She narrowed her eyes, "He is not dangerous or anything." Not to her at least.

"O… oh."

Mai stood up from her seat, bowing at the headmaster. "Thank you Kochou-sensei, then I shall take my leave.

* * *

 **Afterschool (Mai's POV)**

Ghost hunter… that sounded more like a western TV series rather than an occupation to me. So he was digging for information from students? At least he was not a weirdo, at least not the type I was worried of. However this Shibuya Kazuya really reminded me too much of my tutor for my taste. It would be more effective and less suspicious if he just asked about the ghost stories rather than seducing my friends for it.

I had a feeling he did it because he could get away with it, like Reborn. You knew, for shit and giggles, that was how Reborn rolls.

However I saw no reason to indulge him further in this ghost story, after all if he was really looking for a real ghost he was out of luck. I _sensed_ nothing like ghost inside the old school building anyway.

However according to Kochou-sensei, he brought a lot of equipment with him so if he was anything like researchers back home he was not going to give up just because I said so. Until he confirmed it himself.

Hm…

I didn't notice but it seemed my feet brought me to the old school building. "Auuh… I don't feel like seeing his face again but…" I felt bad if I didn't go, at least to tell him that the rumors were just rumors. Kochou-sensei was just unlucky with this project.

"Aah…" Since I was here, might as well going in and risking the ceiling to fall on me.

I opened the classic wooden door that lead to shoe shelf area, the air smelt of humidity and dust. It was pretty dark but I had no difficulty to look at my surroundings because of the sunlight coming through the ventilation. In between two shoe shelves, right in entranceway was a video camera, set on top of a tripod.

Anyone would be curious to touch the camera, it was pretty big and unusual for most people. I had seen this device many times when _we_ were training, using it to watch our progress. This was most likely one of Shibuya's fancy equipment to look for ghost. I looked around but there was no sign of its owner and I was annoyed.

He made people wait when he was the one who need info? I turned on my heels, with intention to abandon my initial good will. After all if that guy was smart enough, at least half as smart as certain hitman he reminded me of. I was sure he would figure it out there was no ghost sooner or later.

I was about to take my first step from the camera when sharp voice of a male startled me. "Who is it?!"

To be fair this building oozed bad luck, and the shock was enough to sway me to the shoe shelf. My shoulder hit it and the shelf started to sway and I could see it was about to fall on me. I moved away as fast as I could and I _knew_ I would make it in time. However the man who suddenly appeared out of nowhere was about to push me away missed my shoulder and the shelf fell.

When the dust started to clear up I saw the man who tried to save me was laying on the floor. Oh, crap! Accident or not someone got hurt because of me! "Are you alright?" I rushed over to him, and then I heard someone entering the building.

"What happened here?" It was Shibuya, and he quickly approached me and the collapsed man. "Lin?" He glanced at me inquiringly.

"He tried to save me." I was about to elaborate when the fallen man himself answered instead.

"I miscalculated." He grunted.

Shibuya asked him, "Are you hurt?"

Yes, he was. When he looked up we could see the side of his face that was covered by long fringe was bleeding. Damn… this was not going to end well for me.

* * *

 **The next day**

Noll expected that Lin got hurt because of saving Mai, however while he was not off of the mark he was not right either. Lin corrected that, he _tried_ to save the girl that was about to get crushed by the heavy shelf but he miscalculated. The girl didn't need his help, she was fast enough to dodge the shelf by herself and got himself hurt.

When asked how this accident happened, Lin once again revealed he was at fault –kinda- in which he startled the girl and made her trip and knock the shelf over. Mai didn't even try to touch the camera or anything, in fact according to Lin the girl was facing outside when Lin startled her. Which mean she was about to walk away, harmless and innocent.

Lin was not guilty either, it was a complete accident. He guessed that old school building was indeed infested by misfortune, ghost or no ghost.

However he still had a case to solve, an injured assistant and unfinished set up.

Well… if he played his cards right, he knew where he could get a free gofer.

* * *

 **Few Hours Later~**

Someone got hurt because of her, and she didn't like the familiar feeling of guilt boiling within her. It felt like the incident with Xanxus' assassin squad all over again. She should learn her lesson in how to not get in trouble. Then again with her blood, there was no way she would get a break from trouble. She even had a theory that their institution was result of twisted evolution their family developed to survive their trouble magnet status.

Her brother had a good laugh out of that.

But still…

"Mai~ are you sure that we really can't see Shibuya-senpai? Such a good looking guy can't be dangerous, right?" Michiru whined.

They had reluctantly obeyed Mai's instruction to not follow Shibuya's request, because she got a bad vibe from him. This was not the first time they avoid trouble because of Mai's warning. Their friend was scarily sharp about people after all. Once Keiko and Michiru ignored Mai's warning when two boys asked them out for double date, and it was horrible. They didn't know what would happen to them after the boys spiked their drink, and Mai had coming to their rescue, dragging an officer along with her to that karaoke booth.

Which was why no matter how reluctant, they followed Mai's warning to not see Shibuya. Not to mention after Shibuya was out of their sight, Mai had explained what she saw wrong with the guy. Mai was right again though, he was handsome but also leading them on.

Mai sighed, "Well… actually…." She had found out what he wanted from her friends, and it was relatively harmless. "He just want to dig information from you, about the haunted old school building… pretty harmless actually, unlike those two guys from before."

Their face lighted up at that.

"It didn't change the fact he tried to lead you on though." Mai finished, "Beside… I told him what he wanted anyway yesterday so he will leave us alone."

Keiko pouted, "Mai… you're not interested at all, he is godly attractive you know."

Mai raised an eyebrow at that, "I didn't deny his attractiveness. It's just that I don't make a big deal out of it…" She trailed off, "It's also because… I don't like a guy who is using his good looks to get something from girls."

They sensed a history here but they didn't ask and suggested another round of ghost storytelling to cheer Mai up. As expected Mai perked up at the suggestion and they began discussing where they should hold it. Their discussion was interrupted by irate Kuroda, their class rep. She stopped them from leaving and inquired what they were up to.

It dampened Mai's mood again, and Michiru answered her inquiry. "We're going to tell ghost stories today…"

Mai could sense murderous intent from the class rep, and wondered if she secretly had temper problem. However before she could mull over it someone else came, giving her entirely different bad feeling than one she got from Kuroda. Shibuya had showed his face from the door.

"Ah, there you are." With how his eyes zoomed in to Mai, obviously she was the one Shibuya looking for.

His entrance drew Kuroda to turn to his direction, "What year are you? What are you doing here?"

Mai raised an eyebrow at her tone, even though she didn't like Shibuya she didn't outright interrogate the guy at first encounter like that. Although… she did try to scare him a little, the second time they met.

"Ah, I had an arrangement with her..." Shibuya answered smoothly.

"Arrangement? About the ghost stories?" Kuroda's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Correct."

She whirled towards Mai and her friends, "Didn't I tell you to stop doing this?! No wonder I've been having headaches since this morning."

"Heh?" Mai blinked owlishly

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

I inclined my head doubtfully, wondering what this girl was talking about. Then Kuroda started to rant about her sensitivity towards spirit, claiming she got headache when a lot of them gather. She said a lot of low level spirit would gather when we were telling ghost stories, and those low level ones would attract stronger ones. Then finished her rant with a warning that we would get in trouble for that.

"So you shouldn't go around telling ghost stories for fun."

I resisted my urge to roll my eyes. Not even Reborn forbid me from this hobby, he thought it was hilarious because of my brother's reaction to them. He just forbid me from getting fooled by them like now… Spirits gathering because of people telling story about they was just superstition, if there wasn't any in the first place they won't gather. It was only true for old ritual of ghost storytelling popularized in Edo, with tea and so on. What my friends and I doing was not going to invite anyone as far as I knew.

Kuroda didn't stop though, and now she was trying to lecture Shibuya too. "It would be quite troublesome if senpai did it too. I'd have to do an exorcism,"

You had no idea that you were talking to an expert. It never end well for anyone to lecture this kind of person. "Isn't it just your imagination?" He shrugged.

"That's why people who can't sense spirits are annoying." She scowled to herself, glaring at Shibuya with intensity.

I could almost hear –Not as annoying as amateurs- coming from Shibuya, judging from how his eyes glinted with annoyance. "You, if you really can sense them then do you sense something from the old school building?"

CLANG!

Now I heard something resembling a boxing bell, signaling a start of a fight.

"Old school building? Ah, it seems spirits of those who died during the war are gathering there." Kuroda said quickly, almost too quickly as if she had prepared that answer beforehand.

Shibuya raised an eyebrow at that, "Died during the war…?"

"Right. I often see a man's shadow looking at me from the windows and it looks like a man from the war" Kuroda looked very pleased for some reason.

"Hee, which war?"

"Of course, the World War II. During the war there was a hospital on that place. The spirits of the dead nurses can be seen there. It had been air-raided once. Therefore a lot of injured spirits can be seen too"

Word War Two? In the background Shibuya said something sarcastic to Kuroda but I didn't pay attention because my mind was busy punching logic shaped hole on her story.

"Awesome." Shibuya said sarcastically, "I didn't know this was a hospital during the war…"

Then I blurted out without thinking, "Didn't our school just celebrate its eighty third anniversary last year?"

In short this school already exist in pre-war era, long before World War Two. No hospital, Kuroda was talking about. Judging from her scowl and red face, I just placed myself on her hit list number one. "I wouldn't know such a thing. Anyway, I've seen them. A person unable to sense them wouldn't understand." She insisted, gritting her teeth.

Actually I _could_ , it was in my blood. By the way, why this guy looked so pleased?

"Anyway… I would like to borrow…" He pulled out a familiar looking student card, and I paled. "Sawada Mai-san…" He read my name that printed on my student card out loud with a smirk.

I panicked yesterday and dropped my card in hospital after dropping that guy off with him, it seemed. I didn't even notice it was missing. "Ah… thank you for picking up my card, what do you need?" I gave up, chop and boil me if you wanted!

"Do you have a spare minute?" He asked with a smile on his face, a smile that suggest my thought was exactly what he had in mind.

My friends looked envious but they saw how I looked like, I was not elated by this turn of event either. They were confused with what Shibuya had in mind for me and worried too. You guys were so sweet…

* * *

"Who's that girl?" Shibuya asked Mai as soon as they were out of their sight and hearing range. He was walking few steps ahead of her.

Mai shrugged, "Kuroda-san... our class-rep, it seems she doesn't like me." She said with a sigh.

"Yeah. Is she really a medium?" He asked with a thoughtful expression.

Mai cupped her chin, "Well, she said so…"

Noll smirked at that, this girl didn't answer him outright and avoided voicing her thought about the self-proclaimed medium.

"So… is your friend alright?" She asked worriedly.

"About that." Noll turned to face Mai, his cold, indifferent expression firmly in place. "He sprained his left ankle. It is apparently in very bad condition, so he won't be able to stand for a while."

"I am sorry…" Her apology was sincere but Noll had a feeling she didn't buy his cold expression. "Is his injury going to make it difficult for you to do your job?"

Noll saw the chance when it was presented to him on a silver platter. "Of course, he is my assistant." He waited for a comment about their age and how unusual of him to boss an older man. Mai didn't say anything on that, most likely she didn't really care of such trivial detail. "Not to mention we lost one of our precious camera." An insured camera, but he was not going to mention that.

Mai looked like she was about to say something before clamping her mouth shut, a strange behavior. "So… if there is anything I can help…"

Noll knew he had won, and for some reason getting one over this girl was _very_ satisfying. "Then… I shall take your offer, Mai. You're going to take my assistant's place in duration of this case."

Her eyes were wide in shock, and Noll didn't know whether it was because familiar way he addressed her or his demand. Perhaps it was a quasi-combination of both.

* * *

 **WARNING, LONG AUTHOR NOTE but I try to keep it interesting ha ha ha... just to give you an insight of what running through whimsical world I called my brain, populated by plot bunnies.**

 **From review I got in my other story, my impression is that you guys prefer something lighter. With regret... once again I inform you that I tried and it just didn't click with me, I tried to squeeze fluff and drama together, =_=' I end up writing something horrible in my own opinion.  
So I end up with a full blown drama and it make me feels 'THIS IS IT!' like how I feel with POAST. **

**Yeah... basically why POAST is so hard to update, even though I KNOW what I am want to happen in next chapter didn't mean I can convey it RIGHT in my writing.**

 **BTW I am also experimenting with switching POV. I did this before in my few first fic but SOMEHOW I didn't get it right, it just can't come out right and I wish to challenge myself in this again. The original novel of Ghost Hunt is in first POV by Mai and this story will be switched around between 3rd POV, and Mai, and Naru's POV. It's fun to write both, but I tend to go overly witty with their thought... especially Mai.**

 **When you cross over fandom and background become different, of course personality change a little. This is what happen to Mai. In my head Mai who was Tsuna's twin was a tomboy, and she got to order her brother around. From how Tsuna's treated his adopted siblings in CANON, I think he will spoil Mai rotten. As said in my first version summary, Mai does have brother complex, with good reason. She also feel reasonably inferior in comparison of her brother, and this is based on her canon personality. Her confidence in her ability is a little odd, sometimes she believes in them but sometimes she denies them. Because of Reborn's influence I want her to have 'some' confidence but not overblown by it in the same time.**

 **Once again... as said in AN before the story I** **ended up hauling the whole story to a different direction. Although... it end up minimizing presence of KHR character for first few chapters... =_=' However I don't know IF someone who read KHR but not GH can enjoy this so I need your opinion... I need honest review!**


	2. Case 01, Part 02

**Chapter 2**

Noll so far was very pleased with his new assistant. At first he was worried hiring a girl meant bigger workload, because… she was a girl. Surprisingly Mai had both stamina and strength, and she had not complained even once as she carried heavy load from their van to the old school building. It seemed archery demanded physical strength even though in Noll's opinion, it didn't seem to be a physically demanding sport.

The best thing was… unlike other amateurs, she didn't ask stupid question. Or maybe she just had too much surprise for one day or too tired to ask. He could only hope it was not a sign of ignorance.

He also got into a pretty interesting discussion with her, concerning the ghost story revolving around the school building.

"One or two people died every year while tragic is not weird… especially since in the rumor itself their cause of death is clear, accidents… suicide and so on." Mai voiced her opinion.

"I agree… how many people died every day in one country? Once or twice happening in the same location just mean this place is dangerous but not haunted." He mused.

Mai sighed, "Right… but still… I just hope when we investigated this building, it's not going to collapse on us first." She grumbled as she lifted a heavy box that would have send other schoolgirl her size to stumbling mess.

"Most haunted building are dangerous." Noll said, which was the truth. Description 'haunted' was almost synonymous with danger. "This building is no different…"

Mai sighed at that, "I see… so a Ghost Hunter needs a nerve of steel, hm?"

"There is nothing to be scared of." He retorted.

"Why are there people like you who at the age of seventeen decide to do this kind of job?" For the first time she sounded genuinely curious.

So Noll replied her in flat and confident voice. "Because someone have to do it as much as people need it done."

"Very confident of you." She was not being sarcastic, more like making an understatement. "So, can you solve this case?"

"So far I have solved all cases brought to me." He answered with the same confident tone. "I am very capable."

Mai snorted, "So… you're handsome and capable, good for you."

This girl didn't seem interested in him at all, so why now she complimented his look? "I'm handsome?"

She didn't blush, and replied him as if he was talking about the weather outside. "Or so my friends said."

"Right." Noll replied calmly, turning his eyes away but keep watching Mai from the corner of his eyes for her reaction. "They have a good taste, don't you think?"

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

Wow, he was so confident in his capability and looks. But still… I sweat-dropped as my intuition told me he was waiting for a retort and watching from the corner of his eyes. What the hell he was expecting me to say to that?

Did he expect me to agree or what? Something like 'good for you' or 'I think so too' perhaps? Well, the only comfort in this situation at least this guy was proud of things he could back up.

"Erm… I don't think I even want to dignify that question with an answer." I retorted in driest tone I could muster.

Even if it was the truth you were handsome, saying such thing out loud made you a narcissist! And for some reason in spite of a number of similarities he shared with my tutor, I felt this one stood out the most. Then, I'll just call you Naru-chan from now on… after all Reborn would _never_ let me get away with nicknaming him. Boy, I felt petty subjecting this guy on things I wanted to do to Reborn for years. Then again, too bad that Naru-chan didn't have a gun to stop me from doing so.

Oh, I had to inform Kochou-sensei of my new job before he freaked out when he saw me with Naru-chan~

* * *

 **The next day (3** **rd** **Person POV)**

Once again she surprised Noll with coming the next day prepared. Well, as prepared as an amateur could be with relying on second hand info from internet and other reference. It seemed Mai decided to not rely on Noll to enlighten her about their equipment as much as possible after how their talk went yesterday. She still asked sometimes instead of consulting with her reference notes about the equipment though. Noll didn't mind because the faster she learned, the more efficient their work would be.

"By the way… I met Kuroda-san on my way here." She said as she wrote down the temperature and humidity of the room they measured beforehand, "She seems eager to help you." She added as she put her notes down.

Noll hated amateur, especially a liar like Kuroda who spout supernatural talk to gain attention. After all they were the one who gave those with real ability a hard time. The very bane of their existence. "I don't need her help."

Mai rolled her eyes, as she followed Noll to the entranceway of the school building. They had more equipment to carry upstairs. "Thought so… I am surprised she still wants to talk to you after what happened…"

"Most girls didn't, even after I turn them down." Noll informed her as a matter of fact.

"Very confident in your charm, aren't we… what else is new?" Mai muttered under her breath. "So… we're setting up screens next?"

Noll opened the trunk of the van, revealing boxes containing screens. "Yes…" Then he pointed at another box containing a set of collapsible shelf. "Let's set the shelf first but before that..." Noll opened his laptop and began checking recording from yesterday.

Mai leaned in, "Anything out of ordinary?"

Noll shook his head, "Not so far."

"Wow, that's a lot of fancy looking equipment you have there." A feminine voice commented, alerting them of two new presence. "Very expensive toys, you have there… kid."

The one who was commenting was a young woman, the most fitting word to describe her was flashy. She had red hair and was wearing gaudy clothes. Beside her was a man around her age with light brown hair, wearing piercing and casual clothes. First impression wise, Noll didn't think he welcome these newcomers.

"May I inquire who are you and your business with me?" Noll asked coolly.

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

So in the end headmaster cracked and called more people to help him? Naru-chan seemed pissed though with his new competitions, although judging from her comment, while they were on the same trade they were not ghost hunter.

"I am Matsuzaki Ayako, a shrine maiden."

I raised an eyebrow at that, she didn't look like it. At least my image of shrine maiden was pure and solemn young woman, nothing like her.

"I thought Shrine Maiden (Miko) were young, pure maiden…"

I didn't know what to feel that Naru-chan and I had the same thing in mind, although I couldn't believe he threw an unedited version at her out loud.

The man beside them also let out a burst of laughter and I was very tempted to join in. But I swallowed my urge easily, I had a lot of practice on that. "Oh, you can't tell?" The Miko was reddening in fury as she glared at Naru-chan.

Naru-chan continued, "If you want to say you're young, I think you are really too old." He told her without mercy. To be fair, she was the one who brought up about age first with calling Naru-chan kid.

"Loud mouthed brat…" She gritted out, unable to come out with better comeback.

Well, score for Naru-chan for rendering our Miko-san speechless!

Naru-chan shifted his line of sight onto the other man who was having difficulty in regaining his breath. "...And you are? You don't seem to be Matsuzaki-san's assistant."

The man smiled, it seemed he was friendlier than the Shrine Maiden at least. "I'm a monk from Kouya Sect. My name is Takigawa Houshou."

Monk with hair, in real life and not anime? Well, I have seen weirder person like… most people in my family with my Onii-chan as the most exceptional exception of weirdness.

Naru-chan continued to look at the television screens, then said in a bored tone, "Kouya Mountain allows long hair now?"

The man was startled after hearing that, which was funny considering he should expect people commenting on his lack of 'hairlessness' after introducing himself as a monk.

Ayako-san, the shrine maiden scoffed to the side. "He is an apostate."

The monk turned at the shrine maiden and retorted in defensive tone. "...I've just come down the mountain for now!" His voice was carrying a hint of shame, there must be a story behind his 'coming down the mountain' and state of hair.

They were weird but I couldn't help but think they were genuine spiritualist, I could feel it. The shrine maiden was _decent_ but the monk felt exceptionally powerful. I glanced at my temporary boss, thinking, he also felt… powerful but in the same time something was preventing me from sensing the extent of his power. It was like how brother kept his power in a very tight control or on purpose lowering it. Which was other factor that made me wary of him the first time we met.

Well, I supposed we could let Miko-san and Monk-san to have all the time in the world to argue. So I turned my attention to my temporary boss. "So Naru-chan, should we go to set up the shelves?"

Naru-chan looked at me with a hint of shock behind his eyes. "What did...you just say?"

How odd, he looked even more shocked than when I had him at arrow point. "What's wrong?"

"You just called me 'Naru-chan'."

There was no help in lying my way out of this. "Yeah… I did."

"Where did you hear that?" He asked inquiringly.

Why did he react like that? It as if I had struck a nerve. "Is that your nickname?" I wanted to treat it as a joke but for some reason it was not to him. There was a brief silence, and I could tell he was restless. "Aha, so I am not the only one who think you deserve it! Narcisstic Naru-chan."

"Mai, you…" Our eyes met, and Naru-chan narrowed his eyes in return. Most likely wondering what I was looking at, but I didn't back off.

I sighed, "You know…" I was about to tell him off about addressing me so casually but I was interrupted.

"And who's your little girlfriend, boy?" The monk asked mischievously.

I felt my face started to heat up but I suppressed it down, I would not let them have the pleasure to see me blushing! "I'm not his girlfriend, I am his assistant..." Fine, from now on you're Bou-san, the half-baked monk.

"Oh, right, and what about you, boy?"

Naru-chan glared at them, it seemed the 'girlfriend' comment got to his nerve too. "You guys should go to the principal to find out. Seems like you at least know my age," Naru-chan replied.

"Well..." He sighed, "It seems he hired you because of prestigious location of your office." The monk intoned, "But he never thought the head is a kid. Boy, does he feel duped."

Actually Kochou-sensei had a pretty good instinct, considering the three experts he gathered were all genuine. My intuition said so.

"Is that so?" Naru-chan said in his cold tone.

Crossing her arms, Miko-san added, "The principal...is quite a worrywart... calling this many of us to this rundown school. I am alone is plenty enough."

"Really," Bou-san agreed. "I think all he needed was me."

"My, I wonder…" They were throwing challenging look at one another and in midst of this heat Naru-chan was coolly checking his equipment. It was he either didn't care of his competition or he thought they were not worth his time, most likely both.

I turned my attention away from the ensuing argument, taking an example from Naru-chan with busying myself with another box of equipment to carry. From the corner of my eyes, I saw someone approach us from direction of schoolyard. It was Kuroda, and she was waving at me.

"Sawada-san."

It seemed she didn't hate me as much as I thought. Or she had something she wanted from me. Kuroda-san glanced at the side, where the two spiritualists were still locked in argument.

"Who are those two peoples?" She asked curiously.

"They came here to investigate the old school building, a miko and a monk." I informed her.

"Really..."

I didn't blame you if you doubt these two, if not for my intuition I would think they were frauds too.

Unexpectedly she didn't think so. "Ah, thank goodness. I've always had a feeling of unease towards this ghost-nest old school building."

Miko-san narrowed his eyes at Kuroda, and Bou-san was also doing the same thing. "You...how is that possible?"

My eyes also narrowed, trying to decipher what made them tense. They were… _looking_ at her? No, more like trying to read her, looking for something.

"I am spiritually sensitive...so it's been very annoying for me..." Kuroda confessed in happiest voice I've ever heard from her.

Whoaa… it seemed whatever she said was about to set Miko-san off, and Bou-san was averting his eyes. I didn't even need my intuition to tell they were displeased, and Kuroda-san didn't even notice.

"You grandstander." Miko-san said bluntly, which while shocking me, it was in character of her I supposed. "You're just trying to be conspicuous, do you want people to pay attention to you that badly? Miko-san pressed on.

If not for my intuition I would think she was being mean but… what I sensed from her voice was sadness and disappointment instead.

"True. She...does not have any spiritual power," Bou-san added, he said it in the same kind of voice.

"What?!" Kuroda stuttered.

"I can tell by looking," Miko-san stated coolly. "You have no sixth sense or anything, you're _tricking_ people to gain attention." There was a tint of bitterness in her voice.

I see… so that was how it was.

"I will call a spirit." Kuroda gritted out, "And have it to possess you." She threatened.

"Kuroda-san, I don't think…" I trailed off, unsure how to phrase my words to not set her off. After all if my intuition was right, it always right even when I didn't want it to be right, Miko and Bou-san were serious she didn't have that capability. While I didn't like her, I wouldn't want her to endanger herself to get back at Miko-san.

"Fake miko, you'll regret this."

Kuroda was not helping her own case, considering she just talked to them as if they were real and now she accused them back.

"...I'm waiting for it then." Miko-san shot back at Kuroda, who dashed to the schoolyard.

I watched her retreating back with a sigh, wondering if I should run after her or not. At least to convince her to not go through with her threat, more for her safety than Miko-san.

"Jou-chan." Bou-san called.

I blinked owlishly at him, and it took me a while to compute that 'Jou-chan' was me. "Uhm, me?"

"Yeah." Bou-san beamed, the way he behaved towards me was very different in comparison with Kuroda. "Is she a friend of yours? How come you didn't defend her?"

I blinked again, wondering why he wanted to know. Surprisingly Miko seemed to be as curious as him and was waiting for an answer from me. "Uhm… she is a classmate to be exact, and even if I want to defend her… you two didn't throw a baseless accusation at her."

"Eh? How did you know?" He pressed on, raising an eyebrow at me.

Ouch, I was out of Reborn's supervision for too long and I let my guard down. How should I explain this? Well, it was a good thing Reborn's greatest teaching was how to bluff people 101.

I cleared my throat, "You were looking at her." I stated simply. "Before Miko-san and Bou-san talked to her, I saw you two staring at her _really_ hard." I dragged the word 'really' on to emphasize. "Kinda reminding me of my teacher when he was trying to decide whether I am lying or not." Though in Reborn's case, even though he didn't have our intuition it didn't take him more than three seconds to find out. "I am not a spiritualist so I don't know what to look for to know whether someone have sixth sense or not, you're spiritualists… so you know your stuff better than I do for sure."

Miko-san narrowed his eyes, "Hm… that make sense, but I thought you didn't believe we're the real deal like your boss."

Naru-chan corrected, "I don't believe you guys are a miko and a monk because of how you looks, not that you're spiritualists."

I couldn't help it so I laughed, "Exactly what he said… though I wish you can be less blunt. You don't have to tell her off like that… I am worried what she would do to herself." I said honestly. "But I guess she really make you upset, it seems in this trade pretenders really hurt those with genuine skill with their lies."

Bou-san was smiling at me now and even though he meant well it took all of my self-control to not whack his hand off of my head, a hand that was petting me affectionately. I also had to suppress my urge to not yell that only my family members could pat my head.

"I like you Jou-chan." He said with a grin.

"Erm… I am a minor." I reminded him with a smile.

"Not like that!"

Miko-san scoffed, "Say you… Ojou-chan… you better wash your hair tonight, his hands must be full of germs."

"What did you say?"

Before another argument could broke out Kochou-sensei appeared, with a foreigner in tow. Whoaa… how many people he called for this old building? "Morning everyone, nice to see you all," He greeted us, he looked pretty pleased for someone who pit experts from the same trade for his project. "This is John Brown-san," He continued, stepping away as John Brown bowed. "Please welcome him everybody."

Apparently Kochou-sensei while sharp enough to choose people, he was oblivious that he had set up a competition among these experts. He even introduced this foreigner like he was a transfer student.

"How do you do?" All of us was stunned by what coming out of his mouth, Kansai-ben with Australian accent? "My name's John Brown, and I came from the great outback of Australia. I can't express how excited I am to join you."

Bou-san and Miko-san turned around, shaking with mirth as admonishing each other for laughing. Boy, they suddenly very in sync with each other. I would have laugh, but I had been in his position before. Speaking foreign language with accent and people decided you're the most hilarious thing they had ever seen. Brown-san didn't seem disturbed though.

"Brown-san learned Japanese in Kansai area." Kochou-sensei explained.

Yeah, we could hear him speak Kansai-ben.

Miko-san stifled her laughter, "Let me guess, you're a spiritualist too?"

John looked used to it as he responded, "Well, I am what you'd call an exorcist."

Both Ayako and Monk stopped laughing to evaluate him. He was another rival of theirs.

Naru for once looked curious of his rival, "Only those who have been ordained in the Catholic Church as priests have the ability to conduct exorcisms. You seems too young for that," Naru said questioningly.

While I agreed with you, Naru-chan. You were also too young to own a company yourself.

"Wow, you really know your stuff, to be honest I just turned nineteen a few weeks ago, that's why I look so young," John said as he scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I have baby face to boot."

So far we had… a ghost hunter, a monk, a miko and now an exorcist. Kochou-sensei was really desperate to tear down the old school building. I glanced at the old school building, and wonder if it would hold on with this ragtag bunch of misfits Kochou-sensei gathered competing inside of it. The most hilarious thing? I didn't sense anything they could compete for inside the building. The only good thing out of this was, I got the best first row seat to watch how this would go down.

Gee… I was on fast tract to be the next Reborn.

 **Naru's base**

"A smart ass Ghost Hunter, a hairy monk and an exorcist with Kansai-ben." Miko-san listed on with a huff. And you're a flashy miko, to be honest you guys made a perfect team. Well, perfect by my family's standard. "That principle! He has no faith in me at all."

In any business, appearance was almost everything to incite trust. What did you expect with calling yourself a miko and yet, your dress was so flashy? It was almost amazing that all of them were genuine spiritualists, but none had fitting appearance to inspire faith on their skill. Though in Naru's case, it was because he was very young.

"Just you watch!" She harrumphed as turning on her heel, "I will clean this building up myself!"

The only thing that could be cleaned from this building was dust though. I thought to myself.

"I am going to work on my own too." Bou-san said as he sashayed out of the room before poking his head back, "By the way Jou-chan, if it gets dangerous… look for me kay?"

Well, he might be apostate monk but he was pretty nice. "Hai…" I saw no reason to not indulge him a little, as we waved at each other.

Now Naru, John and I were the only one left on the base. Sensing his hesitation I asked, "Brown-san? Is there something you need from us?"

"Uhm… yes, would you let me to work with you?" It seemed Brown-san wanted to be Naru's friend. Which was very sweet, because before we head back to base Naru was surprisingly kind enough to correct Brown-san's Japanese. He still spoke in Kansai-ben but at least he didn't sound weird when addressing himself anymore.

"That's fine. Just do what you want," Naru-chan answered calmly, his eyes still glued to his computer.

We had fifteen television sets stacked on top of each shelf, the TV screens changed. Now they were showing a view of the corridors. Digital numbers and letters flashed incessantly on the screens. A view of the first and second floor could be seen from the TV placed in the entrance hall. All the screens were immersed in blue and green speckles.

My eyes were drawn to specific monitor with a very familiar view on it. "Ah… It's Thermography... "

Naru glanced curiously at me, "You learned very fast."

I just laughed sheepishly at that, not correcting his assumption on purpose. I didn't learn what it was called, I knew because it was a familiar equipment for my family to use. After all flame was in our blood.

"By the way… I didn't ask you what your name was. You're Shibuya-san's assistant?" Brown-san asked.

I nodded, "Yeah, pretty much. I'm Sawada Mai."

"You can jus' call me John, nice to meet you."

Ah, he reverted to his weird Japanese again. "Nice to meet you too Father John, you can call me Mai too." Then I cleared my throat, "And that's very nice of you to ask first." I might nicknamed you as I pleased but you should have some courtesy to ask my permission to address me so familiarly, Naru-chan.

"Hn." At least he heard me.

Turning back, I saw Bou-san in the middle of the TV screen. While examining his surroundings, Monk-san walked into the depths of the hallway. Miko-san was in another screen, she was about to enter a classroom.

And in the other screen...

I could see someone near the entranceway, near upturned shoe cabinets after my accident. In the middle of the screen was doll-like girl wearing a pink sakura kimono, she looked like a ghost. I have seen her from somewhere, but where? If not for my intuition I would think she was a ghost, she looked right at home in a haunted building. The girl looked at another direction, then turned and left. She was no longer on the screen.

"Naru…? There is a doll-like girl near the entrance." I informed him.

He frowned and rewind the scene. "Oh…"

"I think I have seen her from somewhere."

"Of course you do, she…"

"KYAAAAAAAAA!"

That was Miko-san's voice. Did something happen to her? We rushed to where the scream came from, and we saw Bou-san was already in front of the door. It seemed it was locked, and Miko-san was shouting from the other side as banging the door. Watch it! This building was old, it didn't need more damage!

Naru and Bou-san tried to pull the door open, it was not bulging at all. "Let's kick it open," Bou-san suggested as he faced the door. "Ayako! Move away!"

"What! Don't just call me by my first name like that!"

"Wait!" I shouted, stopping both Bou-san and Miko-san. "This building is already tearing apart as it is! Let me open the door instead!"

"But how?" Bou-san asked.

I walked pass him and examined the lock. Luckily it didn't broke from how rough Naru and Bou-san with it. "Just be patient a little Matsuzaki-san." I assured her as I pulled my hairpins from my hair, bent one of it to form ninety degrees for pick and another as the lever. I ignored intense stare on my back and began to pick the lock. Miko-san seemed to have calmed down when she heard the sound of lock turning.

Click. Click.

"There." Without turning my eyes away from the lock, I tried to pick something near my feet with my free hand while the other opened the sliding door open. Naru noticed what I did, while the others were too distracted by Miko-san. I endured another round of head-petting, courtesy of Bou-san while slipping _it_ inside my pocket.

Miko-san sighed in relieve, "Thanks Ojou-chan…"

"Wow! You're great, Jou-chan." He complimented me then glanced at Naru. "You have one hell of an assistant." Naru narrowed his eyes at me inquiringly and I struggled to not avert my eyes suspiciously.

"Where did you learn that?" At last he was getting impatient and outright asking.

I shrugged, "I have one hell of a home tutor."

"Home tutor teach how to pick locks nowadays?" Miko-san raised an eyebrow.

I laughed sheepishly, "Just mine… he taught me a lot of interesting things."

"I see…" Naru seemed satisfied for the moment and turned his attention to Miko-san. "What happened?"

She sighed loudly and began explaining as we walked back to the base, "I was looking around the classroom. Suddenly the door slammed shut. I tried opening it but it wouldn't budge. There's definitely a spirit here"

"No, there isn't. I haven't sensed any paranormal being," The girl we saw on the screen before appeared, sliding the door open.

Miko-san groaned, "Great, now we have a TV star."

"It's getting merrier." Monk-san rolled his eyes.

"Hm…" I stared at her in confusion.

"Masako Hara, she is a spirit medium," Naru explained. "You must have seen her before on TV."

No wonder she looked familiar.

"This is ridiculous. It's easy to fake results on television. The only reason she gets ratings is because she's pretty and wears that silly kimono," Miko-san said snidely.

"Why thank you, I'll take that as a compliment," Hara-san, the medium retorted coolly.

"Why you…" You had that coming, Miko-san.

Hara-san ignored her, and zeroed in to Naru. I hoped she was not going to lose her head because of his pretty face. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but have I ever had the pleasure of meeting you before?"

"No, I believe this is our first meeting." Naru answered.

"Hm?" It was very brief, but just now he was tense. I didn't think Naru was lying. He was a good liar but I could see through it. So what made him restless?

"Is that so…" she murmured softly.

By the way I also felt the same as her, I feel like I have seen her before but I didn't know her. I saw her on TV after all, perhaps that was the case with her and Naru?

"Anyway." I was snapped out of my musing by our Miko. "I believe, that we're dealing with an earth-spirit."

"I believe, it's Jibakurei." Monk added his own opinion instead, which for some reason was the complete opposite of Miko-san. "There is a lot of death and tragedy here after all… I think the entity is afraid it's going to lose its home, so it's attempting to stop the construction,"

I glanced at Naru, wondering if he was going to add his own input. Even though according to my intuition they were discussing nonexistent presence in this building. Part of me wanted to be wrong for once. "Oi Naru…"

"John, what do you think?" He asked instead.

"Well to be honest I'm not sure, but usually a haunting does originate with a ghost or spirit occupying a structure," John answered evenly.

"I see," Naru said. He turned towards me. "What do you think Mai?" he asked.

I really didn't want answer that, but it would be weird if I didn't. "My initial opinion is the same as Hara-san because… like I told you before, everything happened in this building have explainable cause." Then I shrugged, "But who knows what we will find next, so far we only see Matsuzaki-san got locked by herself. It could be spirit or whatever you guys said who did it, but it could be human too."

"Why would a human lock me up?" Miko-san asked in annoyed tone.

"I just said human also can lock you up, I mean… locking a door is within human capability." I tried to placate her.

"Well… that a sound argument, Ojou-chan." Miko-san said as she turned around to leave the room. "I will exorcise these spirits as soon as I can!" She declared.

However her path was blocked by Kuroda, talking about horrible timing. "I wouldn't be so confident if I were you. The spirit that haunts this site is incredibly powerful," she said, her eyes narrowed in distaste at Miko-san.

"Kuroda-san…" I said, backing away until I was standing in line with Naru. "Well." I began in lowest voice I could muster so only Naru could hear me. "We have our first human suspect here."

Naru smirked, "She does have enough reason to do so…"

"Move aside," It was not very wise of her to taunt Miko-san who was very testy after what happened to her, pushing her way open, knocking Kuroda to the side.

I stepped forward to help her sitting up, she looked exhausted. "The spirit attacked me." My eyes widened in shock, I didn't sense lie from her. "It's true," she continued, and everyone was turning their attention to her. She told us when she was walking down the hallway, her hair was yanked roughly by something. It was trying to strangle her, telling her to leave this place.

Everyone was shocked, but I was even more shocked than they were. After all even if there was something escaped my intuition, it was impossible for me to miss such hostility when I was in the same building as this entity Kuroda was talking about. I had to admit I didn't sense ghost and the like often because I didn't look for them, but hostility and other negative emotion was entirely different matter.

"When did this happen?" Naru asked calmly.

"A few minutes ago, in the second floor hallway," she answered.

"That's false, there are no spirits here," Masako Hara interjected.

"Yes there are! There definitely are. And they're angry," Kuroda responded hotly before I interrupted her, caging her face between my hands. She was shocked at how I looked at her straight in the eye but I didn't care. I wanted to know what was wrong.

"You were attacked?" I asked firmly, I could sense her pulse quickened under my fingertips and then I read one most prominent emotion from her.

Doubt, she was second guessing herself now. "Yes…" She forced that answer out.

"I see…" I smiled at her warmly, trying to ease the girl I scared off. "Sorry, I am just curious… I just want to make sure you're alright." My hand slid down from her cheek, neck then to her shoulder. Her breathing slowed down, a sign she was relaxing.

"You said it was the second floor hallway?" Naru asked, blessedly interrupted the awkwardness between Kuroda and I and drawing our attention to recording he played.

However while we could see her coming in and walked up the stairs, the screen blurred to static at the moment we wanted to see. "What just happened, is the camera broken?" I asked.

"No, but it is quite strange," Naru answered. "It's not uncommon for electronic equipment to malfunction when activity occur but… here I am not so sure. Is it, a spirit or EMF interference…"

"It's quite obviously a spirit, I was attacked!" Kuroda insisted, all trace of previous doubt was lingering on her but…

"There are no spirits here," Hara-san said sternly with conviction

"I wonder…" Kuroda trailed off, glaring at Hara-san skeptically.

I stepped forward before she could say more than necessary, "Kuroda-san… calm down, as you said you have been attacked just now." I was worried for her for many reasons. One of it was starting another debate. "So… let me walk you home. I don't want anything bad happen to you again."

"Oh… well…" She trailed off unsurely. "I guess you're right."

I was glad she trusted me, whether or not she was lying what the most important was preventing her from blowing up again. "Then shall we…"

"Mai!" Naru called me, frowning. "I have not excused you."

I sighed loudly, resisting my urge to argue that sun almost set outside so by right he should have excused me. "Alright…" I turned around, "Then let me to escort you out of this horrible place at least, I trust you can go home on your own?"

She nodded, thankfully finding an understanding soul made her very agreeable. So I escorted her out of the room and the old school building, then bid her a farewell before walking back to the base. On my way I saw everyone but Naru, they decided to call it a day too. Bou-san patted me again, much to my frustration and offered me to quit my job and be his assistant instead. I laughed his offer off as I bid them my farewell and straight to the base where Naru was waiting.

* * *

 **SPR's Base (Naru's POV)**

As soon as she entered the base, I didn't wait and outright asked what was bugging my mind. "So… is Kuroda lying or telling the truth?"

Mai blinked owlishly at me, "Why do you ask?"

I sighed, wondering if Mai was serious or she thought she could fool me. "You practiced classical lie detection technique on Kuroda just now…" I rested my hand on my jugular. "When you were holding her, you were also feeling her pulse while watching her pupils closely."

She paused, as if she had a hard time deciding to tell me or not. Before she shrugged, "Alright, I did…" She sighed, "I can't say she is lying or not though… "

"What do you mean?"

"She is neither." She told me in flat tone.

I narrowed my eyes, "Mai… it could only be she did or didn't, it can't be both."

She groaned, "I mean… at first I _sensed_ that she is telling me the truth, then her pulse started to get erratic and her pupils dilated when I asked her for confirmation…"

Sensed? Curious choice of word.

"You mean… she believe she is telling us the truth but when you pressed on she started to doubt herself?" I concluded, that was pretty detailed reading. She was full of surprise, that level of reading was abnormal. Was she a psychic, and unaware of it?

"That's what I got from her…"

I smirked, "I see… unexpectedly you're very sly, charming your way in to assure her that you're her friend."

She frowned, "Excuse me? Unlike certain person, I know when I have done something intrusive and making amends… I am sure you can see Kuroda-san is pretty temperamental, do you want her starting an argument with Hara-san?"

She was right, we had enough of that for one day. "I don't, good job in distracting her." I complimented her sincerely. Then I held my hand out to her.

Mai stared at my hand, "What is that for?"

"Give me the object you hid when you were diverting our attention with your lock picking skill… I heard the lock spun twice, it's not locked in the first place. Not that way… so could you?" I requested in even voice. She rolled her eyes at me, then wordlessly handed me something that wrapped in her handkerchief. Whatever inside, it was hard and heavy for its size, and I was not surprised to find a long nail. "Is there a reason why you were trying to hide this from us?"

She shook his head, "I am not going to hide it from you… even if you didn't ask I would have given it to you. However I don't think the others should know…"

I nodded in agreement, "I agree with you." If I was the one who find the nail first I wouldn't tell anything about it to them at this point of time. "So… I suppose this nail is what was jamming the old sliding door?"

Mai nodded, "It's very easy to pull it out, after all it was just stuck between the doorframe's gaps."

I snorted, "Of course… if someone hammer it down, Matsuzaki-san would notice someone was trying to lock her up." I crossed my arms, leaning my body on the wall to relax. "I suppose this is undeniable proof that the one who locks her is a human."

"Hai… I believe we can easily confirm who did it using fingerprint kit." Mai heaved a sigh, "But we all know we don't have to go that far…"

"Because the only one who could do this is… Kuroda-san." I finished dryly, "She has both motif and means to do it. Not to mention she is the only one who has no alibi." She was not recorded on our camera unlike the others, in fact I believe she even went as far as coming in our base when we were distracted by Matsuzaki-san and erased the recording. "The reason you hide this is because… it would get out of hand if others finds out it's human who lock Matsuzaki-san up." I snorted, "It didn't take a genius to figure it out who is the culprit once the choice of suspect narrows to human category."

Mai nodded, her expression was grim. "I don't like lying but… Kuroda-san is already on hot water with both Miko-san and Bou-san…"

I had to agree with her, this trade was littered with frauds so those with genuine skill like those two were rightfully bitter about it. Kuroda didn't help herself with blaming her 'prank' to spirits either. "I guess we should play it safe… I don't want to work with incompetents but as we're hired by the same client I can't kick them out of investigation."

"So… will you keep this a secret?" Mai's tone was pleading, it seemed she really cared for Kuroda. Or she was like my twin, it was in her nature to care for people, even to a stranger.

"Of course… Like I said, if I have to tolerate their presence in duration of this investigation. I didn't need them to have unnecessary quarrel with a student here…"

She giggled at that, which surprised me a little. "You're welcome… so can I go home now?"

"Yes, but before that… two more questions."

Mai crossed her arms petulantly, "Fire away…"

"Is the one teaching you that lie detection technique your home tutor?" I asked.

"Yes." Mai answered in a tone that suggest she was not going to elaborate.

"I see…" She was hiding something perhaps? I was tempted to ask who was her tutor but I had a feeling she won't give me an answer, "Do you find this job enjoyable?"

She looked stunned by my question, which was better than outright negative answer because she was considering it. "So far… it is." She answered, turning away from me but I can tell she was smiling. "I am looking forward for more… and that's two, so I am going now Naru-chan." With that she sashayed out of the room, and my sight.

It seemed I found the most interesting assistant in Japan.

* * *

 **That night (3rd POV)  
**

She was sleeping and dreaming of endless sky, stretching from color of dusk, twilight and day. It was a familiar sight to Mai. This was the embodiment of her soul who bore the blood of Vongola. Only a single object exist within the endless blue and orange gradient, a swing with wooden seat and chain so long she couldn't see the end.

Mai sat on the swing, hooking her arms around the chain and swung her legs back and forth absentmindedly. She missed the warm and kind hand on her back that would push her gently, lulling her to bliss as he listened her story.

She kept waiting for him who she might never see ever again. Since that day…

BANG! Bang! Bang!

Sound of gunshot echoed, vibrating to her senses. Smell of gun powder that used to be familiar was mixed vividly with rustic smell of his blood. She could still feel the phantom pain and numbness of her back against the floor.

Mai looked down, her feet were dangling above endless abyss. She almost forgot what used to fill this darkness, it was his astral world that mirrored hers. They had imagined this world was shaped like a sphere and they both were identical halves, a mirror image. She wondered if their family knew, maybe that was why they were called the Twin Sky of Vongola.

She let go of the swing and her feet touched the invisible ground that separated her world and the abyss that used to be _his_ world. She knelt down in all four, her palms flat against the invisible barrier. She lowered her face so her forehead rest above the abyss.

She couldn't even see… her reflection, his face… only deep abyss.

"Brother… Tsuna, why…" She whispered hoarsely. "Why did you leave me…"

There was no answer, but she could almost hear his last word ringing in her ears in repeat.

 **"I am so sorry… Mai…"**

She pushed herself up, staring at the darkness for who knows many times and wondering, "Why can't I see you?" This darkness that used to be a vast sky, like reflection of her own…

* * *

 **Previous chapter is like crunchy part of fried chicken so... this is the meat... So for anyone not familiar with GH let me provide a little profile. Naru's is the most important. This is spoiler for his real identity is written on the bottom.**

 **The next update... eeeeh, who knows when? I am writing POAST now but it won't affect either, whichever I wrote first.**

 **I have a feeling these questions will pop up so let's clear it now  
Originally the sliding door has no lock: Yep they don't but according to my research an old school building like that should have one even if it's sliding type. **

**How smart is Mai?  
She is definitely NOT smarter than her canon self, it's Reborn's influence that prompt her to look for info herself before asking. Naru will give her snark remark if she ask something stupid, Reborn? You know there is a reason why he has a shape-shifter chameleon right? It's handy to hand out physical punishment.**

* * *

 **Preview next chapter: In short Mai's first encounter with Gene didn't go as well as expected.  
**

 _Their presence was… similar but not quite, and I was fooled for quite some time by the similarity._

 _"Uwaa…" He was thrown back, his eyes were wide in shock. "What the…"_

 _My eyes narrowed at him, my flame bristling around me. "Who the hell are you?!" I snapped at Naru's look alike. "How did you get here?!"_

 _He didn't answer and still staring at me in shock and awe._

 _"If you don't answer, I will burn you to cinders!"_

* * *

 **SKIP THIS IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW!**

* * *

 ** _Shibuya Kazuya (Naru)_** _is British researcher Oliver Davis, of the original SPR. An organization researching supernatural phenomena. Naru is not only a researcher, but has psychic powers himself. He is a particularly strong psychometrist, and possesses astounding PK. He is nicknamed Noll originally, which is very similar to 'Naru' in Japanese pronunciation._

 _ **Eugene Davis (Gene)** is older twin brother of Oliver/Naru and acknowledged as the perfect medium, they were identical in looks but Gene has gentler and caring personality. He was killed in an accident and his twin was looking for his body now.  
_

 _ **Sawada Mai** _  
_She is one half of Vongola's twin skies, and the younger twin of Sawada Tsunayoshi. The more outgoing of the two and right hand woman of her brother. Originally slotted to be the next 'external adviser' to replace their father but failed to meet the expectation because she is not 'independent' enough. She is very devoted to her brother, and claim her brother complex is 'justified'_

 _ **Sawada Tsunayoshi  
** The older of Vongola's twin skies, and the current boss of Vongola Famiglia. He was hailed as the strongest boss in history after Vongola Primo, known for his feat to blow up the whole mountain by himself. He is nicknamed as Saint of Sky. _  
_He spoiled his sister rotten, and she was his 'biggest' weakness to date._  
 _His current condition is unknown._

* * *

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	3. Case 01, Part 03

**Chapter 3**

Mai wake up very early that morning, and her kitchen was buzzing with activity. As she waited for the rice cooker to steam, she checked the marinade pork in honey, salmon roe and bonito fish for filling. Her ears caught the familiar sound of rice cooker, signaling the rice was ready. She waltzed towards the rice cooker and opened the lid. She could feel her Japanese DNA was in delight as she breathed in the sweet smell of freshly cooked rice. She placed three containers, filled with different rice ball filling and started to knead the piping hot rice to triangle. After the rice ball was firm and filled, she wrapped it in roasted seaweed in three different fashion so no one would mix it up.

Another sound filled the kitchen, this time was the water kettle. She quickly arranged her finished rice balls in neat row on bento box, before rushing to brew her drinks. The first thermos was for espresso, tantalizing smell tickling her nose. She was one forth Italian after all, or perhaps Reborn's influence. Second thermos was filled with roasted green tea, Houjicha. Now all that left was the pickle as replacement for salad, because she afraid they wouldn't eat it right away so it would be less fresh.

And last, was wrapping the stacked bento in furoshiki.

"I am done!" Mai gushed to herself, pride surged as she checked that everything had been cooked meticulously and perfectly to the best of her ability.

She began to think up what else she had to bring with her, "Hm... perhaps a blanket or hand warmer, it's still pretty chilly... That Naru seems to take care of himself poorly." She grumbled, recalling how her temporary boss went eating in nearest cafe for breakfast, and eating out again for lunch. In fact she was sure he forgot to eat the whole day yesterday.

"Maa... that's fine since..." She stopped herself from stuffing in another thing on her bag. "Aargh! Why do I suddenly go out my way to take care of Naru?!"

So what if that guy always eat take out, it was none of her business!

Then again...

 **Vongola Trivia by Reborn~**

1\. Their hyper intuition see through everything  
2\. They're notorious for attracting trouble since their first generation  
3\. Their six guardians brings them even more trouble most of the time.  
4\. But Vongola keep them around because that's how it works in family.  
5\. Vongolas are people person, aside from no.4, they keep their troublemaker guardians because taking care of others is like their life mission, not being able to take care others will just make a Vongola depressed.

Then she recalled how her brother fussed over his guardians, and got himself in more trouble for his high-maintenance guardians. Especially certain illusionist and aloof carnivore. He called them personification of disaster but he got bored and depressed whenever they got too quiet to his liking.

"Ha ha ha... so number 5 is on the play..." Mai felt like crying as realization dawned on her. It was why she was excited and happy to be around Naru and other spiritualists, they seemed to be perfect herald of trouble like his brother's guardians. Gazing at her neatly wrapped bento, and thermos of coffee and tea, she might as well indulge her caretaker side of Vongola's DNA.

She perked up immediately, sensing incoming familiar presence. She still had leftover hot water and quickly brewed two cups of roasted green tea. Then without waiting she skipped merrily towards the door. Mai turned the knob and pushed the door open, warm smile bloomed on her lips.

"Hello!" She greeted the two teen dressed in gakuran with regent hairstyle. "Welcome, Tetsu-san, Tojo-san! It's been a while."

Tetsu-san, the second in command of certain skylark sighed. "Hime… how many times I told you to wait for us to press the bell at least?"

Mai laughed softly at that, "Lots, but what's the point?" She asked as she skipped back inside, followed by her two guests. She turned around as she waited them to change their shoes to indoor slippers. "I know you're coming…"

Tojo, the other teen shook his head. "This is an apartment, what if people saw you greeting your guests as opening the door for them before they press the bell?"

Mai huffed, "I didn't sense other presence… it's fine." She pouted as she led them to her living room. "It's been while, let me have my fun."

They shrugged, "If you say so, Hime…"

"So…" She flopped herself comfortably on the sofa, half-laying down-half sitting. Reminding them of how she used to behave like an elegant lioness. So at ease with herself, but alert and dangerous in the same time.

Nowadays she only acted like this around people who knew her identity. Perhaps because as much as she loved her ordinary life, there was part of her life as mafia princess she couldn't bear to discard. After all she was the twin sister of Vongola Neo Primo, and protégé of strongest hitman.

"What did you come here for? Usually you guys just shadow me from afar… does your Iinchou have a message from me?" Then she answered her own question in dry tone. "Of course not… Kyouya-san is a man of few words, I swear… sometimes I think he is loyal to my brother because with my brother it works even if he didn't say a thing." Of all guardians, the cloud was the one who took advantage of their intuition the most.

He would glare and glare until Tsuna got what he wanted to convey, though personally Mai thought he was wasting more energy with glaring rather than saying it out loud.

"Hime…" Mai cracked one eye open at Tetsu-san, "About the Ghost Hunter… are you sure you want to get involved with it?"

"I can take care of myself." She said, crossing her arms petulantly. For once she hoped they would just come out from wherever they hid to spy on her and say hi, to talk to her like normal friends. No, they came out because they were worried for her as if she couldn't take care of herself.

Tetsu-san still looked worried, "You do know that's not what we meant… Hime." If something happened to her, losing their job _or_ life would be the _least_ of their worries. "Especially since the situation back home had not been stabilize yet since…" They couldn't finish their sentence.

"I know…" She had learned very well that her life was never hers, even when she was not in Italia's soil. "Just give me some breathing room alright? If I need your help I will not hesitate to ask, I will not put myself in danger I can't handle myself… that's all I can promise you…"

They looked at each other, Mai could tell they wanted to keep her safe but in the same time they didn't want to make her feel imprisoned either. "Very well then… Hime. Just stay safe… we wish for nothing but the best for you…"

Mai closed her eyes, "I know…"

* * *

 **In front of old school building**

Mai found Naru on the Base, reviewing recording from yesterday. It seemed to be a routine for him to do every morning. Or so she thought, he was apparently pouring over a map. It was not a street map but one that indicate the terrain of surrounding area it seemed. He was so focused on his task, so he didn't notice her entering the base.

Trak*

She tried to put the paper cup as gently as she could, but the soft noise was enough to alert him of her presence. "Mai…what do you want so early in the morning?"

Mai didn't answer, and she continued to look at his face. Naru had a feeling she was not staring because she was dazed by his looks though. "You didn't sleep enough again." She didn't ask but state, "Here some coffee… "

He could smell fragrant of dark colored drink coming from the paper cup. "I don't like instant coffee…"

"I don't either." Mai retorted instead, "It seemed you're not a fan of coffee if you can't tell the difference, I also have tea but for someone who has been working overnight coffee is the answer."

Naru couldn't help but annoyed to be told like that. He didn't say anything and took an experimental sip. "Hm… this is…"

"Ah sorry, I only keep Espresso ground coffee in my place… I have milk and sugar if it's too strong for you." Mai offered.

Naru continued drinking everything, "It's fine…" He was never a fan of coffee but it seemed Mai was, and most likely this coffee was brewed well.

"Uhm… then would you like tea for your second cup instead?" She offered another thermos.

"What tea?"

"Roasted Green Tea." Mai answered, and even though Naru's expression didn't change she could tell he was disappointed. "Erm…what kind of tea you prefer?"

"…"

"…"

"Black tea…"

"I will keep that in mind for tomorrow." She promised, wondering why she was laughing inside about how hard it was to please this insufferable narcissist. "So, I heard Miko-san is going to try her hands on purifying this place?"

He sipped his tea, it was not black tea but much better than Espresso he drank. "Yes… she even roped Brown-san and teachers to make an altar for her."

"I see… poor Father John." Mai said as she stealthily placed a small tray on Naru's desk.

"Not only that, she insist we have to watch her." Naru looked to the side, wondering since when there was a plate of rice ball on his desk. "…"

Mai smiled at him meaningfully, "Please don't skip your breakfast… I would feel very guilty to Lin-san if I let you skip your meal in his absence."

Why he felt like he had been defeated twice, first about his tea and now breakfast? "Fine…" At least the food she provided was convenient, she even thoughtfully had wet tissue ready. Was she really a high school student or a secretary? She seemed too used to assist people.

"I would love to hear how it taste." Mai said as Naru took his first bite. "But I don't want to sound like fishing for compliment either…"

He was very tempted to retort that her cooking was edible, but it would sound like an insult instead. He was not used to Japanese dishes, but this rice ball tasted… comforting. "It's fine…"

"Ehm, what did you say?" Mai asked, he spoke too softly for her to hear.

"Ohayou!" Bou-san and John greeted them as the monk pushed the door open. "My! Is that your homemade bentou, Mai-chan?!"

"Hai… would you like some?" Mai offered, "I made enough for everyone… though it's only three types of onigiri and pickled cucumber."

"Uwaa… thank you very much Mai-san." John thanked the brunette, he was hungry after helping Miko-san preparing her ritual.

"Only?" Monk eyed the neatly arranged triangle shaped rice on her bentou box. "It looks tasty! Don't mind if I do! Ittadakimasu!" He took one with garlic chicken filling and bit down. "Hm! Superb!"

John nodded in agreement, "Hm… it's really delicious, Mai-san."

Mai smiled, pleased that at least these two appreciate her effort properly. "I have Espresso and roasted green tea, so drink the one you prefer…"

"Aah…" Bou-san sighed contently, "If only you're not a minor…" His wide grin and wink gave away that he was joking.

"My… Bou-san, I am flattered…" Mai joined in.

"My offer to be my assistant is still open." Bou-san offered, glancing at Naru with a grin in hope to see his reaction.

Mai just laughed it off, "Thanks but no…" Bou-san made an exaggerated dejected expression, pouting. "By the way… when Miko-san is going to start?"

John answered, "She said she was going to change to her miko outfit."

Bou-san snorted, "Who knows whether she could do it or not… at least she will looks like a Miko."

Look who was talking.

* * *

 **Few Minutes Later (Entranceway)**

Miko-san stood in front of the white altar while three teachers obediently stood behind her, their head bowed in respect. We were watching her from the sidelines, close enough to watch but far enough to not disrupt her ritual. Miko-san clapped her hands, waving an **Ōnusa,** Shinto wand that decorated with zig-zagged paper.

"I invite you to cautiously come down onto the earth, white light enshrining the spirit..."

Even though three forth of my blood was Japanese, I never heard Shinto prayer. I supposed it was Shinto prayer since Matsuzaki-san was a miko.

"Please cleanse this ground, I sincerely implore you...I invite you to come down from the Heavens and gather around at the shrine."

She sounded so monotone, but the mood was right if this was meant to banish spirit though.

"I entreat you to approach this ground and protect it."

I was never one to pay attention to religious preaching, but her prayer was really tempting me to fall asleep. I looked to the side, impressed that both Father John and Naru-chan were still wide awake. In the other hand…

"Zzzzz…"

How did I say this… personality wise it seemed fitting for him to fall asleep, in the other hand he was a Monk. He was not supposed to fall asleep, more than anyone here!

The ceremony ended, though to my senses, she banished nothing out of this building. Hara-san seemed to agree with me, judging from her disdainful glance at Miko-san. Neither did Bou-san though, maybe because while he was not a medium he was sensitive enough. In his mind if Miko-san did banish something he would sense something changed, but he didn't.

"How about we have dinner to celebrate?" Kochou-sensei invited her.

"It's best to check over things right after the exorcism is completed," Miko-san replied.

Unexpectedly she was pretty responsible to check first, or perhaps she knew nothing changed? "Of course, you are a professional after all," Kochou-sensei said, "well, did anyone eat lunch yet? How about we all go out and eat lunch?"

Badump!

"Eh?" This feeling, danger! My hyper intuition was in full control, I spun around and dashed towards Miko-san and her two companions. "Duck!" I warned and in that moment sound of cracking glass filled our ears.

* * *

 **SPR's Base**

"Phew, that was close." I sighed in relief as I opened my first aid kit and was about to place the band aid on small scratch on my cheek using the mirror I kept on my wallet. "What a relief, Kochou-sensei is alright." Perhaps not, by now he must be shaking in fear because of this small cut I got to protect him.

Miko-san had another idea as she took the kit and band aid away, "I can't believe you! How could you just jump to pull us down when that window glass exploded like that? You're so lucky you get away with one scratch! At least don't try to treat yourself, let me handle it! I am a doctor, you know."

"Eh? I thought you're a Miko?" I looked at her closer and even though it was vain, she had smell of antiseptic and other signs my senses related to medical profession.

"I am both." She grunted as she cleaned the small cut and put the band aid on.

"No wonder you're a half-baked Miko!" Kuroda-san who knows since when had joined the group said in disdain. "You even got Sawada-san hurt, because your exorcism failed!"

"Maa… maa!" I begged you! Don't make me your reason to begin an argument! "It's just a small cut." Although hopefully, no one on watch duty knew I got it. As soon as my job today was over I had to rush back home before they saw it.

Kuroda-san looked at me worriedly, "But Sawada-san!"

"That was an accident." Hara-san interrupted.

"Then! How did you explain the time when I was attacked?!"

I approached Kuroda-san, placing my hands on her shoulders. "Kuroda-san… calm dowm, let's not argue for now and let everyone do their job."

Badump!

"Ah yes…" Kuroda-san stuttered.

What was that just now? It was not odd to sense anger and disdain from Kuroda-san, but just now it felt like her emotion rolled off of her. I couldn't explain it well but it was like… when I sense someone's anger the image was like small puff of steam from boiling water kettle, but what I saw from Kuroda-san was not that. It was like smoke from cigarette, long, dark and lingering.

"But still, there should be some reading in my equipment with so many activity…" Naru stated as glanced at the monitors. "Mai, did you notice anything strange?"

"Yes." I answered on reflex, my eyes still glued on strange phenomena my hyper intuition projected on my mind. It was too late to retract my word when all eyes turned to me. I forgot about Kuroda-san and panicked on how I bluff my way out of this one.

I swallowed as I turned around to Naru, and said. "I am sure we will find something if we see what happened in other room when we got attacked." I reasoned instead before making my way to the monitor, ignoring Naru's gaze on the back of my head. Something… anything! I had to distract him!

"Eh?" Bless my Hyper Intuition, for once it didn't fail me! "Naru! Look at the classroom in East Wing! The one from the rumor!"

"Hm?" He frowned, "What's wrong with it?"

Oh right, I was the one who set the camera on this class. "This class, before…there is no chair in the middle of it."

That successfully caught his attention, "Did anyone enter this class today?" He earned negative answer from everyone and proceed to rewind the scene. "This is when Kochou-sensei was talking with Matsuzaki-san." We could hear the repeat of their conversation but our focus was the chair, in that exact moment it was moving.

Half a meter to be exact, that was how far it moved by itself. I narrowed my eyes at it, and once again I didn't sense a thing. While it was true image from electronic device wouldn't give me accurate reading like firsthand experience, I should be able to sense something.

"How did that happen?" I asked to no one but myself.

"...I'm not sure." Naru answered, I didn't blame him for presuming I was asking him,

"Is it a poltergeist?" Kuroda-san said, crossing her arms.

"Poltergeist?" I asked, frowning at her. "You mean… that famous supernatural phenomena where object is moved by spirit?

Kuroda-san adjusted her glasses, "A little crude description but to be exact it means "noisy spirit" in German. Like when an object moves or a sound is produced. —Right, Shibuya-san?"

"Right. You seem to have a clear understanding of this." Naru seemed to acknowledge where the credit was due at least. "I don't think this is a poltergeist.

She frowned, "Why?"

"Objects moved by poltergeists are usually warm." He explained.

"Is there a problem…?" Kuroda pressed on.

Naru changed the view to thermography so we saw the video in heat vision. "According to the thermography, that chair's temperature did not rise. This kind of thing never happens."

The image was all blue, so Naru erased the probability of poltergeist.

They began discussing the phenomena in depth, about a French policeman who categorized sign of poltergeist and listing on the nine signs. Naru pointed out that so fat they had experienced three of the most common sign. I didn't really pay attention, because I thought if I look deeper at this recording I could sense something.

No such luck though.

"It was just your imagination."

…! I turned around to Hara-san who had begun an argument with Kuroda-san. "Why don't you just admit it already? There _is_ something, a nasty spirit here!"

"It was an accident." Hara-san insisted firmly.

I agreed with her to be honest, which was the only explanation. If some spirit was angry because of Miko-san's ritual, I should feel their anger at least. However what I felt was just premonition of danger, not even a touch of negative emotion could be felt.

For once in my life, I felt doubt in my hyper intuition. I was… scared.

"Mai?" Naru called me. "You looks pale."

That snapped me out of my thought, I didn't notice my real emotion was showing or the cold sweat on my neck. "Uhm… I am fine, I am just tired…"

"Then I will check this building once again…" My attention drawn to Hara-san who walked out of the room, she felt somber even though her expression remained calm.

Then what John said struck me like lightning, "It must be quite a shock for her if there is something here but she couldn't sense it…"

However what felt like turning my world upside down was Naru's words. "Of course, a medium can see things that normal people can't. If you mess up, then you can't be considered a spiritualist anymore."

* * *

Mai was acting really strange. She was an odd girl, but in my short time knowing her I had never seen her panicking at all. Even after that incident when she saved Matsuzaki-san and her teachers, she was not shaken at all. She laughed them off even though she got hurt. However something set her off, now she was shaken and scared, even more than Hara-san whose sight was doubted now.

"Mai… are you really alright?" I didn't know why but I reached out to hold her shoulder, I was never the right person to offer comfort but Mai seemed to need it now.

She tensed before I could reach her and whipped her head around so fast, I was almost afraid she would snap her neck. "Hara-san." She whispered in shock, as if…

A loud knocking sound came from the ceiling. A rapping sound at the time like this?

My eyes widened when I saw Mai started running in the middle of this earthquake like condition, "Mai!" Once again she moved very quickly, in fact it was almost inhuman how fast she was. However this time she had to cover more distance to wherever she wanted to jump to and my legs were longer so I manage to catch up before pulling her down with me.

"Naru! Let go! Hara-san is…"

As if answering her, a loud, splitting sound shot through the air from the west side. It was followed by a piercing scream.

John jumped out of the base, he shouted, "Hara-san! She fell from the second floor!"

Mai's glare before she pushed me off of her almost scared me, almost… I followed her again, to make sure whatever befall Hara-san wouldn't happen to her. She seemed to run blindly out of the building, but somehow she knew and ran straight toward Hara-san who was laying on the ground in pain.

"Hara-san!" She cried in worry, kneeling beside Hara-san. "Hang on! I will call help for you!" She quickly fished her phone out of her pocket and dialed.

I checked Hara-san, she was injured but she was lucky enough to land on soft ground. I looked up at the gaping hole she fell from, it seemed the wood around the hole was rotten. It was a complete accident in my professional opinion.

But still… I looked down at my temporary assistant, who in spite of her panic still had enough sense to call an ambulance for Hara-san. She knew Hara-san would be in danger and was… trying to save her? This was second time, the first time was when the glass broke and she jumped on them before anyone noticed the danger.

Could it be she was a latent psychic?

* * *

 **An Hour Later…**

Kochou-sensei was understandably incensed by the string of accidents that happened _after_ he hired us. Especially on one of it, he almost got hurt if not for Mai. Then again when dealing with paranormal activity he should have expected something to happen _after_ instead of expecting immediate result. However his temper went down very quickly when Mai entered the room, and frowned at him.

"I was worried…" She reasoned.

He let me go to continue my investigation very quickly. That was odd but I had more pressing concern.

We were on our way back to the base when I tried to open a conversation, "Mai, are you alright?"

She frowned at me, "I am… you're awfully concerned of me for some reason."

"You're concerned about something." I corrected her, and that much was obvious.

She sighed, "It's just… Hara-san, even when she was injured she held her head high and calmly told you that she is not wrong. Even though the odds seems to against her, she is so sure and confident of her ability." She looked to the side, looked frailer than injured Hara-san. "If… it turns out that she is wrong…"

I only knew her for a few days but I already knew this girl had little concern of herself. What was wrong with her? "Then it's her business…" I told Mai flatly, the simplest fact.

"But!"

"She has her _own_ pride as a spiritualist, and her injury today is part of her display of will to prove herself." I stated sternly, I could relate to her, for Hara-san's desire to prove her worth as medium.

"To be honest, while I will reserve my opinion for now… I am more inclined to agree with Hara-san. Results I saw so far from my equipment supported her statement." That girl, Kuroda said I supported Hara-san because of her looks but obviously it had nothing to do with it. I was just paying her respect she deserved, and my support on her professional opinion was backed by statistical fact.

Mai's eyes were wide and under the sunset it was shimmering like flame, it must be just my imagination but the image was so vivid now. "I…" She stuttered, "I guess you're right, Naru…" Then out of nowhere she burst to laughter. "You're so right!"

"Of course I am…"

She sighed loudly at that then smiled at me beautifully and my breath was caught, "I wish you can share half of that confidence of yours with me."

What was that, did I just think she was…

I took a deep breath, inwardly shaking off the ridiculous thought. "Let's go back, who knows what they are doing in our base."

She laughed at that, "Before we know it, the base have become everyone's base huh?"

I had to say she was right, those people made themselves too comfortable in our base.

In the end I couldn't stand their presence anymore, I needed sometime for myself to figure this out. I was pretty reluctant to leave Mai in the base with them, it was strange thought that they were safe _with_ Mai but not the other way around. I could only hope she had enough playing hero for one day.

Mai once again became a hero, this time she saved John from the falling ceiling. I didn't see her in action myself this time but I could imagine she suddenly jumped from her chair and straight to the room John occupied.

"If Mai-san didn't call me, I would've been in trouble," John said, his voice quivering slightly.

I didn't blame him to be shaken, considering he could be dead if not for Mai's warning. I picked up a piece of rubble and examined it. Judging from how it broke, my suspicion was most likely correct.

"Since this place is dangerous, let's go down instead," Bou-san advised, a hint of nervousness in his voice.

Miko-san crossed her arms in a cold manner. "...I'm leaving today."

"You sure get scared easily," Kuroda taunted.

Miko-san snorted. "Your life is the most important thing. Masako would've died if she fell onto a slightly different place. John almost died too. I'm smart, so I'm retreating before that happens to me."

"Are you scared?"

"It doesn't matter. I'm calling it quits for today. I'll continue tomorrow."

They were getting annoying with their argument and Mai was helplessly trying to stop them. A small comfort that my assistant had enough sense to know we didn't need an argument the other spiritualist loved to start so much. I wonder who was the pro here, them or Mai.

I had enough, so I suggested them to go home. All of them, they were getting on my nerves. They argued some more before at last they left me alone, or so I thought because half an hour later Mai returned to the base. She had changed her clothes, and refreshed herself most likely since I could smell her soap and shampoo. I noticed she didn't wear perfume like Matsuzaki-san and Hara-san, but mild sweet scent of peach of her soap.

Again, ridiculous thought. It should be just analysis of her condition.

"Why did you come back here?" I asked.

She grinned at me. "I would have returned sooner but I don't want Bou-san to notice and comment about teenagers spending the night together."

What the? She was seriously going to spend the night here with me?

"And… beside, I don't think I can sleep tonight." Mai said sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head.

"Why?" I asked.

She huffed, "I want to get busy with you tonight of course!"

I didn't think she even realize the innuendo in her words. I should act with cool head in this situation. "Mai… "

"I want to help."

"You're enough help for today." Seriously, you had done plenty.

She crossed her arms petulantly. "Naru… I am not helping you out of obligation because Lin-san got hurt, at least not tonight!"

If not that then what for? She didn't need to go this far. "Mai, I noticed you have heroic tendency but there is no place for that in my investigation tonight. I don't think I need you to save me."

"Why you…" She began indignantly before shaking her head, "I am not here to save anyone Naru… I am here for myself. I want to prove something." I was about to voice a protest but she cut me off. "No, seriously… this is nothing heroic. In fact I am being selfish… please! Let me do this, even if you send me off I will just roll around my bed or worse…" Her eyes glinted, "I will go investigating myself."

"… Alright…" The last one was not an option, this girl made me taste another defeat and it was bitter. Even bitterer than the disaster my twin brewed and called as tea.

* * *

 **The next morning**

I was awaken by the smell of freshly brewed tea, opening my eyes slowly I saw Mai sitting near my feet, and she was in the middle of eating her breakfast. She was about to take her first bite when she noticed I was awake, judging from her half-empty lunch box on her lap she had been waiting for me to wake up for quite some time.

"Hi Naru… do you want tea or coffee?" She asked, shifting the box of sandwich on her lap.

I groaned, placing my hand against my temple. My movement made the brown blanket slid down. "This blanket…" I didn't remember I had one, it was pretty cold when I decided to sleep so I used my jacket as replacement.

"Oh… that's mine." She giggled, "I am afraid you will catch cold, and good morning to you."

No wonder it smelt like her. I shook my head again in frustration. "How thoughtful of you… and don't 'good morning' me. What's wrong with you, coming here so early in the morning?" I grumbled, "You went home at four in the morning… after…"

She snorted, "It's not early at all. It's already past 11 o'clock Naru-chan."

"It's not afternoon..." I felt irritated at how fresh she looked, what kind of stamina this girl had anyway?

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

Definitely not a morning person for sure, unlike me who couldn't betray my biological clock to wake up no later than seven in the morning. "Whatever… so do you want your tea or coffee…?" I asked again, "Good news, I have time to buy some black tea this morning." I grinned mischievously at him, "So, do you want it?"

Obviously he refused to dignify my question with an answer and glared. He was not on the mood to be teased so I took out the tea that I brought with me and poured it into a cup, then handed it to him. I would be grumpy too if I didn't have enough sleep and my coffee was held hostage.

Then I passed my lunch box too, "That's your portion, just eat." He glared at me but he was obviously hungry after walking around the whole night so he settled on eating quietly. "I am glad we found something last night…"

I knew I was openly showing my relief, as if this investigation was my personal problem. Then again, it became personal the moment I started questioning my Hyper Intuition. I never realized it but I was a proud descendant of Vongola, and the ability I inherited together with my blood was also my pride. It was part of me I could never bear to discard even if I came to hate our bloody history.

After all my brother and I were connected by this blood. My hyper intuition was not just my proof as a Vongola but also as his little sister. No matter how much pain it caused me, I couldn't bear to lose my power. It was part of who I was.

"Ne, Naru…"

"Hm?" His face was stoic but I could sense his bliss, he was enjoying his tea. It was worth the trouble to ask my 'guards' to run to another side of the town to obtain good black tea.

"Thanks…" Unlike him, I wouldn't settle on my tea as sign of gratitude. I wanted to say it out loud. After all he helped me to regain my pride and confidence in my Hyper Intuition. "And also…"

Right when I was going to say more, I was interrupted by the rest of the team calling out Naru's name.

"Naru-chan! Jou-chan!" Bou-san called, his eyes zoomed in towards box of sandwiches on my lap, Naru and his tea. "Erm… are you sure you're not dating, or married? I am sure those sandwiches are homemade and…"

I rolled my eyes, "Yes, Bou-san… I am sure we're not in relationship. This is too early for teasing, seriously…" I stretched my arms, "Naru… I am going to old lab room to bring the rest of the equipment, take your time to eat."

Miko-san blinked at us, "Oh yes, we just from there! Are you getting ready to leave?" So they had seen the almost empty classroom we used as our base.

Naru calmly replied, "Yes." I blinked and he had finished the sandwiches I made for him. Guys always ate so fast, did they even chew their food?

"...Are you kidding?"

Obviously Naru did not kid, "No, that's why I started bringing back my equipment."

Silence ensued, and then everyone started talking again.

Naru placed a hand on his head. "Be quiet… it's too early for you to be this noisy." He glanced at me, "Mai, forget about our equipment for now… tell them."

I sighed, he should be happy that I was with him so I can explain to these guys. I opened Naru's laptop while he turned his face away to snooze some more, at least he would be half-listening and correct me if I got something wrong.

I cleared my throat, "So… after you guys went home, we investigated the surrounding area..." Bou-san's eyes widened in shock. "Don't interrupt me Bou-san, it's too early for this. Spare me if you want to hear our explanation."

He cowed. "Hai…"

Miko-san giggled to the side, "Defeated by a high school girl."

I sighed then began my explanation, "Last night, the old school building sank 0.2 inches." I read from Naru's file, "Or 5 milimeters…"

"What did you say?" Bou-san exclaimed in shock, "What did he write there?" He pointed at the laptop on my lap.

I turned the laptop around, showing him graph and diagram. "If you can understand this?"

"Erm…"

I shrugged. "I don't either but based on diagram and graph basically this is the level scale graph, geological diagram, and water-course diagram of surrounding area…" I beamed at them, "I got a crash course about them last night, and basically they said… sooner or later." I gestured towards the building beside us. "This building is going down because of land subsidence."

Their eyes widened in shock, "What? Are you saying that all the phenomenon were caused by land subsidence?!"

Naru groaned again, and I glared at them. "Shhh! Keep it down!" They quieted down at once, all of them including Miko-san looked chastised. I sighed, " Basically this building was built in the wrong type of land in the first place, it used to be a swamp… they did place fresh soil to lessen the moist land but it turns wrong…"

"Wrong how…?"

"Let's say nature disagree with them, you see… there is a large water vein underground." I pointed at the ground, "Which is why we found two wells around the area." The map showed six marked dots. "There used to be six, and the two that remains are dry… so on top of built on damp soul, the water vain beneath is almost dry. So it's no wonder the building is sinking… _at alarming rate_ to boot." I emphasized and as the closing I didn't show them the marked area on laptop and pointed at the west wing of the building. "This part sink the fastest." Imagine a twig that was given pressure only on one end. That was what happening here.

They didn't need explanation on this part, the logic was simple enough.

"You mean… Kochou-sensei wanted to demolish this building but…"

I nodded, "Yeah… nature is already doing the job for him."

Bou-san groaned, rubbing the back of his head. "What, so you're saying the chair moved and the ceiling fell because of this?"

"Yeap." I nodded, "The west side is lower than the east."

Naru shifted, it seemed he gave up taking a nap in the middle of this discussion. "Three inches to be exact."

"Seven and half centimeters." I converted, wondering why Naru insisted using inches and feet for measurement but I had my suspicion why.

"Then the ghost sounds...were they also?" Miko-san asked.

Naru nodded. "Those weren't sounds made by ghosts. Those were sounds made by the building falling apart."

"...Stop playing with me. Then are you saying we were in a dangerous place like that?" Miko-san asked.

"Apparently, yes."

"Then it's really dangerous, we should tell the principal to make that building off limits." John added.

"John's right," Naru said in an icy tone. "Inform the principal that the old school building is to be off limits to everyone. It will collapse soon."

"I already did." In instance all eyes were on me, which a little unnerving. "I have his contact number so I inform him on what happen as soon as I can."

Though I did freak him out too early in the morning, telling him that the building was going to collapse on its own was too much for the first thing he head to deal with in bright Sunday morning.

* * *

 **Old School Building**

I to be honest didn't hate Kuroda, but she was definitely not my favorite person to appear now when we were cleaning up our base. I explained the situation to her when she asked, about how all phenomena in this building happened because land subsidence. It was the most logical conclusion, supported by Naru's statistic data, my intuition and Hara-san's sight.

"But...then, what about the ghost who attacked me?" Kuroda asked, her gaze was pleading me.

I already had an idea of what truly happened, but how could I explain it to her without setting her off. Naru seemed to sense my hesitation and coldly replied, "Perhaps it is a wandering spirit that follows you around."

"...How can that be," Kuroda said in shock.

Well, considering what really happened had no solid evidence either it was a good call for Naru to present another possibility that was not going to hurt Kuroda's pride. That was very considerate of him, or perhaps he didn't want argue with Kuroda now.

"Then, are you done with your work?" She pressed on.

Badump! Eh… I placed my hand above my heart, confirming that just now my heartbeat quickened. I was sensing premonition of danger, _'Why now? Could it be this building is… No, that's not it!'_

"Not yet. I will be after I finish writing my report today."

I didn't hear Naru talking, my eyes locked solely to Kuroda-san who was talking to Naru. She looked frustrated and uneasy, and once again I saw the same wisp like smoke coming from her and now it didn't disappear. On my mind it felt like the whole building was absorbing the smoke, inhaling this substance.

"Well then, you can exorcise it. I believe my work here is done, so I'm packing up."

I only heard the tail end of his argument with Kuroda, it seemed in the end they ended up arguing. Kuroda looked timid for a moment. She turned around to avoid Naru's piercing gaze.

I knew there was an impeding danger but I couldn't panic, it had something to do with Kuroda so perhaps I should try to prevent it. "Kuroda-san… it's too bad that there is no ghost according to our research, but I think it's fine… it's like the end of a dream."

"Huh?"

"The old school building is in the corner of the school. No matter how you look at it, it seems like something's there, and that's how the rumors about the ghosts started. ...Doesn't that seem sort of romantic?"

"But aren't you scared of it?"

I laughed at that, there was scarier thing in this world. The dead was not it…

"...That's two different things. It's a scary feeling, but it's also a happy one. Do you understand this kind of feeling? But...since everything was caused by land subsidence, it doesn't feel romantic at all. At least say you're running away from the earth spirit. It would be bearable if you say that. Soon the old school building will fall down and be replaced by a gymnasium. All the rumors will eventually fade away too... It's kind of sad. Even though I wouldn't like it if people died here, I still like talking about ghost stories."

"...Is that so?"

"Yes, it is." I turned towards him, "Beside…"

Badump! Get away!

"NARU!" I shouted, "We have to get away now!"

I didn't know why but for someone who didn't know my Hyper intuition he was very quick to act on my warning. "Over here!" He instructed.

I pulled Kuroda's hand with me and I could see the strange wisp like smoke was soaking our surrounding. "Kuroda-san!" She was conscious and aware, but how come she was so scared? She didn't know what she was doing?!

Knock!

Why now there was knocking sound at the time like this? I pulled Kuroda-san with me as our surrounding seemed to shatter.

"What's happening?!" shouted Miko-san as she ran into the room.

"...Is it collapsing...?" asked Naru hesitantly.

This was the first time I heard Naru speak without confidence. I didn't blame him, because even I who _saw_ how it happened didn't get it at all! It took almost all of my control to not snap at Kuroda-san who was as confused as us, even though to my senses she was obviously the one responsible.

I could hear other's voice calling us, and then Naru was calling my name. "Mai!"

The window was about to shatter so I pulled Kuroda-san and tried to dodge most of the glass. Then another glass shattered, and if at first I was imagining it now I was sure it was if the attack was focusing on her. I pulled her again to avoid another barrage, ignoring small cuts on my hands.

The shaking was getting worse and it was getting impossible to get out of the door it opened and closed by itself. Kuroda-san in my arms were panicking and screaming, while it was not impossible to get out through the window I had another idea. Which at the same time would confirm my suspicion.

We were not without audience but it was the advantage of Hyper Intuition, you knew human body very well. Using my own body as cover, I pressed certain area on the back of her neck. Then Kuroda-san went limp on my arms, and the activity stopped.

"Mai! What happened?" Naru asked.

I exhaled slowly, "Kuroda-san fainted… let's get out of here."

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

It was not strange for Kuroda to faint in that moment, however the timing was… as soon as she lost her consciousness the activity stopped. If that was not strange enough, Mai was even more so. She was a caring girl, and all of us knew that in spite of our short time knowing her. However since we were out of the building, Mai hovered around Kuroda-san like a hawk.

The others were convinced she was worried for her friend, but the way she acted to me was not just out of worry. She was cautious, like when I met her the first time. It was how she treated unknown entity that could be dangerous to others and she was the only one who was aware of it.

I was angry with myself that after I turned in a solid analysis with evidence, a paranormal activity occurred. This was no doubt a legit poltergeist phenomena. I could hear Takigawa, Matsuzaki harping at me about my incompetence. John only gave his input about how this was another sign of poltergeist, four out of nine to be exact.

"It's time for adult to…" Bou-san trailed off.

"That's enough." It was Mai's voice, but it sounded almost foreign to our ears. "If you guys have any complain, no one stop you from giving this building a try."

Even Bou-san now backed off of her. "Jou-chan."

She was not looking at us, and it was the first time she was not looking at people when talking to them. "Takigawa-san… Matsuzaki-san, you are adults. Behave like one, instead of admonishing us for giving you 'solid' analysis with 'evidence' why don't you prove it to us? That there is evil spirit in the old school building?"

"… We…"

Then she craned her neck so we could see her profile, my eyes widened because once again I saw her eyes looked like shimmering flame. "So?" She pressed on. "You can't… so start looking, exorcising, or whatever to solve this problem. Don't give us self-important lecture before you try something useful…" Then she hissed, almost too low for us to hear. "Disgraceful…"

It was impressive how both Takigawa and Matsuzaki became speechless by mere words alone.

She stood up from her crouching position beside Kuroda-san and began to walk away, "I am sorry but…" Mai looked very tired, "I will be back to help you set up the camera and recorder, but for now I need to be alone…" She murmured.

Once Mai was out of sight I almost expect the two _adults_ to pick on me next for relying on a girl to defend me. Though to be correct, Mai had a hand on our analysis so she was defending both of us not only me. They didn't say anything though, and began inspecting the building from outside like cats circling a venomous snake.

I wanted to be alone too but I didn't think it was wise to leave Mai alone now. So I walked to direction she disappeared to, I needed to talk to her.

It didn't take long to find Mai or rather I saw her on the rooftop of her school building. Fortunately I knew my way up to the rooftop, using the fire escape stairs. I found the door to the rooftop was slightly open and I had suspicion it was locked but Mai picked the lock. She looked like innocent high school girl but she had this criminal side too sometimes.

I pushed the door open and found Mai who was… trying to flood the rooftop with water hose. She was laying down on the bench nearby, the hand that was holding the running water hose was dangling from the bench while she looked up absentmindedly to the sky. I turned the water off, and Mai glanced at me briefly before she turned around to stare at the large puddle of water she created.

The weather was good so we could see our faint reflection on the water. "Careful, stare at it any longer you will turn to flower."

She snorted, "I am not you… the one I am looking at is not my reflection…"

Her words strangely reminded me of myself, when I looked at the mirror I was not looking at myself either. "Mai… what did you see?"

"Reflection of the sky…" Then she looked up, "And the sky itself…"

I followed her gaze at the vast blue above us, I was very tempted to say 'I didn't get it' but I held my tongue. "If you're tired you can sleep… why don't you go home? I will walk you home." It was not safe to let her go on her own.

She shook her head, "No… though I did look like I need to cool my head."

"I didn't say Matsuzaki-san and Takigawa-san didn't deserve it." I said before I could stop myself.

She snorted, and her lips quirked up. Then for the first time since we began to talk she was looking at me. "You see… Naru, I think I should apologize for being so short with them. They're wrong of course but part of my reason to get angry at them is uncalled for…"

"…"

"They reminded me of my father…" Mai confessed in somber voice. "If you don't mind, is it alright if I tell you a story? You don't have to pay attention, I just need someone to be here… for me to talk with…"

I didn't answer her but I didn't leave and stayed beside the bench she occupied. She was sharp enough to know it was my silent agreement to her request.

She inhaled deeply and exhaled. "My father is _dame_ (no good) in every sense of word."

"Dame?" I echoed, that one word could mean anything from a drunk, lazy bum, womanizer, or jobless when associated with word father.

She snorted, "That was the short for alcoholic, lazy bum, missing, and embarrassing idiot…" She was laughing now but I didn't think it was because something was funny. "Hey, don't be like that." She looked at me and somehow she knew I was horrified she had an alcoholic father. "While he likes his alcohol he is never violent, he is a happy drunk who sings love song for my mother… he is lazy but he is not slacking from his duty to provide our material need." She assured me.

Then what was wrong with her father then? Missing? Did she mean, he was not around often for emotional support?

"I _don't_ care he was never _really_ there for years." Mai declared with a huff. "You will think we hate him but we just… annoyed and careless. I mean… when you hardly see someone for _years_ I don't think you can feel anything for him. Especially if the last time you saw him was when you were five." She rolled her eyes. "He is practically a stranger who happen to marry my mother and provide for our family…"

She had loving parents but in the same time not a _fine_ family either.

Then she began to rant, getting off topic. "A friend of mine cheerfully declare his family mess up beyond recognition, considering they didn't even live in the same house… his step-mother couldn't stand him, his half-sister adored him but can't stop poisoning his food and he hates all of them…"

What?

"So yeah, my family is not so bad…" She laughed again. "But then my father just drop his plan for our life to my lap without so much as a by your leave. Claiming we have to go through with it because _he_ can't, and the worse… he didn't even try!" She spat. "He just pushed it on us… then after everything is said and done, he dared to criticize us! He acted like a father who tried to correct his children's mistake! Too late!"

That time I was so caught up by her wide arrange of emotion, and I didn't notice she addressed herself in plural.

"Ha… ah." She was panting now, sitting up and pulled her folded legs to her chest. "Forget about what I said… I just want to let it out."

I swallowed, "That's fine… we have a stressful days." I was never one to comfort so he settle on pointing out the obvious instead. "So…"

She stood up abruptly and puffed her chest. "That feels nice!" She exclaimed, stretching her arms. "Thanks Naru… I feel so much better I let it out!"

After looking so stressed she bounced back just like that? She was tough, for sure. Even though I suspected she was a latent psychic, she didn't fit the criteria of someone who would cause poltergeist.

Not to mention… while she showed sign of stress, she was stressed by the poltergeist and it didn't make sense for her to cause it. In fact I was almost sure she was just next to Hara-san to be the unlikeliest culprit.

"Mai…" I called her. "Go home, and rest… we will try again next time. I have another plan in mind."

She looked at me confusedly, but didn't argue this time. She was smiling as if she saw something that put her at ease. "I see…" What did you see? "You're right"

* * *

 **Mai's apartment, 8PM**

"Hello?" She frowned when she picked up her phone. "Kuroda…san? What is it?" Her eyes widened in shock. "You're going to old school building tonight?"

Mai heard Kuroda ranting about not trusting other spiritualists, and wanting to check on them. Though Mai had a feeling she just want to see them fail again. She considered advising Kuroda to not interrupt pros when they were working but she realized that reason was not going to fly with Kuroda.

Her choice was staying out of trouble or jump to trouble to keep an eye on possible culprit.

"Alright… let's meet in half an hour."

 **Old School Building** (Mai's POV)

"After you left, both Takigawa-san and Matsuzaki-san did an exorcism. Now they're just walking around the place." John explained to us.

My decision to join them was correct because the moment Bou-san and Miko-san walked in, Kuroda-san started to taunt them. Thankfully this time after what happened this afternoon, both of them were getting uncomfortable picking an argument around me. Even if it was Kuroda, someone they disliked.

So they settled on keeping their mouth shut even though Kuroda smugly stated their exorcism was not working. It seemed they took my advice to heart, wait and see if they really succeed. It was awkward, but I'd rather have this than pointless argument.

Then I felt the same sense of trepidation and it was coming from Kuroda again. As much as I wanted to knock her out again, I didn't think no one wouldn't be suspicious she fainted again on me when the poltergeist occurred so I forfeited that idea.

 _Bang! Bang!_

I pulled Miko-san with me with me this time, because Kuroda had ran ahead of me. I couldn't help but wondering why everyone was _so_ slow. They were like slowpoke, and it got on my nerves and my Hyper intuition was bugging me for lagging behind for them. It was official, I hated poltergeist!

"Kya!"

Oops! I pulled Miko-san too hard and she stumbled. On the corner of my eyes I saw the shoe cabinet started to sway towards us so I made my decision. I pulled Miko-san up and pushed her out of the way. I pushed against the shoe cabinet to keep it from falling. It shocked me it was warm like hot water.

Objects that poltergeists touch will be warmer to the touch, didn't Naru tell me that?

"Kya!" The shoe cabinet was not heavy but I slipped and lost my footing. The last thought I had before I lost my consciousness was… it was a good thing I was used to Reborn throwing boulder at us, I won't die because of shoe cabinet at least.

Then I began to hallucinate, at least I thought so. I was in my astral world, inside the dome of sky and laying down on top of invisible floor. So when I look up, I was looking at gradient of dusk, day and twilight above me. I felt lethargic, it was a strange feeling to feel weak in the world of my own. This must be a dream, which very strange for a dream to take a setting on my astral world instead of somewhere familiar like my old house or Vongola Manor.

I was going to gather my strength to get up, but a soft, pale hand caressed my forehead.

"Who is it...?" I murmured weakly with frustration, it had been so long since I felt weak. "...Naru?"

Naru's reassured me with a calm voice. "Don't move." He said that with a warm smile on his face.

I smiled back at him, "You're smiling… what a strange dream and it gets weirder." I laughed softly, "Is it going to rain meteor in my astral world next?" I wondered.

He frowned at me, "Don't do that… this world is so…" He trailed off, looking up at the sky, "Beautiful."

I exhaled softly, "You think so… my brother said the same thing…" I murmured softly. "By the way… did that shoe cabinet knock me out?" I didn't wait for my imagination to answer me, "My… that's funny, I will never live that down if my family back home know that me, the proud princess of Vongola was knocked out by a shoe cabinet! A wooden one!"

"I…" He began sheepishly with hesitant smile on his face. "I don't think it's funny."

I snorted, "It's an inside joke… but in short…" It was a dream so I didn't think there is anything wrong with telling this imaginary Naru. "It's funny when someone with pyrokinesis got knocked out by burnable material she could turn to ash at a drop of a hat."

"Erm… " He trailed off, "Pyrokinesis is a _fictional_ type of telekinesis."

I laughed at him, "Since you're a parapsychologist I just tag myself with the closest thing… I can't manipulate natural flame anyway."

That was when I started to regain my senses, I didn't know why but it as if all of my senses were snapped awake by my Hyper Intuition. I was not dreaming but somehow the shock after that accident made me entering my astral world unconsciously. And I was not talking to my imagination… but an intruder, and he was not Naru. Their presence was… similar but not quite, and I was fooled for quite some time by the similarity.

I forced myself to stand up and my flame burst to life.  
Whoosh!

"Uwaa…" He was thrown back, his eyes were wide in shock. "What the…"

My eyes narrowed at him, my flame bristling around me. "Who the hell are you?!" I snapped at Naru's look alike. "How did you get here?!"

He didn't answer and still staring at me in shock and awe. Not a very wise thing to do when you were looking at an enraged Vongola.

"If you don't answer, I will burn you to cinders!" I felt violated, for someone other than my brother to enter my astral world! It was worse than someone to walk on me when I was naked!

My threat snapped him out of his daze and he jumped to his feet. "I am sorry!" It seemed he just realized he was trespassing on someone's soul, and how daring that was. "I didn't mean to be rude… or… "

I gritted my teeth as I felt my strength waning, and fell on my knees. "Haa.. ah…"

He rushed towards me, hesitating because I was still wrapped in flame. He was surprised when he felt my flame was not scorching but warm to the touch. "You… are you alright?"

There was no answer I could give, and I didn't know how but he knew what was wrong with me. This person, whoever he was… he knew a great deal about soul. So it didn't take long for him to look down at endless abyss below.

"This astral world… half of it is… _gone_." He murmured, "And it used to be a whole…"

You didn't have to tell me that painful fact. I was tired and in shock, I couldn't think straight. "Get out." I cried, closing my teary eyes. "Get out of here! Leave!"

"Ah… alright." He answered me.

Then I wake up, this time for real. I was sleeping on the back of the car Naru used this morning, then Bou-san leaned down then asked, "Hey! Are you all right?!" behind him was Miko-san and John-san, Kuroda-san was nowhere in sight.

Then my eyes widened as I realized in what state I was in and I bolted to the woods. "I need to go!" I cried.

"Jou-chan!"

* * *

 **3rd Person POV**

Mai had gone from their sight and even though Bou-san ran after her, he lost her. "Damn, that girl is unbelievably fast!" He grumbled as he returned to SPR's van where Miko-san and John were waiting. "Sorry, I lost her."

Miko-san grunted, "How did you lose against a girl?! You're a guy, and you can't catch up with a girl?"

He groaned, "Oh be quiet… I swear, she is too fast for me to catch." Then he noticed John was staring at the spot Mai occupied when she was sleeping. "What's wrong John?"

John pointed at a blackened spot on the carpet of SPR's Van, around the size of a palm. "Uhm… this part looks like someone just burned them."

Miko-san frowned, "That's strange, Naru didn't seem to be the type who will leave stain in his car."

Bou-san leaned down so his nose was close with the burn mark. "No… I don't think he knew about this, judging from the smell it's very recent."

"Are you telling me that Mai did it?" Miko-san asked testily, "Don't joke like that, she is not that type of girl!"

"I don't think so either…" Bou-san murmured, "But between Naru and Mai, while Naru looks more mysterious personally, I think it's harder to read Mai."

"Well!"

John frowned, "But still… where is this burn mark come from?"

No one could answer him.

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

I swallowed my medicine dry, forcing it down through my throat. "Hh…"

"Hime…" Tojo approached her carefully, "Your water."

I snatched the water bottle and gulped all of it down in one go. Thankfully I got my temperature in control already so I didn't melt the bottle. The water went to the wrong pipe and I was coughing, gasping for breath. "I am fine…" I assured them.

That was close.

I had done an impressive string of blunders today, and the worse of it I almost revealed my flame. Today was definitely not my day. I opened my pocket watch and corrected myself. "It's already Monday…"

I glanced at the direction of old school building. "How do I explain to them…"

Tojo-san frowned at me, "Do you have to, Hime?"

I sighed at that, "Aah… maybe not, if I stay quiet perhaps they will wave it off as me walking on my sleep." Although to be correct I was running to my aides for help. "Tojo-san, Kou-san…" I called the two regen haired prefects. "Thank you for your help… would you mind to escort me home?"

I didn't like to be helpless but at my state I was afraid I would collapse in the middle of the road.

"Certainly… Hime." They chorused.

This was going to be a looooooooooong night.

* * *

 **Next chapter will conclude Mai's old school building arc... a lot of things going in this chapter. Hm... I alternate between novel version and manga version because anime cut a lot of things ^^ I wish there is a site translating all volume of novels but alas... bakatsuki stalled this series. I wish to read all the novel ;_;  
**

 **As for Mai's violent reaction... astral world which is the same as one Tsuna visited to pass his test from his ancestors is extremely private place. It's embodiment of their soul... like soul room in Yugioh or Mindscape in Naruto. So understandably Mai is extremely upset to find someone she mistook as a friend suddenly intrude her astral world. Gene didn't know so it's not his fault either. As said in canon his signal 'accidentally' caught by Mai's instead of his twin's. Gene in canon is stated to have similar personality as Mai, just quieter. Maybe that's why they're attuned to each other.**

 **Dun dun dun... the plot thicken.  
**

 **Please review! I am sure there is a lot of things to say about this chapter ;_; neeee... haa...**


	4. Case 01, Part 04

**Case 01, Part 04**

 **Monday, 7:30PM**

If I didn't know better I would think Naru was getting his revenge because I almost burned his doppelganger to cinders last night. Although, it was not really him last night. I was not really sure… between him and his look alike my Hyper intuition interpreted them as… you know, the game where you had to spot ten difference from two similar pictures. At first glance they looked alike but my Hyper intuition wrote down a note below telling me, they were different. So I knew they were not the same but not what was different before I looked at both in the same time.

Onii-chan might have different interpretation. Twin or not our Hyper Intuition never came up with the same allegory for some reason.

Back to Naru-chan… the class had not started yet and he made me sit down in Kochou-sensei's office to hypnotize me of all things.

I didn't know he could do it but my senses flared with warning against the influence. I was a pretty good actress when the need arise but I had no idea how to act like a hypnotized victim. I tried to follow his instruction to look at blinking light on his laptop screen and matching my breathing but it just didn't work on me.

If anything, it stressed me out!

 **Vongola's Trivia by Reborn~  
** 7\. They're immune to any form of hypnotist, and most low level illusion couldn't fool them.  
They couldn't get themselves affected even if they _try_ , so don't bother. Seriously, it's a waste of time to hypnotize a Vongola.

At last it was over, and I was tired trying to get myself influenced by the hypnotist but it didn't work. Well, I heard about the chair and how Naru wanted it to move at least.

"Mai." He called me and it took all my self-control to not tensing. "I heard you got hurt last night?"

I raised my hand that was wrapped like mummies. "It's no big deal." The irony was that shoe cabinet didn't hurt me but I got hurt by my own flame. "It will heal before I know it."

He stared at me and I could tell he was trying to figure me out, most likely on why I was not affected by the hypnotist. I stared back at him, because I didn't know what else to do.

 _'When you want to bluff but you don't know the correct word, just let your opponent to make their own assumption! Don't make a fool of yourself to make up for something!'_

So Reborn said, but if a genius like this guy was the one making his own assumption I didn't think it was wise.

He sighed, eyes closed briefly. "So… it didn't work on you."

"What didn't?" I tried to act clueless.

He snorted, "Well… I will leave this mystery for another day."

"Wait! Naru!" I stopped him, "Err… did you find something?"

"Of course I do."

I couldn't stop myself from smiling at that, "That's great… so do you need any help?"

Naru paused at that and said, "Come afterschool to the old building…"

* * *

 **Old School Building (Naru's POV)**

I asked Mai and John to help me, because they were the most cooperative people I met in this investigation. The task was simple enough, set the equipment and the chair then we had to close all the entrance to the experiment room with boards.

Mai surprised me again, as if it didn't enough that she showed no sign whatsoever of influenced by my suggestion, nailing the nail on like an expert. It was like she was very used on this kind of carpentry work. I didn't ask though. However the first was a bigger mystery, because so far I had never seen anyone immune to hypnotist. Some was hard to be influenced but Mai in fact looked like she was trying and failing to be hypnotized.

It was fortunate I already know who was the culprit and Mai was unlikely the one next to Hara-san.

"By the way…" She began to talk in low voice, when she was next to me. "This is experiment for poltergeist?"

I nodded, "Yes…" I answered curtly, there was no hiding it from someone who couldn't be part of the experiment. "We will see the result tomorrow."

She smiled at me, beaming. "I can't wait."

I handed her a marker, "For now… please sign the board with your name."

Mai nodded and went to John to hand him one. They began to sign the board, John signed his name in neat italic. My eyes narrowed when I saw Mai signed hers in cursive, but then she tensed and signed the next board in Kanji. No one commented, although in John's case, he didn't notice this odd quirk.

* * *

 **The next morning…**

Lin came with me today, most likely because he felt I had been left without supervision for too long. Then again today was the last day, so I let him came with crutch and all. He also insisted to help recording the experiment, as if he didn't get enough trouble to walk around with a crutch.

"Good morning." Cheerful greeting that had become familiar to my ears for the last six days could be heard, and Mai came running towards us with another lunch box wrapped in furoshiki.

She noticed Lin's presence and gave him a deep bow. "Hello… it's a shame our previous meeting is in unfavorable situation, once again I deeply sorry for causing your injury."

Lin obviously didn't like Mai but courtesy had to be paid so he gave her a curt nod. "Ah, it's due to my carelessness. Thank you for the fruit basket and flower, you didn't have to…"

Mai sent Lin fruit basket and flower? That was very thoughtful of her, though it seemed she got someone to send it for her.

"Here." Mai placed the familiar lunch box near me and a thermos. "Your breakfast… and tea."

I wanted to refuse but knowing Mai, she wouldn't let me. The first time I tried to refuse, she pouted and said since she gave it to me it was mine to do as I wish. It was also up to me to throw it to nearest but and dared me to do so in front of her.

She had this strict policy about proper meal. So I just let her put the box beside me, I will eat it later just so she wouldn't complain. Beside, there was no point wasting food someone worked hard to prepare for me anyway.

Lin raised an eyebrow at us, but I didn't care. He never tried changing Mai's mind when she was set on something.

* * *

 **Old school building, experiment room (Mai's POV)**

I was so glad I asked Tojo-san to send fruit basket and flower to Lin-san. I knew it was manipulative of me to lower the tension the next time I saw the man who got injured when _trying_ to save me. Lin-san looked tense around me though, and I could sense that he didn't like me. Although it was a little strange…

I was no stranger to hatred and dislike but it kinda bugging me to be in proximity of someone who dislike me and I was going into a building my intuition told me to not go inside.

"Haah…" This must be how a caged animal in zoo felt in the middle of earthquake, knowing the danger that would happen but unable to leave. "Yes, the signature is still there… nothing change." I confirmed as John and I recheck the board with our signatures. He was not as bad as Reborn but Naru had a taste for drama too it seemed.

Fortunately Naru didn't prolong the drama and pried the door open, and I saw the chair was not in its original position Naru had marked.

It was vain but when I knew what to look, it was not hard to see the sick colored smoke that was identical with what I saw from Kuroda-san ghosting around the chair that had toppled over against the wooden wall.

"Shibuya-san, the chair moved," John pointed the obvious.

"Yes it did," Naru said, he looked very smug.

Miko-san interjected, "Wait a minute. What's going on here?"

Instead of answering, Naru headed toward laptop and announced. "Thank you for your cooperation. I will leave by sometime today..."

Apparently the drama was not over yet, I wouldn't be surprised if Naru was distantly related to Reborn. Then once again another argument start the moment Naru confidently stated the 'Land subsidence' analysis was still valid.

Bou-san snorted, "You better stop while you're ahead. Can land subsidence really cause all that?"

"Land subsidence is a sufficient explanation for the case the principal presented to me." Naru replied smoothly.

I stepped forward and said to Bou-san who cowed the moment I started to speak. "Beside… it didn't change the fact there is 7.5 centimeters difference between east and west part of this building." I reminded them. "Unless there is a need for a spiritual being to splint this building too?"

"Well…" Bou-san swallowed nervously.

"Then, what made the windows shatter? The knocking is definitely not because of land subsidence." Miko-san pointed out.

Naru had waited for that question to come up. "That was a poltergeist…look for yourself." He stepped aside so all of us could watch the recording. At first the chair was in the middle of the room, then it slid backward before knocking the wall behind roughly before toppled over to the side. The original position we saw the chair was in when we entered the sealed room.

Bou-san cupped his chin, "That was legit poltergeist… we should exorcise it right away."

Naru shook his head, "That would be unnecessary." Then he explained, "Yesterday I gave _everyone_ an autosuggestion." I was very tempted to roll my eyes when he was looking at my direction meaningfully.

Kuroda-san's eyes widened, "When we were in Kochou-sensei's office!"

He nodded, "Half of poltergeist incidents could be blamed to human, but as you can see we sealed the room beforehand so it's not a prank that could be committed _physically_."

John-san glanced at the door, "Yeah… even if the door or other entrance could be opened, they won't be able to replace our signature."

Naru continued, "When the culprit narrows to human, the profile usually are those that're 13-15 years old. But sometimes they're caused by teenage girls under a lot of stress who want to be noticed by others."

I narrowed my eyes at that, so I was right… I closed my eyes recalling the image of poltergeist, the smoke like energy from negative emotion I sensed. So that was how poltergeist worked.

"However, the culprit is usually unaware of doing this." Naru added. "So to find out, the method to determine the culprit is using autosuggestion. It will make the event to occur. And it was controlled to an extent."

"...Then the culprit is?" Miko-san asked curiously, impatient with how Naru dragging this on.

"Is..." He trailed off before his eyes land on one person, and it didn't take long for the rest of us to follow his example.

"...Me...?" Kuroda's voice was shaking, before she denied strongly. "How can that be...!"

His eyes were didn't waver as he stated, "You are the prime suspect."

"Are you saying that it's all because of me? That poltergeist?" She was scared but at this situation, comfort was not something I can offer to her. She had to face this problem head on.

"You're the likeliest to be responsible for the poltergeist." Naru stated with conviction. "You said… there were ghosts of soldiers and nurses there. But the fact of the matter is…" He glanced at me, "As Mai said, this school is over eighty years old… there never was a hospital here. An air raid never occurred here, and the school was never used as a hospital before." He listed on.

"How can that be...?" She was shaking now, and I was reminded of how she reacted when I confronted her the first time about the attack on her person.

"—To sum it up, you were mistaken or perhaps the rumors got to you. Didn't Miko-san say that you're not spiritually sensitive?"

"Yes, that's right. I'm sure I wasn't wrong," Miko-san confirmed. "This one… I didn't lie. I would not joke about this." She had her pride after all. "At least not enough for me to see her as someone capable of seeing spirits and the likes." She turned to Bou-san. "Right."

He nodded, "Yeah… if she is, I would sense it like how I can tell Hara-san could…" The mentioned medium nodded in agreement.

"Whether Kuroda-san did that on purpose or whether she just pretended to see them... Even now I am not so sure," Naru continued to explain. "However….The equipment did not show any presence of spirits. Plus, Hara-san didn't sense any."

"Yes, that's correct," Masako said, nodding her head.

"This was very baffling at first to me, but considering her statement and data my equipment gathered so far…" Naru's eyes narrowed. "Logically the blame should be shifted to human… and that is you."

I had to applaud Kuroda-san to not break to tears by now, this person had no delicacy at all. The poltergeist had rattled him for a moment after all.

He crossed his arms "I heard that your sixth sense have made you rather popular in school. Ever since middle school, you have been admired for them. However our analysis on this building is against your claim on ghost presence… and what would happen if people finds out that the cause is land subsidence?"

Bou-san was the one who replied, "She will lose their trust…"

Miko-san seemed to feel sorry for her too. "...So at first, you didn't have any powers, but because of this…"

"...That's right. In order for Kuroda-san to get everyone's attention, ghosts would have to exist. So to her, ghosts must exist in the old school building." Naru finished.

It was her desire to be special that caused this.

Bou-san sighed, "So... she unconsciously made poltergeist activity that happened since Naru-chan announced the land subsidence."

Naru uncrossed his arms, glancing at me. "However… it didn't mean she is without power, for causing this much disturbance she must be a latent psychic." Then began explaining, "Someone who has psychic powers. Even though she is unaware of it, she may have some PK."

Oh my, so he was suspecting me for being a latent psychic? Does my intuition count as psychic powers?

Miko-san then pressed on, "Then how about when I was locked in?"

Hara-san said in a low voice, "You locked yourself in." Apparently she was not afraid to pick an argument either.

"What, you're saying that I forgot I locked myself in?" She shot back.

"Are you saying you didn't?"

I stepped forward, and Naru frowned at me. "Let me explain this one..." I glanced at Kuroda-san. "It's unpleasant but you have to be responsible…" It was partly my fault.

Kuroda nodded hesitantly, "Yes… Sawada-san."

Naru pulled out a nail from his pocket then handed it to me, I inhaled deeply before speaking. "I found this when I was picking the lock." Then I corrected, "More like I noticed this nail sticking out of the door, and I distracted you with pretending picking the lock so I could remove it discreetly."

Everyone looked shocked, and I knew it was because I tricked them not what I was trying to hide.

"So someone put it there on purpose," said Miko-san. "But…"

Bou-san looked disappointed at me, "Why Jou-chan?"

Kuroda-san clenched her fist then she cried, "She is protecting me! I am sorry!"

I sighed, "I admit… partly it's because I don't want you to attack her back." I returned their eyes unflinchingly, "Not to mention, I am sure everyone know that time all of us were incredibly tense. We're not a team but we're still working on the same case and location… so I selfishly decide it's better to not bring it up back then, rather than risking a conflict before we get _anything_ done."

Naru sighed, "If you forgot, I agree with you to not mention it. Beside… It was probably a prank. Miko-san is the one who start it anyway."

I couldn't stop myself from nodding. "Like I said back then, you can phrase your words more carefully."

At least now she looked guilty, "Then, what about the malfunction?"

I sighed at that, "Promise me you will not blow up." Miko-san shrank at that, "Simple… no one is on the base when you screamed…"

Which mean Kuroda-san sneaked in to erase the evidence when we were distracted.

Kuroda-san stuttered, "I am sorry…" She cried and since she was already sorry for everything she did I patted her back comfortingly.

"It's alright… you know you're wrong, and that's the most important thing…" I whispered to her.

John, befitting of his profession as a priest told her in a comforting tone, "Don't worry about it. Even though it did cause a lot of trouble."

Miko-san angrily crossed her arms. "Now we understand. But now what? We can't just leave like this. The principal called on us to exorcise the ghost."

"We can just say that we exorcised the ghost." That was very free-minded of him, "I plan to tell the principal this: There were many spirits of soldiers in the old school building. We exorcised them so now it's safe to continue the demolition project…" He recited his planned speech.

I smiled at him when he cracked one eye open at me.

"She's already under a lot of pressure. There's no need to add to that, right?" Naru added.

"Very considerate of you…" I agreed.

Bou-san snorted, "I bet you just want to score a point with Mai."

He glared at Monk, the loud mouth and decided. "At first I thought all of us deserve credit for working together, but let's just leave Bou-san out."

"Hey! I am just teasing you a little!"

And with that, the case of old school building was over.

* * *

 **Afterschool, empty hallway. (Naru's POV)**

Only this girl had audacity to sigh as rolling her eyes at the sight of my face, and it was annoying and refreshing in the same time. "So, what do you need Naru? I believe you're not my boss any longer."

I cleared my throat, so this was how she wanted to play this game even though I went through trouble to wait for her outside her classroom and endured over twenty schoolgirls fawning over me. "I want to talk…"

"Oh yes… about the camera under insurance I broke by accident." She beamed at me.

Of course she knew, she was not a genius but far from an idiot. "It's not about the camera."

She crossed her arms, "Aah… curiosity is not always a good thing, Naru."

What was she getting at? "I am a researcher… I have to be curious."

She walked pass me and I followed, ready to grab her if she tried to flee. But she just walked to nearest vending machine and bought a bottle of mineral water. Drinking a big gulp until only half of it left. Not very lady like of her. Then she began to write something in kanji on the fogged surface of the cold water bottle.

闇弱

"… Kanji is not my forte."

She laughed at me, "Well… I thought as much, considering how you insist using inches instead of the more common meters in Japan."

…! She…

She tilted her head to the side before tossing the bottle to me. I caught it with ease, wondering what she was getting at. "Are you testing me?"

Mai shook her head, "This is not a test or taunt, I am warning you…" She corrected me, "If you didn't get it, I won't give you any answer." She stated with a tone of finality, then started to walk towards the door. She tilted her head to the side with a smile on her lips. "I didn't forbid you from asking Lin-san to read it for you though…" Then she bid me a farewell, leaving me to mull over my latest defeat.

Which mean, you can ask for help, genius. She just made me unable to ask for Lin's help with telling me the opposite.

Mai… how the hell you know me this well? She didn't even know who I was.  
I was sure she figured some things like I was a foreigner even though I looked Japanese, and my pride was also my weakness. However she surely didn't know who I really was and yet she knew me so well, almost like Gene and it was…

Scary…

Did I just think scary? Me? I didn't find any paranormal activity scary, but Mai was scary to me?

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

I rolled back and forth on my bed, wishing to take back what I said to Naru. "Stupid Mai! Argh!" I groaned, "Even though that is the only thing crossing my mind when he ambushed me, I shouldn't have thrown that word at him!"

That kind of challenge never ended well against someone like Naru.

"But if I didn't make him stay away from me I will be tempted to beg for his help…" I hissed to myself, hugging my pillow tighter in frustration. "No… I am already tempted since I know where his interest lies…"

Onii-chan would be disappointed in me if he knew what I was thinking.

But… if I could help Nii-chan that way…

Growl~

"No wonder I am not on my right mind." With empty stomach I couldn't think straight. "Let's see what I have in my fridge."

It was not hard to figure out what to cook, looking at leafy green, fish, and edamame I stored. "Just what I need…"

It didn't take long to cook the menu I had in mind, I just need to wait some more until the steamed herb fish finish. And in another stove I had edamame boiled perfectly. I glanced to the side and noticed I haven't drop my recyclable waste like old paper and plastic bottle downstairs.

It would take around ten minutes for the fish to finish, if I am hurry it won't take too long. I was about to step out of my apartment when I noticed presence of my neighbor. I recalled someone moved in, but I never met the one who bought the apartment on my right. So I looked to the side, and was about to greet my neighbor before I froze at who I was looking at.

My neighbor looked as surprised and he was freezing in midst of opening his door. "Mai?"

"Naru? You're my neighbor?"

"Apparently." He replied dryly.

I groaned, "I can't deal with you now." And promptly closed my door.

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

I glared at the closed door, while I understood it was awkward to see me after what happened this afternoon it was still very rude of her to run away like that the moment she saw my face. Against my better judgement I knocked her door, "Mai! I think we really need to talk _now_!"

Especially since I had spent the rest of my afternoon looking at dizzying amount of kanji to find that 闇弱 and considering now I knew what it meant I had every right to be pissed at her.

"It read Anjaku." I gritted out, "You called _me,_ ignorant and weak. I think… you really need to explain yourself!"

Then I heard her voice from the other side of the door, it was muffled but clear enough. "Haah… seriously Naru-chan, you're so smart but you can be pretty dumb."

Dumb? Me?

"No one asked you how to spell 闇弱 Naru-chan… you just have to consult kanji dictionary for that." I could imagine she was rolling her eyes by now. "Though… it's amazing you find how to read it less than a day."

"Mai…" I hissed, considering what I observed from her so far. She could read my tone very well.

A sigh, then I heard footsteps back and forth. She was doing something inside and returned to her entranceway. Faster than I could react she opened her door, but only a small gap enough to slip a bento box before she closed it again. She threw it at me no less!

Takigawa was definitely mistaken if he thought Mai was trying to win me through my stomach. "What is this supposed to mean?" I demanded coolly.

"That's your reward for figuring out how to read 闇弱 Naru… I feel bad if your effort is not rewarded." She said, I could imagine she was laughing at me. "But sorry… try again next time to figure it out… after dinner maybe~"

"Mai!" Then I heard her soft footsteps, she was walking away. And I could only stare at her door and the bento box that apparently was dinner she forced on me.

Someone cleared his throat and I turned to my left. Lin looked very uncomfortable, and I had a feeling that was because he saw everything. I couldn't believe I completely _forget_ he was right beside me.

"Uhm… so that's why you study kanji so hard this afternoon?" Lin asked hesitantly.

I didn't answer because for once I had no idea what to say without embarrassing myself.

* * *

 **Naru's apartment**

Lin for some reason was very quiet when we had dinner, he looked like he was about to say something, hesitated and decided to be quiet. I was irritated but since Mai was just next door I figured I can confront her anytime. I could even do so after dinner like she said.

"I will wash the box." I announced as I went to kitchen sink that thankfully had cleaning supplies I need for the task, even though I never used it. Most likely it was Lin who put it here even though he didn't even live here.

It was a blessing even though he was assigned to watch over me, he gave me privacy to live on my own.

I put the box on dish dryer, another cleaning tools I suspect was Lin's doing. I was waiting the box to dry when I felt my eyes were getting heavy, which was no wonder since I was very tired after pouring over kanji dictionary the whole afternoon. I walked to the sofa of my living room, rubbing my tired eyes. How strange… no matter how tired I was, I shouldn't be this sleepy.

Looking at my state Lin averted his eyes, he was hesitating again. "Lin…" I began tiredly. "Just say what you want to say."

He sighed at me, "I guess… you never really pay attention to nutrition in your food, that's not new…" He was shaking his head, "And you wonder why your brother called you 'idiot scientist' Oliver?"

I groaned, "What are you getting at?" I tried to sound intimidation but in my drowsy state, it didn't work.

He cleared his throat, "Sawada-san seems to be a very good cook if her cooking meet your standard."

I tried to glare but it was hard when you were sleepy. "Don't you dare to tease…" I hissed, "I had enough of that…"

"I am not implying anything of that nature." Lin looked amused now, "What I mean is… since she is a good cook, she know what is inside her cooking _very_ well." Lin corrected me.

My eyes widened at the implication.

"Just now you ate steamed herb fish, broiled spinach and edamame." Lin listed on, "All of those? They're food to induce sleepiness…"

Mai, she… this almost like she drugged me then.

"Legally." Lin added as if reading my thought. "You definitely can't sue her for feeding you those dishes, and you eat it on your own volition."

"…"

"Well… you're definitely in no condition to bother her tonight." Lin concluded, "However… I am sure she didn't prepare them to put you to sleep." Yes, since she definitely wasn't expecting me living next to her. "Either she want to have a good sleep tonight or it was coincidence…" He inclined his head to the side. "But I am sure by now she is also about to sleep very well tonight."

"…She is worse than Madoka." I grumbled.

Lin shrugged, "I don't know about that, but you definitely have find someone who can stand up against you… in many ways…"

Mai, I would pursue you even if it kills me. I swear…

* * *

 **Public Library (One week later, Mai's POV)**

Parapsychology was the scientific study of interactions between living organisms and their external environment that seem to transcend the known physical laws of nature. Parapsychology was a component of the broader study of consciousness and the mind. Parapsychologists study 5 broad areas, Telepathy, Clairvoyance or Remote Viewing, Precognition, PK or Psychokinesis

and Survival Studies.

Looking at these five categories… our Hyper Intuition, the power to see through all could be identified as some sort clairvoyance or precognition. I thought as my forefinger ghosted over the two words. Our flame could be categorized as PK in a sense but…

As someone who possessed and used this ability I didn't think my intuition could be 'classified' to any of these in perfect fit. It was more… limited and seemed to be wired to our survival. For example, if asked what was inside the room next to the one I occupied. I most likely could detect living organism's presence next door, but if it was an object it would limited on whether it was dangerous or not to me. And even that would be relative, because I would identify a gun as non-threatening if it just lay on a table and not in human's hands.

Precognition was a better fit in a sense but it only limited to danger, we definitely couldn't see the future. That was someone else's… anyone have survival instinct, so we just noticed danger faster than normal human.

Telepathy was not it either, because I couldn't read mind even though to an extent my brother seemed to be capable of this with his guardian. Though most likely that was because we knew them very well, so our intuition translate their body language to words instead of mere emotion and allegory.

Then again in the first place description of Hyper Intuition as power to 'see through all' as they called it was already from the first generation/outdated and too vague.

I looked up to the boring gypsum ceiling above, averting my eyes from tightly packed word on the book I was reading. I was never a researcher, this supposed to be Hayato's job. He had both brain and meticulousness to pull it off. Then again… knowing him, Hayato most likely had been looking at our 'problem' from this angle too.

Although if he didn't find anything I was not surprised either, because 'Hyper Intuition' and everything else we inherited from our blood was never researched in depth. Knowledge pertaining our inheritance was never recorded on paper, keeping it tightly sealed within closed circle.

Why should we, those with Vongola blood _knew_ everything we need intuitively.

Who would be idiotic enough to write it down and risked our secret?

The biggest downside of this however… our knowledge about our ability become limited to what our ancestor knew plus what we find out ourselves. So it was no wonder in ten generations we just took it for granted without 'fully' understanding our power. It was all their fault to be ignorant of our power, the high and mighty ancestors.

Even Reborn was pretty frustrated with the procedure when training us, because all he could do was throwing us to the most dangerous situations, calculated it with his devious mind that we could survive it and hoped our intuition would do its trick and get us to master all techniques available. Reborn knew what the techniques did and what were they but he didn't know how we got it.

Considering the situation and circumstances of our training, not even I and my brother fully understood the power we held. We didn't have the luxury to stop and think, aside from how to use them to survive our world.

Damn it… after what happened in school I thought there was a way if we see 'our problem' from this angle. In the end we were limited by our intuitive knowledge, because we never 'really understand' ourselves. I felt like a hypocrite… no I was one since I 'threw' that word at Naru when I was no better. There was no excuse could help me to justify myself for my weakness and ignorance.

So this was… my limit? I rested my forehead against my laced finger, eyes closed in deep thought.

"You seems very troubled."

I looked to the side, shocked that someone get this close without alerting me. "Naru?"

Naru pulled the chair beside me, and pulled the book I was reading to his side. "I don't know what you're looking for, but I doubt you will find it in this book." He whispered softly, we were in a library after all. "The most basic of basic."

I looked away, stubbornly trying to hide my anxiety. "I tried." He was insufferable! Did he stalk me all the way here just to tell me what I already know?! After leaving me alone for one week?

I was so absorbed by my own thought I almost didn't notice the sound of rustling paper, and my eyes widened when I realized the notes of my research was gone. I looked to the side and found Naru was already leafing through it. I let out a silent scream and reached out to take it back but he was already standing up, his longer leg worked in his favor as he held the notes up above his head and out of my reach.

"Naru!"

He smirked, and then strode towards the door that lead to the terrace. He was enjoying himself very much, baiting me with my notes. Before I know it we already out of the library to the terrace that was deserted, and we were alone.

"Give it back, you jerk!" I hollered at him, once we're not under restriction to be silence in library.

Naru was still holding the note out of my reach, and he was reading it. "Hm… are you trying to classify your psychic power?"

It was a good thing I just started so I didn't write much only random brainstorming, not to mention I wrote it in Italian to boot.

"You know Italian?"

I glared at him, "Yes… so what?" At his inquiring look I added, "My _father_ is half-Italian, satisfied? You…"I let out a string of curse in Italian for a good measure.

"Your fluency in Italian is noted." He retorted dryly. "Though I don't think your father would be thrilled to know your wide range of curse word."

I didn't know why Naru was so good at baiting me, but it was one of his talent. "Ara… I am sure I am much better than someone who is Japanese by blood but illiterate."

That was right, Naru by Japanese standard was illiterate. Surprise… I should write my secret notes in Kanji next time.

Surprisingly he didn't raise to my bait this time, "You… really know where to hit."

"I still want my notes back." I reminded him. "That's stealing."

He handed me my notes willingly, which was a surprise until he said. "I have eidetic memory, so all I need is online translator." He fished his phone out and began typing.

"Naru, you really…" This time it was my defeat, and it was bitterer than Bianchi's poison cooking.

He frowned, "While not accurate I can perceive your short research bear no fruit and you can't get you psychic ability to fit any classic category… you also repeat word 'limited' and 'danger' a lot."

Well, to those who didn't know Hyper Intuition my notes wouldn't make any sense. "You wouldn't understand…" I hissed, "It's none of your business."

"Perhaps not." He said to me, "However… it baffles me why you didn't ask for help when you obviously need one. Not to mention judging from your choice of reading material it's related to _my_ field of expertise…"

In short this was his roundabout way of asking why I didn't ask for his help.

"Or perhaps you think I will violate your privacy? Didn't I leave you alone for one week?" He asked coolly, "In my short time knowing you… I believe you deserve respect for your wit and work ethic _at least_ and I am myself is never comfortable with disrespect of privacy."

"Yet here you are… I am sure I can already sue you for stalking." I said pointedly, and he gave me a look that reminded me eerily of certain cloud who took too much advantage of our intuition because he was not a fan of verbal communication. "Contrary to what you think, I can't read mind."

"You're contradicting yourself, you don't know what I'm thinking… where did you get I thought you can read my mind?"

Fishing out for clues, now? "I don't have to deal with this." I grumbled as I strode towards elevator, not caring he followed me inside.

"No you don't." He concurred as he pressed the button for ground floor and as soon as the door opened again I was tempted to bolt but I was too proud to run away _again_ from this guy. "However… I find it very reckless of you to think you can tread to unknown territory from meager research while _I_ have spent years both in field and research faculty to do so."

That stopped me on my track, did Naru just repeat himself on why didn't I ask for his help? Wait… did he also just imply that…

He crossed his arms, "And I figure out what you mean with 'Anjaku' you threw at my face."

I swallowed heavily, "You did?"

"I did." He confirmed, "I figure out you mean something along the line curiosity kill the cat, in which the cat is ignorant to respect the unknown and fail to see the danger."

"Then…" I trailed off, "Why you're still chasing me?"

He snorted, "The same reason I didn't run away from my job."

Then Mai recalled their conversation, when she asked why he become a Ghost Hunter. It was a dangerous job when most often than not he was dealing with the unknown.

Because people needed it to be done

"Haaah…"

I kept thinking he reminded me a lot of Reborn but now… he reminded me of my brother instead. He did what he had to do because people needed him. Then perhaps…

"Then let's make a deal." I proposed to him instead.

"A deal?" He echoed.

I inhaled softly, "I don't know whether I can trust you yet."

"I didn't expect you to."

"Glad to know that, but I still need time to decide so… for the time being." I swallowed heavily, "Will you teach me about Parapsychology?" I blurted out with difficulty, flailing my hands quickly. "Of course… it didn't mean I want to impose! Can you like… lend me some research note and answer some question once in a while?"

"…"

For a good measure then I added, "In exchange… I will cook you homemade meal everyday…" That was so lame… but as I was, I had nothing else to offer.

"I don't need you to cook for me." He told me flatly.

I scoffed, "This coming from the guy who on the first day I work with him almost forgot to eat and drink? And when I remind you, you just go grabbing something from nearest bakery instead of eating proper meal!"

"…not good enough, try again…"

I groaned, "Alright, just tell me what you need from me that's not spilling my secret!"

He looked thoughtful for a moment before he asked, "Does your school prohibit its students from working?"

I tried to recall my school's regulation in regards to that, and answered. "Nope."

"...Then you can work for me, as an assistant."

My eyes widened, "Working in your office?"

"It would be a sufficient exchange." He supplied. "I don't have enough office workers. A while earlier, someone quit."

I couldn't help but laugh, this guy was so sly. "If that's what you want… I would love to work for you."

"Alright…" He handed me his name card. "Here is the address of my office."

I cocked my head at the address, his office was located in Shibuya. Now I was almost sure his name was an alias. "I am sure I can find your office easily, at any rate I need to buy groceries for my dinner, so I will go ahead first."

He nodded, "And also… I forgot to thank you for helping the case in your school. You were a big help. Thank you very much."

"You're welcome…" I smiled at him as slowly skipped away, inwardly I thought he deserved one little surprise. So when I was a good distance away of him I called him, "By the way… Naru-chan! I didn't lie about I can't read mind but…" I know my 'but' caught his attention, he was really an idiot scientist. "That's very cute of you to make up about 'someone quit' and you don't have enough people!"

He looked shocked, even more when the old school building was shaken by poltergeist. "Mai, you…"

I grinned cockily, "Bye bye~ Naru-chan, dinner tonight is Spanish mackerel!" I announced as I dashed towards nearest supermarket, giggling merrily as I did so.

I knew I was a little mean, but hey… I was entitled to some fun before he hired me and he didn't even realize I had offered to feed him from now on. I was a Vongola, I needed to take care of people.

* * *

OMAKE : So this is how our meeting goes~

They were young and the head of the most prestigious mafia family in the world. It didn't sound as great as reality in Vongola. They had riches that would last for generations, but because of their commoner background they didn't even know what was the point of splurging on tight fit suits when obviously it won't last long because of their growth spurt. Prestigious name? Nice, but in the world where survival of the fittest was the goal, the name would just be a fine addition to your tombstone in cursive. Became the idol of their world? The fame was not worth the trouble especially because of fangirls and fanboys they had.

They dealt with everything as they were told by their home tutor and while life was not perfect, they _dealt_ with it. But still...

"Kufufufu~"

"I will bite you to death!"

"Oi! Listen to Boss and Hime! You bastard!"

"Extreme fight! Hibari! Mukuro! Let me join you!"

"Turf Top! Don't encourage them! Come back here!"

"Hayato! You need calcium, here! Don't get angry like that! You will get bald!"

"What did you say?"

"Aaaah... Lambo is bored! Can Lambo play? Where is my candy?"

Mai glanced at her brother who was smiling as watching his guardians wrecking havoc in their meeting room. "Everyone is so energetic today, ne... Mai?"

His younger twin sighed, "Always, even with our intuition I can't even tell if they're less energetic yesterday." She muttered sarcastically. "Beside... Onii-chan."

"Hm?"

"The meeting should have started ten minutes ago! And it also has been delayed for three days because of that!" Mai pointed at Hibari, "Has someone to bite and he can't delay it! I can't believe you... put biting someone over attending a meeting with your Boss!"

"Hn."

"Maa..." Tsuna trailed off, "What can we do to stop them anyway?"

Mai groaned, "Onii-chan... you _are_ the strongest Vongola boss in history after Primo, please don't say you can do nothing to stop your _own_ guardian."

"Violence is not an answer." Tsuna replied with an angelic smile on his face, "Beside Mai-chan... my guardians are like this, they are a rowdy bunch I love."

Mai nodded sagely, "I see... very profound dear brother." She clapped her hand, "But."  
CHINK!

"What the..."

"Hime! What did you stuck us on ice from our neck down?" Hayato asked frantically.

"Woman! Let us go now!"

"Waaaa"

Tsuna watched his guardians that had became ice statue from their neck down, "But Mai-chan..."

"As Reborn told us." Mai recited, "It's the most effective to get people to listen to you when they can't move." Then she added, "And yes, sometimes violence is an answer."

Her twin sighed at that, "Oh well... so since Mai took trouble to freeze you guys, let's finish our meeting now~"

"Like this?"

"You'd rather we strip you off of your top and set four machine guns on you?" Tsuna asked curiously.

"...no Boss..."

"Sounds interesting."

"Extreeeme! Do it!"

"Die!"

* * *

 **Uploaded this so I AM done with this arc... yeah Mai live next to Naru by coincidence (by me) Will add more AN tomorrow...  
BTW, I am mixing novel and manga for next arc to get something original AND more KHR element.  
And also... I am bringing in one more KHR chara to SPR team, I have someone in mind already but I wonder if anyone have a more interesting suggestion?  
**


	5. Case 02, Prologue-01

**To be honest I want to keep it in 6-8K words perchapter but somehow we ended up with 13K which nothing to do with enthusiasm but more on my desire to include novel inspired scene, hence the hilarious prologue... it's a shame it's skipped in anime and manga. BTW... this chapter have an omake on subject 'pairing' because that's the meat of romance hungry fans from series like KHR and GH that lack romance LOL SO! But it makes this chapter longer but who cares...  
**

* * *

 **Case 02, Prologue  
**

 **SPR's office**

Mai appeared on her official first day in SPR in casual formal wear, which consist of white dress shirt, orange tie and black skirt. No one told her to dress that way, knowing Mai it was a concern for her to look like a high school girl to our client. I didn't really care but Lin seemed to approve her attention to detail. Then again perhaps she looked at Matsuzaki and Takigawa and learned appearance helped to inspire trust in client, in which those two failed to do.

She had work ethic, I gave her that but once again I didn't care.

"My name is Shibuya Kazuya." I told her when she served tea for me, and waited for her reaction.

It didn't take long for her to know what I was getting at. She rolled her eyes at me and then to her side. "Seriously…" She muttered under her breath, then her lips quirked up. A sign she was thinking something interesting to answer me with. "Why do you think I call you Naru?"

"Why?"

She giggled, "Saa…" She strode towards the door but before she sashayed away she added. "Oh, and Naru…" I raised an eyebrow. "Is half-truth a sufficient answer?" My eyes widened, "Of course it is, you're so smart after all!"

Blam

Apparently I indeed had hired a living lie detector. I didn't know I had struck gold or I was endangering my secret. Then again it would be very hypocritical of her to do anything about my secret considering she had layers of it herself. I was pretty sure the reason Mai confirmed my suspicion that she could detect lie, aside from her sign of trust was to get me off of her back a little.

Or she just want to state early on that lying to her was an exercise in futility. Which I was thankful for so I wouldn't make a fool of myself to try. Well… maybe once in a while just to test to what extent she could see through lie. Mai seemed to not mind humoring me once in a while with little experiment.

* * *

 **SPR Office (Mai's POV)**

In hindsight I should have foreseen that Naru -in spite of his intelligence and pride in his profession- was not an epitome of professionalism. At least not in term of willingness to endure client's whim. Even though his business sold intangible product named 'service' to Naru, client was not his king. Though considering type of 'prospective' clients we got, perhaps he had the right idea. For example, the latest prospective client who came knocking our door. With haughtiness that reminded me of some more annoying members of my family, she opened her introduction with this line.

"Is Shibuya Psy-something over here?" I didn't need my intuition to know her standing as prospective client was reduced to almost nonexistent, so I will dub this woman dressed in extravagant clothes as gaudy woman instead. After all she would be out of the room before she got her name out to us.

I greeted this guest with warm, business like smile. "We're Shibuya Psychic Research." I corrected her, "Is there anything troubling you that we could help you with?" Might as well giving her a welcoming smile for now because our 'director' wouldn't give her any.

She was about to answer me but her attention was drawn towards Naru, who was reading a book. Which was no wonder since even though I looked young I tried to dress my part to look mature, Naru in the other hand wore all black and ignored the world when he was absorbed by his book.

"That child over there."

Please ma'am, don't even go there. You just called Naru a child, which was like calling a full grown lion a kitten.

I stepped forward so I blocked her view of Naru, "Please, is there anything we can help you with?" I tried again.

That woman glanced at me, then continued to ignore my questions and perhaps my existence too. "Child, do you work at this office?"

In return Naru ignored her existence, eyes locked on his book.

I sternly asked her again, "Please, may I help you?"

She ignored me again, "If you have a request, please direct it to her," Naru spoke, making an effort to direct her attention to me. Most likely because he wanted her to stop bothering him.

She let out a disdainful huff, and I could feel annoyance rolled off from the guy behind me. My patience didn't fare well much better either. Ma'am, even Buddha only waits three times so after you ignored my effort to spare you from the pain of talking to my boss I was entitled to get you out of here.

"Well then Ma'am." I beamed my best smile at her, moving closer to the point I almost breached her personal space.

This was a trick I learned in my days managing Vongola's foreign affair, that our presence could either draw people helplessly towards us or overwhelming them to the point they were sent fleeing. This was especially effective on those who was not used with breach of personal space, like Japanese in general.

"What the?"

"Currently our service is unavailable for you because it's the day of Sabbath, so it's our greatest regret we have to turn your request down." I babbled random things and took advantage of her disoriented state to turn her around with a light touch in her right shoulder.

"Huh?"

I maneuvered her towards our door, matching my pace with her breathing and steps so her body had no choice but moved in tandem with me. "Please bring your business somewhere else, I am sure someone would be honored by your presence in their premise." I babbled on as I opened the door and gave her the last push out of our office. "Have a nice day Ma'am, may Amaterasu smile upon you." My eyes looked straight at hers, conveying that I didn't want her to be here any longer and bid her a farewell.

Blam

The moment I closed the door I could hear muffled sound of confusion then she freaked out, soon the sound of heels clicking followed. She was running out of this building.

"Phew…" I turned around to face Naru who had took his eyes away from his book to watch my show.

"That was interesting," Naru smirked, "And since you have dealt with our unwanted guest… Mai, tea."

I couldn't blame him for requesting his seventeenth cup of tea for the day, because today was not our day. You would think we were happy to have prospective clients coming in constantly, but all of them came to the wrong place. Most of them mistook us as occult club, or something along that line and it got to Naru's nerve more than anything.

I had to explain to them every time. This is a paranormal investigation office. We used scientific methods to solve paranormal phenomena. It got boring after a while so I decided to have fun coming up with the most interesting excuse to refuse them.

So when we requested to investigate extramarital affair by a rude and testy wife. I explained, this wasn't a detective agency and unless your husband had an affair with a succubus it was not within our expertise.

Curing aching waist? Nearest hospital was two blocks away, please get your medicine from their pharmacist.

Please divine our horoscope for marriage? I asked for their horoscope and quoted their compatibility straight from a website.

This was not a new religion organization. Even though I suspect our director was just one step away from having God complex. I would inform you if our director decided to be a God. Naru was not amused by this.

The only reasonable request was, "My daughter has been behaving strangely. She must be possessed, so please come and exorcise the ghost." In which I kindly inquired what she constituted as strange behavior. Much to my frustration and amusement her answer was taken straight from long list of rebellious behavior on puberty. So I recommended her to look up for a good parenting book.

Then the last was the woman who would forever dubbed as gaudy madam we didn't even know why she came for instead of pissing all of us of.

I was running out of idea after the last one to be honest and Naru's mood worsened. Which was understandable because the steady flow of wrong customer was a slight to his occupation. I didn't fare better as _I_ was the one who dealt with them _not_ him. Even though I was _used_ with demanding people, I never took disrespect and stupidity well.

I placed the black tea onto the table, Naru's favorite. Though in general neither Lin nor Naru drank other type of tea. Which strengthen my suspicion of where these two came from.

Naru didn't even raise his head to acknowledge my presence or the tea, which was nothing new. He taught me Parapsychology in exchange of my service as an assistant and sometimes a test subject, so it was my job and he had no obligation to thank me for my trouble.

In a sense he was right, but it was still annoying to see my effort for him was taken for granted. I sighed loudly to draw his attention and even though he didn't look up from his book I caught his eyes flicker at my direction a little.

"What?"

Considering I had endured dealing with idiotic clients on his behalf and didn't even receive a thank you for my trouble… but it didn't seem worth it to have fun on his expense and gave him more incessant to be curious of my ability. Maybe just a little… no, maybe I shouldn't but… the temptation was great!

"Mai!"

I was snapped out of my thought by Naru who looked very impatient, reminding me that a genius or not he was still a teenager. One with ego as big as Naru couldn't handle being ignored well, especially because of his looks and his intelligence he was a natural center of attention. He liked to be left alone but being ignored bothered him. What a difficult person.

"Nani?" I asked innocently, smiling because apparently just by spacing out in front of him could bother him this much.

"What are you standing there for? Go back to your work." He ordered me, undoubtedly he was embarrassed to feel bothered just because I ignored him.

Keeping my professional smile firmly in place, I answered. "I have finished everything, boss… I have filed your documents in order, making photocopies you requested and I also have compiled research material you needed to be done by tomorrow."

"…"

"So if nothing else I would like to know if you have any request for dinner?" Naru was as challenging as he was a picky eater. He was picky about salt content, disliked sweet food and hated celery and beansprout like a kid.

"No."

"Then you don't mind if I cook stir fry vegetable with lots of beansprout?"

His glare was a soothing balm to my soul, "Mai…"

I giggled, "Alright… no need to glare, I'm just kidding." I said as I closed the door to his office, satisfied to get a reaction out of him at least.

Lesson in courtesy could wait for another day.

"Hh…" I sighed as I strode towards my desk and resumed reading the book I was reading halfway before that gaudy woman came in.

It was in English but I didn't have difficulty to read it, aside from a number of technical term I had to consult on dictionary. I learned a lot so far but nothing remotely useful. Aside from book on Parapsychology Naru had a bunch of travel books and maps. Which I suspect was not for vacation or study tour, he would study those map and contemplate about it.

It as if he was trying to figure out a treasure map with riddle. That was my intuition talking again, and I didn't even want to know that. One of these days after Naru returned from his little trips I would accidentally ask whether he found what he was looking for. And that would be a trouble…

I had caught my twin blurting out that kind of question to certain skylark and illusionist, both were not happy to be asked about it and pissed that my brother knew. To be fair we just 'naturally' knew about it, we didn't even pry to their thought on purpose.

As embarrassing as it was, I couldn't say Naru was not 'drawn' to me because of my power. We never really know, another thing to be blamed for our reliance on intuition. The longer I spent in his proximity, the more my intuition would be tuned to him and then he wouldn't be able to keep any secret from me. That was something I didn't want for him.

So before that happened… I had to figure out 'our problem' and disappear from his life.

"Then…" I clenched my fist.

Then I had to return to where I belonged.

Clack…

I almost jumped in shock when the doorknob turned, I was too occupied by my own thought and I didn't even sense someone coming?! I was slipping! Dangerous! Snap out of it, Mai!

"Welcome to Shibuya Psychic Research." I greeted the new guest with my warmest smile, while inwardly praying we got the right customer this time.

The guest was a young woman, and she looked kind and gentle as she returned my greeting. "Hello…"

It didn't take long for my intuition to tell me this time we had a real customer. It was not like my intuition sensed something supernatural from her. However I could tell she was tired and desperate, obviously someone who needed a help for her problem. So I did my best to make her comfortable.

"Have a seat…" I gestured towards the sofa, she hesitated for a moment before she followed me to sit. "Please make yourself comfortable, I will call our director and then we will listen to your problem and see what we can do for you."

She looked very relieved, "Thank you…"

I smiled at her, not a professional smile but my friendly smile. "You're welcome… I am Sawada Mai, please wait a moment."

Then I quickly made my way towards Naru's door and knocked. I didn't wait for him to answer and poked my head inside. He was still reading his book. "Naru, we have a guest… and I think this time it's someone who really needs our help."

He gave me an inquiring look before he rose from his seat and followed me back to our lounge. He had been in this field longer than I do, so it didn't take long for him to recognize a tired and weary looking customer.

"I am Shibuya Kazuya, the director of SPR…" He introduced himself as he took a seat across from our guest and I passed him a request form before making my way towards the guest so I could place a cup of steaming tea in front of her. "First, please state your name, age and occupation… then we will move on to your request."

She swallowed heavily. "I am Morishita Noriko, twenty years old and I am working as freelance graphic designer." She hesitated before admitting. "...Well, strange things have been happening at our house."

"What kind?" He asked inquiringly.

Looking at her hesitation I couldn't help but think Naru really in dire need for some social skill. Would it kill him to sound less intimidating and cold? Sensing Morishita-san's eyes shifted to me, I gave her an assuring smile. I tried to convey that my boss looked scary but he would help you so there was no need to be scared.

Her attention returned to Naru before she replied, "There are strange sounds." Then she elaborated, getting braver. "Sounds of someone knocking on the wall and climbing onto the bed will come from empty rooms. The door opens and closes by itself..."

That sounded like a phenomena of poltergeist, and Naru was getting interested judging from the gleam on his eyes.

"The door opens and closes with no apparent reason?" He echoed, urging her to continue.

Noriko's eyes shifted again, considering how to phrase her situation. "Objects in the room won't be in their usual place. The room often shakes. At first I thought it was an earthquake, but it wasn't..."

I almost could hear sound of cracker and confetti in my mind, congratulating Noriko-san's success to interest Naru and to us for getting a real client at last.

"Can you be more specific on objects not being in their usual place?" Naru pressed on.

Sensing the investigator in front of her was interested in her problem, Noriko-san continued her story. "Um...the water vase moved, things I put in the drawer aren't there anymore, and they all end up in places they shouldn't be in."

"And the earthquake?" When they were busy I rushed to pick recorder set.

"It kind of feels like an earthquake. The furniture emits a rumbling sound. And then there's this…" She trailed off, trying to put the sensation to word, "Swaying feeling..."

Naru craned his neck and about to ask for the equipment I had in hand, "Alright…" He turned his attention back to Noriko-san.

"Then, please tell us about other inhabitants in your new house."

At last after a long three months we got a real client.

* * *

 **Case 02-Part 01 (Doll House Case)**

 **Few days later… (July, 1st Day)**

The house of our client was a two-hour drive from Tokyo. It was a beautiful western house, located on a hill and pretty far from the more crowded residence area below. The trees in the backyard was higher from the rooftop and the garden was well cared for.

However… while it was normal to think of this house as dark and creepy looking because it was old, was it normal that my hyper intuition made me feel like looking at some sort of prison?

Trapped…

Prison…

Chained...

"What's wrong?" Naru turned around and asked.

I shook my head, "Nothing." I wouldn't say anything without something solid.

Noriko-san welcomed us to her home and led us inside. She told us that the house was built before war, it was really old and too big just for the four of them. If not for my intuition I could see this house was not bad, it had quaint look and in good condition considering its age.

"If only nothing strange happen here…" She muttered wistfully.

Came to think of it, this kind of circumstance was quite common. People selling house with supernatural problem cheaply and get the new owner to deal with it.

"My older brother's not here, it feels uneasy to be just the three of us." She murmured softly, "Not to mention I have a very young niece…"

We entered the guest room and greeted by two identical shocked yelp, neither coming from our side. It seemed we were not the only one invited again…

"...Long time no see." The familiar haired monk greeted us jovially. "Naru-bou, Jou-chan."

"You again..." A flashily dressed miko muttered. "What an ill fate."

A short haired woman I suspected was Noriko-san's sister in law asked curiously. "Do you know them?"

"This is Kana, my sister-in-law," Noriko introduced and Kana-san bowed.

Naru answered her earlier question, obviously our director was not happy with these two familiar competitions, "We've done business together before."

Looking at their delighted faces, I couldn't help but wonder why our clients called multiple experts at once and expect them to work together. They seriously didn't know we could be competitive, do they?

* * *

 **SPR's base (in preparation)**

The room prepared for us was just next to the stairs to second floor, thanking Noriko-san for preparing us a room since Naru wouldn't deign to be courteous even with a client. I unzipped my waist bag and took out my laser measuring device, and simply point it from one wall to another to measure the dimension of the room. I bought it for myself when I learned we need to measure room to know how our equipment would fit inside. If I used standard measuring tape I would need another hand, and I don't feel like asking Naru, Lin or even our client to help me.

"Measurement of this room…" I mumbled under my breath. "The width is 3.2 meters and the length is 3.8 meters, height… 2.8 meters." I jotted down, glancing at Naru I said. "We will have no problem to fit everything inside…"

Naru examined the room and nodded. Then he turned toward Bou-san and Miko-san, who decided to hang out around our base. It seemed once again they would get too comfortable here. "So… can you tell me why you two are here?" He asked coolly.

The priestess Ayako looked smug, "Long time no see. Can't you act a little bit happier?"

"Yeah, at least don't look like I killed your puppy." Bou-san added, "We got invited too by request on behalf of the owner of course! And Jou-chan! Don't ignore me either!"

I sighed, "I am working Bou-san…" I told him in tired tone. "And… that's not what Naru asked."

They blinked owlishly in confusion. "Uhm… Jou-chan, unlike you I can't read your boy..." Naru glared harder at him and temperature in the room dropped. "I can't read Naru-bou's silent inquiry so…"

"Here as in our base." I elaborated, rolling my eyes. "Shouldn't you guys go and investigate this house as requested of you?"

He beamed at me, "Come on! Let's help each other!"

Oh boy… they were not going to leave us alone either this time. Naru looked displeased by the whole ordeal. Well, it seemed it was too late to get rid of these two from our base and investigation so…

"Thank you very much then!" I beamed at him, "Then please help us to carry our equipment inside!"

"Huh? Why should I…"

Naru smirked, "Well… didn't you just ask us to help each other? Then don't mind if we partake in your kindness."

Ayako snickered, before she ran off somewhere. Then again I didn't think she would be any useful for physical work.

"But… but…" Bou-san stuttered.

"Bou-san." I called him, giving him my best puppy eyes. "You wouldn't let me carry heavy equipment by myself, will you?"

His shoulders slumped in defeat and I won. I flashed Naru a victory sign before dragging my new free gofer to SPR's van to put him to work.

When I returned to the base with a handful of equipment with Bou-san in tow, Naru was in the middle of questioning Noriko-san.

"Where is the most frequent for the activity to occur?" Naru asked her.

Noriko cupped her cheek, looking distressed. "There isn't a specific place where it occurs... it happens everywhere."

Naru contemplated, then said, "Then we can place camera on both the first and second floor. And we can set one up in the hallway. Let's observe the situation first."

"Hai." I set the last set of equipment on the base and moved on to place camera as ordered. "Bou-san, be careful with the microphone."

Bou-san moaned, "I should have keep my mouth shut…"

Because the base was next to stairs to second floor I decided to set camera there first. There were a lot of rooms in this house and most were unused. It took a while but we were done with second floor and moved to work on first floor.

From my meager experience with paranormal activity I could sense which room was the likeliest to be frequented by activity. Which was pretty predictable, even when no activity happen my senses perceive the room as dimmer and cooler even in summer like this. Which worried me because the coldest room upstairs belonged to Noriko-san's adorable niece, Ayami-chan.

Rooms in first floor were larger so there were fewer of them so we finished faster, we only had the entranceway and the living room left. Bou-san asked me to spare him for the last two because he was getting really thirsty, so he ran off to the kitchen to get a drink. So I informed Naru that my gofer ran off, so could he please help me for the last two?

Surprisingly he agreed to help me, most likely because he was pleased with me for dragging Bou-san around as our gofer. We're about to set up camera on living room, and my fingers was holding the knob when I was stopped on my track by my intuition.

 **Badump!**

"Mai?"

I was snapped back to reality by Naru's voice, and when I looked at him my eyes were still wide in shock. "I…"

He frowned at me, "It seems there is something here?"

There was no point hiding I could sense danger, I flaunting it twice in our previous case. Someone as smart as Naru would have noticed long ago. "I am not sure… but this room is definitely the last place I want to be in this house." I drawled on as I opened the door.

Naru was cautious as we entered the homey looking living room, where nothing looked amiss. I was now convinced paranormal activity in this house was real, this sense of trepidation was not the same one as I felt from a building that was on the verge of collapsing.

"Well… I didn't expect them to jump on us anyway." Naru commented as we surveyed the room, looking for a perfect spot for the camera. "Mai!"

I almost jumped at the sudden change of tone on his voice. "What is it Naru?!" I turned around, "You startled me!"

His eyes narrowed at me and then slowly he stepped aside so he was right across me on the other side of the room. "Come over here." He beckoned me in cautious tone.

It was an odd order but Naru didn't seem like he was joking so I followed his instruction and stepped forward, then I realized something was off. Not with Naru or the room but _me_. I was three steps away from my original position when instead of walking in straight line I was walking in half circle before resuming a straight stride towards Naru. As if I was trying to avoid walking on something.

"Did I just…" I asked to no one in particular.

Naru didn't answer and rushed towards the spot I avoided. He knelt in front of that particular spot then knocked the parqueted floor. "Hm… it didn't sound much different from other spot, but something hollow perhaps? It must be quite deep." He murmured to himself.

"Naru… you can't just dig our client's living room just because I don't want to walk there." I reminded him.

"Of course not, what do you take me for?" I didn't mean to imply he was an idiot, but you couldn't tell our client we want to dig their living room because my intuition said so. "But still… what is this?"

I took a wild guess, "The most common background of a haunted place." I droned on, "Someone built a building on top of a graveyard… or other type of wrong place." I said pointedly, "We should look this building's history up it seems."

He cupped his chin, standing up with thoughtful face. "Hm… at least now we know where we should keep our eyes on." He smirked at me, "I believe we have extra camera, set up another two and focused it to this area." He tapped it with his foot.

I winced, "Naru… don't do that!"

* * *

 **SPR's Base (Naru's POV)**

She could tell lie and truth, and also a very fine danger detector. It was no wonder she had a hard time classifying her ability. I was leaning towards ESP category, and most likely very strong if it made her body instinctively walk in circle around dangerous area.

Since we were still in preparation stage I delayed my research on this building history, because from Mai I only got the most dangerous spot was their living room and so was the daughter's room, though according to Mai the latter was not as bad as the first. Then according from our client's description, we were presumably dealing with a poltergeist.

That was a lot more than I had ever got from first day of investigation but not enough to narrow our search down yet.

"I don't know anything about this ghost hunt stuff, but as always, you're making a big deal out of this. This isn't even a big case." Matsuzaki-san commented with a huff as looking at our equipment with mocking smile.

I doubted this case was small if Mai, the girl who bravely dragged you out of collapsing building looked like she was waiting for something to spring from their living room.

"So is this Matsuzaki-san's intuition?" I asked dryly, glancing at Mai meaningfully but my assistant just rolled her eyes.

"That time was an exception. This time I'm not wrong. The culprit is an earth spirit." She declared confidently.

"You said that last time, but you guessed wrong," I stated matter-of-factly.

Takigawa-san laughed at her, drawing her attention to him. "Then, what do you think?!" She demanded.

"Me?" He pointed at himself, "I know my stuff so my opinion counts."

If Mai wanted to have another go at them, I wouldn't stop her. These two needed a reminder they were completely useless back then and their opinion was not worth listening to. As if answering my thought Takigawa turned his attention to Mai.

"What about you, Jou-chan? You're Naru's assistant."

Since when that nickname spread like wildfire? Then again it could work on my advantage to be addressed by a familiar address.

Mai glanced at me before she answered, "As of now I'm both assistant and student of his, my opinion is not worth mentioning." She told them flatly.

"Come on…" Takigawa urged her. "Don't follow Naru's example to be so cold! You're so friendly back then Jou-chan."

Whose fault was it to throw self-important speech at us?

Mai rolled her eyes, "Well… from what Noriko-san's told us, it _seems_ we're dealing with a poltergeist."

"Oh."

"Heh."

Very astute of Mai to use client's statement to back her up.

As stated by "Tisanes Nine Criteria." Poltergeist would appear as explosions, knocking sounds, doors opening and closing, vibrations, eerie sounds, invasions, moving objects will be warm to the touch, and objects will come out of nowhere. Those are the nine criteria.

"According to what Noriko-san said, there're knocking sounds, doors opening and closing, objects relocating themselves, and eerie sounds. That's five conditions out of nine…" She counted, "Next time it happened we can try to confirm it."

Takigawa was laughing now, "Heh, pretty amazing. If it's a poltergeist, then who's the culprit?"

She groaned, "How should I know?"

"Well! You and Naru figured Kuroda out pretty quickly from day one!" Matsuzaki-san pointed out.

Mai rolled her eyes. "Didn't Naru told you poltergeist culprits are usually between 13 and 15 years old, meaning they are undergoing puberty… We have two women on their twenties and an eight years old girl in the house." Mai pointed out. "The closest to that age is Noriko-san and when she came to our office she is stressed by the activity and fear for her niece when her brother is not around."

In short she was the one who wanted the activity to go away the most, definitely not a prime candidate for poltergeist culprit.

"Is there any possibility for exception, Naru?" Mai asked me curiously.

She was most likely had ruled out possibility of human culprit but she was curious. So I answered, "It's possible for a spiritually sensitive woman to be responsible…" I paused, and waited for reaction from the two spiritualists. The only thing they guessed right in previous case was Kuroda didn't have spiritual sensitivity so I guessed they would know. They didn't react to this possibility so most likely it was out too.

So I decided, "No matter what, let's just observe the situation for now. We'll make a conclusion later."

"Hm…" Mai was staring at the living room, most likely trying to figure out why she didn't like to be there.

"Is that man over there Naru's other assistant?" Takigawa asked.

I couldn't help but wonder why this man had to make himself a nuisance to my assistants, first Mai and now Lin.

My guardian nodded slightly. He was injured in the last case so Takigawa didn't know him.

"What do you think of this case?" He asked again.

Lin gave him an adequate answer, "Am I obligated to reply to you?"

Mai giggled at that.

The two outsiders were startled before muttering "...You're definitely Naru's assistant."

"What a great personality." Matsuzaki-san added.

I ignored them, and waited for them to go away. No such luck though because for some reason Takigawa _liked_ bothering Mai.

"So this mean in SPR's team only Jou-chan has social skill." He commented before glomping Mai in affectionate gesture.

This man… I felt unexplainable irritation in my chest, why was that?

Before I could tell him to leave Mai alone, she had rescued herself with a sharp jab on Takigawa's solar plexus. "I don't mind being friendly with anyone but I don't allow sexual harassment, Bou-san~"

For some reason I felt satisfaction when watching Takigawa clutching his stomach in pain. He was gasping, "Violence is no good either Jou-chan…"

Matsuzaki clapped in awe, "That's a good one, and you deserve that. Don't go around glomping a high school girl." She looked very satisfied for some reason. "Alright… I am going to work now, just watch!"

"Wait!" Takigawa was still holding his stomach, "I am going too."

After the two idiots were gone, I welcomed the blessed silence in our base. "Mai, tea."

"Hai…" Mai ran out of the room before poking her head back, "Which would you prefer? Assam? Hibiscus? Or peppermint?"

"Assam." I answered curtly.

 **3rd Person POV**

Mai was making Naru's tea when Noriko-san came in, she wanted to prepare snack for her niece. Recalling the adorable niece of Noriko, Mai offered to make tea for her while Noriko prepared her snack. Noriko complimented Mai's professional brewing skill, this was the first time she saw someone brew tea like Mai.

Mai unclasped her pocket watch, noting that she should let Naru's tea to steep a little longer. "Usually we should let the tea to steep in shorter time but my boss liked his tea strong." Mai told Noriko as she prepared another pot of tea for Ayami-chan.

Naru was in bad mood because of Bou-san and Miko-san after all. Such a pain that she had to prepare Naru's tea according to his mood.

After she brought Naru his tea, Mai excused herself to join Noriko-san and Ayumi-chan. "Just call me if you need anything."

There was only Naru on the base, while Lin was out fetching more equipment from their van. "Ah… her room is another one we should keep our eyes on…"

Mai nodded, "The temperature in all room are normal for now." A little low for summer but not drastic enough to be blamed to supernatural.

"That's within our expectation since this is our first day of investigation." Naru muttered as he took his first sip.

When outsider entered a haunted premise, the activity would abate temporarily. In general supernatural were wary of outsiders.

"So while you're at it, try to get information from Ayami-chan."

Mai's left eyebrow twitched, "Naru… she is a kid."

"And you were staring at her curiously the first time Noriko-san introduced her to us." Naru said pointedly. "You don't stare at people without reason, Mai."

Mai huffed, "Ayami-chan is very cute, and so I can't help but look at her." Mai reasoned, crossing her arms.

"Yes… you stare at cute little girl for no reason, like how you stared at me as if I was trying to con your friends." Naru retorted dryly.

Mai rolled her eyes, "Don't flatter yourself, seriously…" Naru stared at her unflinchingly, "Alright! She is more nervous than normal when she saw us, strangers in her house!"

Naru sighed, "Right… and…" He raised an inquiring eyebrow.

It seemed Naru was not going to let her off until she told him what was wrong with Ayami-chan. "She looked curious of us at first then she got nervous." Mai explained, recalling the girl who stared at them with adorably curious eyes. Then it as if something spook her, and the curious girl hid half of her face behind her blond haired doll, tightening her hold on her doll. It happened really quickly, if not for her hyper intuition she wouldn't notice the Ayami-chan's changing mood.

The researcher cupped his chin in thoughtful pose, "I see…" That was strange. "How about the other occupant of the house?"

Mai shook her head, "Aside from looking pretty tired I didn't sense anything amiss with them, but I don't dare to draw any conclusion for now." Then she added, "At any rate I will try to talk with Ayami-chan… but I will not interrogate her."

They both knew if things go south Mai would try to coax the girl to talk though, because by unspoken agreement they already had a feeling Noriko-san's fear for her niece was most likely spot on.

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

I apologized to Noriko-san for the long wait and followed her upstairs, carrying a tray of tea and slice of chiffon cakes. I gazed at the aunt, elated to see she looked less nervous around me and it seemed our presence here helped to alleviate some of her worries.

"Ayami-chan is so cute, does she takes more after her father?" I asked, wondering since while Kana-san was pretty she didn't look like Ayami-chan at all.

"Ah no… she looks like her mother." Noriko-san explained, "My brother had her with his first wife."

I winced, "Ah, I am sorry."

"Don't worry about it." She assured me as she stopped in front of Ayami-chan's room and I helped her to open the door. "Thank you." She thanked me before she called her niece. "Ayami-chan, afternoon tea… Mai-chan is with me too."

I poked my head in, waving my hand at her. "Good afternoon, may I come in?"

Ayami-chan was sitting on the floor with an open picture book in front of her, she looked up from her book to us. I couldn't help by squealed inwardly at her cuteness. I always wanted an adorable sister even though my brother was a wonderful person, I wanted someone for me to spoil.

My mind recalled another adorable younger girl, with blue eyes resembling her mother and maturity that would put mine in shame. I did have a little sister figure even though half of the time she acted like an older sister to both of us. She also called me with –san…

I was snapped out of my thought when Ayami-chan picked her doll up, the one I believe I had seen before in Europe when I traveled with my family. It was a beautiful doll, and undoubtedly pretty expensive. I didn't really care about the doll though as Ayami-chan was walking towards us with a happy smile on her face.

She stopped in front of me then lifted her doll's right arm. "Good afternoon." She said on behalf of her doll.

I bent down and accepted the doll's hand, "Hi, what's your name?"

"Minnie." She answered as shaking the hand up and down,

I smiled at her, "Hello Minnie… nice to meet you! I am Mai."

"Nice to meet you too, Mai-chan." She returned and made the doll to bow, princess style.

She called me –chan! Kyaa…

"Ayami, your snack." Noriko-san announced as she set the tray down on the low table.

Suddenly her expression changed and this time both Noriko-san and I noticed right away. "What's wrong Ayami-chan?"

Nervous and fear, these were her emotion I sensed from Ayami-chan. It was like… she had done something wrong and scared of the consequence. But why? All she did was just greeting me?

* * *

 **First Night (8PM)**

Naru was conducting auto-suggestion experiment after dinner. While we believed the possibility of human causing poltergeist in this case was getting lower, Naru would like to reduce it to nonexistent so we could focus on other direction.

Naru soft and almost haunting voice filled the room. "Please breathe along to the light. Slowly now..relax your shoulders..."

The suggestion had gotten in, their breathing slowed and deepened and their eyes were in a daze. I opened my pocket watch, noting five minutes had passed just to get them to relax.

It took Naru quite a while to place a suggestion. Which made me realize how far 'we' had gotten with art of deceit like illusion and hypnotism in comparison to outsiders like Naru. My brother's mist would only need seconds to place suggestion on people. Then again…

"Tonight, the flower vase in the dining room will move. ...small glass flower case. It will be on the table of this room tonight."

At last he got to the crucial part, the specific order to follow to confirm the poltergeist was caused by a human or not.

"—Okay, it's finished."

He suddenly turned the lights back on, and we blinked to adjust our eyes with the brightness of the room. Naru asked Kana-san for the key of the drawing room and instructed them to resume their normal activity. Then their eyes locked to the glass vase, a sign that the autosuggestion had succeeded.

Once everyone left the room, I drew a circle around the vase we placed on top of the table. Meanwhile Naru was setting the video camera and the radar to record the movement.

Then we exited the room after the preparation was done. Naru locked the door, sealing it with a piece of paper and asked me to sign it. That way no one would be able to go in without our knowledge.

"Do you use drawing room to make sure whatever in Ayami-chan's room or the living room wouldn't interfere?" I asked curiously.

He nodded, "Beside if your instinct was right, that vase wouldn't move… so…" He stopped from his stride towards our base. "How is Ayami-chan?"

"…You have no delicacy at all Naru, so I will tell you but can you let me handle Ayami-chan myself?" I asked, I didn't want Naru to intimidate the poor girl.

He didn't take long to contemplate, "Alright."

I took a deep breath before confirming with my senses that no one was within hearing range. "Her strange behavior is not just me imagining it, her mood shifted again this afternoon and even Noriko-san found it very odd of her." Then I added, "I asked Noriko-san secretly after that and she told me Ayami-chan used to be a very cheerful and outgoing girl, she likes people and very curious."

Naru frowned at that, "She didn't seems to behave like that anymore."

"Exactly." I nodded, "It seems Noriko-san's worry stemmed from the change of behavior in Ayami-chan." I told him seriously. "After they moved in to this house."

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

What's with Mai and people spilling information for her like it was the most natural thing to do? Noriko-san came with the request and expressed her concern for Ayami-chan but she didn't say a thing about the change of behavior of her niece, a drastic one if she was to be believed.

"Then the more reason for us to ask her whether she know something." I said pointedly.

Mai's glare at me reminded me when I stopped her from saving Hara-san, "Naru!" She hissed in warning tone, "This is a wary little girl, demanding answer from her would just make her to clamp up!"

I was never the best at prying information from children and what Mai said made sense. "I guess… then we shall continue our investigation, but if something happen…" I trailed off.

"Of course." She looked at me in the eye unflinchingly. "I will act accordingly… I didn't like how Ayami-chan close herself from people either, it's difficult for us to help her if we don't know what's wrong with her."

I sighed, "As long as you understand…" We continued our stride towards our base and much to my displeasure we found two uninvited spiritualists. "Leisure time, I see," I remarked, sarcasm dripping heavily in my tone.

Mai rolled her eyes, "So… none of you is up to do some cleansing tonight?"

Bou-san replied with a grin, "I'll decide what to do after we see the results of that experiment. When I'm sure the poltergeist activities aren't caused by a human, I'll take action."

So they could learn something from their previous experience after all. Though I was not happy they took advantage of my experiment. "How honorable of you," I commented mockingly, as a fake smile curved on my lips.

Then Mai said in low voice, only loud enough for me who was standing beside her to hear. "Naru, don't laugh like that. Your eyes aren't laughing at all… it's creepy."

Mai… only you would know that, other people wouldn't be sensitive enough to tell my smile was fake. Sometimes I wonder if this girl even noticed other people was not as sensitive as her.

Then her eyes widened in shock and she bolted out of the room. Ignoring Bou-san's question I quickly followed Mai upstairs and we found Kana-san was opening Ayami-chan's door while her other hand was holding Ayami-chan's, most likely she was about to tuck her daughter in for the night.

"Wait!" Mai warned her.

Kana-san was already opening the door, her face colored in confusion. "What's wrong?" Then she looked inside Ayami-chan's room, and gasped in shock. "What the! How could this happen?"

Mai and I stepped in, our eyes widened when we took in the state of the room. Everything in the room, furniture and carpet were in crooked angle, pushed to the edge of the room.

"...What happened..." Bou-san whispered, he had followed us here.

Kana-san replied firmly, "I don't know! You guys are here to keep this from happening."

Once again client's ignorance astound me, as if we had not repeatedly told them beforehand we came to investigate the phenomena first. No matter how disturbed they were, it didn't make sense for them to expect an instant result.

"Why is the furniture on the sides?" Ayami-chan who was left outside of the room wondered in sleepy voice, she was scared stiff.

Mai who knows since when was kneeling beside her, "It's alright Ayami-chan…" She said as she gave the girl a comforting hug. The effect was instance, Ayami-chan latched on Mai like a koala.

Turning my attention back to the room I could almost confirm this was not something within human capabilities. Furniture of this house were made of solid wood, they were heavy. On top of that they were still placed on top of thick carpet. I didn't think that even though all males in the house right now tried, we could accomplish the same thing.

Suddenly Matsuzaki-san thoughtlessly opened her mouth, "Are you sure this little girl didn't do it?"

Mai's glare froze her on the spot "And how would Ayami-chan be able to do that Ayako-san?"

"That's what I was thinking," Bou-san agreed. "With all that furniture on the carpet, even I wouldn't be able to move it."

"There is no sign of anything either… the carpet is thick so if we human drag the furniture it would leave a mark." I pointed out the most obvious sign this was not human doing.

"Shh…" Mai consoled the girl on her arms who was mumbling incoherently. "I know…"

"I didn't do it…" She was on the verge of tears now.

"Of course not." Mai stood up, lifting the girl up with her. "We all know it's not your fault, right everyone?" Then she beamed us a very bright smile but we could sense a hint of threat on her voice.

Matsuzaki and Takigawa nodded frantically. "Of course, it's not Ayami-chan's fault!" She stuttered, singing a different tune so quickly.

"Okay," Ayami-chan finally broke into a smile, leaning her head on Mai's shoulder.

Mai then whispered something to her ears, rubbing her back comfortingly then Ayami-chan went limp on her arms and she snored softly.

"My…" Kana-san covered her mouth, "She fell asleep just like that…"

Mai smiled at the mother as she carefully passed the sleeping girl to Kana-san's waiting arms. "She is tired, and I think she should sleep in different room while we investigate this room."

Kana-san nodded, "Do as you please." Then she quickly left the room with Ayami-chan on her arms.

After they left, we started to discuss the case and to demonstrate, both Bou-san and I pushed the bed. As expected the bed didn't move, and the carpet didn't help because it made the furniture stuck.

"As you can see… two men couldn't move the bed, much less a little girl." I told Matsuzaki-san.

She stuttered, "I was just saying!"

Then I noticed Mai was still looking restless for some reason, "Mai?" Her eyes was darting to the door and then down.

"The living room?" I guessed.

Then as if answering us, a scream coming from downstairs. As we already had suspicion we ran straight to the living room, and found a pale looking Noriko-san.

The living room's furniture was all flipped upside down, and when I looked closer even the painting too. Just like in previous room the furniture was heavy and made of solid wood. If Lin, Bou-san and I tried, maybe we could flip some of the furniture upside down however… it was impossible to do so without making a commotion out of it.

"The carpet is also flipped over." Mai pointed out, touching the backside of the carpet.

Bou-san suggested, "That settles it, definitely a classic poltergeist."

"It doesn't matter what it is because this can be taken care of easily. I will exorcise it tomorrow," Matsuzaki boasted.

After she left, Bou-san asked, "What's up? You seem to be concentrating hard on something."

I turned my eyes from the floor, then answered. "Don't you think they reacted too early?"

"Huh?" It took him a while to get what I was getting at. "Yeah… it's off, they usually lay low for a while. ...It shouldn't be this way."

I surveyed the messed up room, "But two activities have occurred since we came here, and they're all more serious than the ones mentioned by our client." We were only told about swaying and missing objects.

Bou-san crossed his arms, wincing as he drew the same conclusion. "Man… this is bad, this house in angry now it realized we're here to deal with it."

I looked at Bou-san. "So you think that way too?"

He nodded, "Plus, it showed us a number of incidents in our short time here... it's not an exaggeration to think it gets worse to show us their displeasure." He shook his head, "Definitely not your run-of-the-mill poltergeist."

Then I noticed Mai had been pretty quiet for quite some time and I found her in the other corner of the room, staring hard at particular spot on the floor. "Mai?"

"Naru…" Her eyes didn't leave from the floor and I almost imagined her eyes for a moment was gleaming like amber. "It's getting dangerous."

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Bou-san asked curiously.

I narrowed my eyes and recalled the activity happened in the two room Mai had marked beforehand, so obviously her intuition was right on the dot again. "Mai… could you mark the area?"

"But…" At last her eyes were on me, she was hesitating.

"You still have chalk we used tonight with you right?" I asked her, "It's fine… I will explain it to Morishitas later. We need to observe it closer."

Her shoulders slumped with a sigh before she pulled the chalk from her pocket. "Alright."

"Oi! Oi! What are you drawing there Jou-" His eyes widened in shock, his jaw dropped open.

Even though Bou-san didn't know what we were up to, what Mai did was enough to shock him. She had drawn a perfect circle with diameter around five feet without any tools. Her hands didn't even want to touch the area. She tossed the chalk up before catching it then put it back to her pocket.

"Something circle, around five feet in diameter." I murmured softly, "What could be inside?"

Mai shot me an annoyed look, "Even though now we have an activity already, you can't dig their living room."

"I won't." But I was considering it, "But isn't this around the size of barrel like coffin used in medieval Japan?"

"Who knows?"

"Oi!" Bou-san snapped, "Someone explain! Why the hell Mai-chan draw a circle there?" Then her eyes surveyed the room. "Now I look closer, why this room have more camera than any other room?"

It seemed he was not an idiot and more observant than I gave him credit for. I glanced at Mai, wondering if she was willing to explain to the Monk. She was looking at him now, her eyes narrowed as if she tried to perceive something.

"Uhm… could it be, Jou-chan… you're a psychic?" He guessed, apparently he was sharp enough to draw his own conclusion. "Is that why you're always the first to react when something dangerous is about to happen."

Mai sighed, "Who knows… I just know, just don't make a big deal out of it. I _don't_ like attention." She stressed.

He nodded, "Alright… but please tell me if you sense something." Then he added, "What you can sense by the way?"

Mai glanced at me and then back to Bou-san. "I am very sensitive to danger and emotion in general…I can't see supernatural beings like Hara-san but I can sense their intention though." She looked at the spot she marked. "This spot is oozing with sadness, anger, regret… almost all negative emotions you could name."

Glancing at her direction, I walked forward and was about to put one of my feet inside the circle before she grabbed my arm and pulled me away. "Naru!" She hissed in warning, "Don't test me now! I feel like you're about to step on a trap hole! I don't like it!"

So to her this marked spot was like badly made trap hole, hidden with twigs and leaves. "So… you could name your impression too, like some sort of allegory?" I asked curiously.

She snarled at me, "Have it ever occur to you to ask, you insufferable! **Idiot scientist**!"

I tensed at another familiar nickname she pulled out of thin air before composing myself. "Remind me to ask next time then."

"There shouldn't be a next time!"

Bou-san scratched the back of his head as he watched us, "Are you sure you guys aren't dating yet? Or married?" He asked. "You sure fight like one."

"Shut up!" Mai snarled at him.

* * *

 **Mai's POV (2nd Day)**

The flower vase on the table was still in the same place. It didn't move into the circle on the table. I couldn't help but wonder why we even bother checking it,

"So… as expected it didn't move even an inch from where we left it last night." I droned.

He nodded, "Obviously… whatever responsible seems to be determined to give us a show."

"So…" I trailed off, "The possibility of supernatural beings are the culprit are getting higher?"

"Yes." He agreed. "So how is the temperature?"

I pulled my clipboard, and pointed at Ayami-chan's room temperature. "It's a little lower than other room but strangely the living room is the same as other room." I wonder if it was because the culprit was trying to throw us off.

His eyes narrowed, "Is it trying to throw us off?" Naru echoed my thought.

"Perhaps… but I think we should focus on Ayami-chan's room, you know…" I trailed off uneasily. "Because if it's in her room obviously it's going to hurt someone."

On the screen Miko-san was chanting her prayer as waving her Ouneki. Then Naru asked, "Do you sense anything in Ayami-chan's room now?"

"No…" I told him flatly, "Nothing inside was intending to cause harm like I sensed the night before, which is why I find it pretty funny she tried to clean something 'nonexistent' again." I didn't take pleasure from watching idiocy usually but Ayako-san was asking for it. "Well… if 'whatever' is inside this house follow the same pattern as yesterday…"

"They will show up to taunt us again." Naru finished.

"Isn't that dangerous then? What Miko-san is doing now is like asking them to show up."

He sighed at that, "Let's worry about that later, keep your eyes open and alert us if you sense something." I nodded, "The least we could do is preventing casualty."

"I guess… so where is Lin-san?" I asked.

"Lin is checking the foundation now…" He informed me.

That was very admirable of Naru to not draw conclusion too quickly. Any other person would be reliant on my intuition but not him. For him my intuition was no shortcut, he was a researcher through and through.

"Then I will check the inclination of the floor." I offered before I grabbed my waist bag on my way out. "I will make your tea once I am done." I said as I poked my head in before making my way towards the front door.

I met Bou-san who didn't look like he was doing anything while Ayako was upstairs, doing cleansing ceremony.

"Bou-san, aren't you going to do something?" I asked him, wondering what he was up to after he found out about my intuition.

He grinned at me, "I will, so… can you point me to nearest evil spirit for me to exorcise?"

I rolled my eyes, "They're laying down for now, and… you're a monk. Shouldn't you be able to find your own evil spirit?" I sighed loudly. "And here I thought you can be more dependable than Miko-san…"

"Come on, don't be so cold. Your team was going to freeze hell if you keep this up."

I snorted at his joke, "Ha ha… very funny." Then I glanced at the front door and began to walk away.

"What? Jou-chan? Aren't you going to stay longer?" He asked.

"I'm busy, unlike a certain monk." I told him flatly.

"You...act more like Naru-chan everyday…" Then he eyed my clothes with a frown. "And you start to dress like him too, at least not in monochrome…"

I looked down at my sleeveless white collared shirt and dark orange skirt. A casual formal wear I favored. "My casual dress is like this even before I work for Naru… and last time I checked I am not in love with my reflection."

He snorted, "Whatever Jou-chan, good luck." Then he left me to do my job at last.

It took a while to measure the inclination of the floor, and a tedious job especially your intuition keep telling you the building was not going down on you so why you even bother with the floor?

"How's the situation?" I asked Naru as I entered the room with a tray of freshly brewed tea and a clipboard of data tucked in my other arm. "This house isn't slanted." I handed him my paper.

He nodded at that, "And the foundations are solid. Although water flows under this house, it does so smoothly. In addition, the water level hasn't decreased."

I sighed at that, "I kind of hoping the cause is natural… even if my intuition said otherwise." I opened my pocket watch open. "Ten o'clock at night… I wonder if the culprit is going to continue laying low for today or…"

Badump!

"Naru!"

As one we bolted out of the room but whatever was responsible for paranormal activity in this house was faster than my intuition at that moment. It seemed once again the occupant of this house found them first as we could hear Kana-san's shrill cry rang through the air. It was coming from the kitchen and on our way there we bumped into Noriko-san.

When we got there, we found Kana-san who was frozen stiff with fear. There was snake like fire coiling above the stove. I pulled Kana-san away from the fire and lead her to her sister in law.

I quickly looked around for fire extinguisher, luckily it was just by the refrigerator. "Noriko-san, don't you have any other fire extinguishers?!" I yelled as I turned the fire extinguisher on, at that moment I silently lament the fact I had no control over natural flame. This fire was natural, the spirit was just using fire from the stove, and it was not fire of spirit.

"Hai!" Noriko-san found another extinguisher and handed it to Bou-san.

"Someone! Shut the gas off!" Someone said in midst of frantic activity and someone else scrambled to do so.

"Oi! Ayako! Don't use water!"

"Well! What do you suppose I…"

"You two! This is no time to fight!" I hollered at them. "Don't start on your own fire!" At the time like this I really missed my pacifist brother…

It took a while but we finally put out the fire and shut off the fire extinguisher. Noriko-san and Kana-san slumped onto the floor. And Bou-san moved to check whether they were alright. I was about to praise Bou-san for being so caring, but then the air suddenly became cold to my sense.

Then I saw a silhouette of a child by the window, I jumped to my feet and ran to check it myself. Familiar footsteps I recognized as Naru's followed me closely. I opened the window and looked outside, "The child is gone?"

"A child?" Naru echoed.

I nodded, then I crouched down so my head was just a little above the window frame and I placed both of my hands on the glass. Imitating the figure I saw. "The child is looking inside like this."

I could almost hear the gear of Naru's brain turning. If I could give that much detail, obviously I was not hallucinating.

"Was it Ayami-chan?" Noriko-san asked nervously.

"I don't know. I couldn't see the face, it's too dark…" I glanced at Naru and whispered to him. "But the silhouette is not Ayami-chan, the hair is short…"

Naru leaned in, "But the kitchen is bright, you should have seen the face if this child is looking inside with his face very close to the window…"

My eyes widened at that, I covered one of my eyes as I contemplated that fact."…That's true but I only see silhouette of head and hands, or was it…" I glanced wearily as the others quickly retreated out of the kitchen to check on Ayami-chan. "Naru… I think it's not over yet for tonight."

He sighed at that, "Let's just hope we can deal with the next one…"

* * *

 **Noriko's room**

She thought Ayami-chan was already fell asleep, but her niece was definitely wide awake in the dark room. Ayami-chan was playing with Minnie, placing a handkerchief on her as a blanket.

That was strange, I couldn't help but thought. A young child like her usually was afraid of darkness, especially considering paranormal activity in this house. Normally any child would be wary in the dark but not Ayami-chan.

Noriko-san turned on the lights, then sat by her, "Ayami, were you in the kitchen just now?"

She winced a little at sudden brightness, Ayami-chan blinked her eyes before shaking her head in surprise. She looked uncomfortable under Noriko-san's interrogating gaze.

"No I didn't." She shook her head furiously, backing away from Noriko-san.

She was afraid? But why? A girl who was not afraid playing in the dark but get scared just because her aunt asked her if she was in the kitchen just now?

"Mai…" Naru glanced at me.

"She know something but…" I stopped dead on my track and looked up. "Something hostile is here, we should…" As if answering me, a loud sound came from the ceiling. It was almost as if something heavy was hitting the ceiling with great force.

"I didn't do it!" Ayami-chan cried out.

"Ayami-chan! Calm down!" I moved to approach her but Naru held me back. "Naru!"

"It's dangerous here!" He warned me as if I didn't know already.

"I didn't do it!"

As soon as she said that the bookshelf began to shake and fell on Noriko-san.

* * *

 **The next day , Day 3 (3rd Person POV)**

Mai was sulking, which in Naru's opinion was very childish of her because he stopped her from endangering herself. It was unfortunate Noriko-san got hurt but he had no intention to let his assistant to get another shelf to fall on them.

"You messed up… _again,_ Ayako." Bou-san commented, glancing at Ayako, who immediately turned her head to the other side.

"Yeah, it's beyond my abilities. I'm really sorry." Then she left the room with a huff.

"Naru-chan, Jou-chan, doesn't it seem strange?" Bou-san asked, watching the Miko're retreating back. "You know… Ayami-chan's situation."

"Ayami-chan's situation?" Mai echoed. "A lot of things are strange here, please be more precise."

Bou-san groaned, "I mean… poltergiest back there seemed to react to the kid's actions. You also said she saw a kid back in the kitchen..."

"Are you saying that Ayami-chan is the reason for the poltergeist activity?" Mai asked with a raised eyebrow.

Bou-san cupped his chin, "The autosuggestion showed that the culprit isn't someone who lives here. How much confidence do you place in that test?"

"A hundred percent," Naru replied bluntly, "the culprit doesn't live here."

"Your autosuggestion might've failed."

"That's impossible." Then Naru glanced at Mai, "Unless someone is this house is like Mai…"

Bou-san looked at Mai curiously. "Like you." He echoed.

Mai sighed, "In my case… Naru's autosuggestion is like telling me to look at bright light with my eyes wide open. My intuition is screaming at me to not look and it's very uncomfortable for me so I can't even concentrate to follow his instruction." Mai explained in lofty tone, "That's definitely not the case with occupants of this house, _all_ of them is definitely affected… they were relax when the experiment took place and follow Naru's instruction to the letter."

"Are you really sure?" Bou-san pressed.

Mai shot him an annoyed look, "Bou-san… I think I would know better than you if someone is not affected by Naru's autosuggestion."

"You trust him a lot."

"It's called mutual trust beside…" Mai tensed and looked up but this time she didn't bolt from her spot. "Naru… it seems, it's Ayami-chan's room again." Most likely because the activity was happening in an empty room.

Mai had told them she was not very precise in pointing which room but fortunately the room they occupied now located in different side of the house so Mai could distinguish them easily.

Naru nodded, "Lin!"

Lin checked the reading, "Naru, the temperature is starting to drop…"

"Lin, the speaker."

As soon as Lin set up the microphone, eerie sounds came out. A booming sound came down, followed by a quiet knocking sound. A cracking sound sounded through the air. Noisy sounds filled the air. It almost sounded like a mob of people was running around up there.

"This is...really serious..." Naru whispered. "Amazing…"

Mai looked at the laptop screen he was looking at, the thermography reading. "I can't believe this… the color… her room is below freezing temperature by now?"

Naru nodded. "With this, it's getting obvious that no human could've done this..."

Mai glanced at the screen focusing on the 'dangerous spot' she sensed before. "But still… even though it looks like Ayami-chan's room is more dangerous, I can't help but think… the living room is even more so…"

"The lack of activity there is vexing though." Naru couldn't help but commented. "If turns out the living room is really the center, this entity definitely think it can made a fool out of us."

* * *

 **The next day (Mai's POV)**

"Do as you please then!" I stepped aside, letting the fuming Kana-san to walk pass me.

I glanced at the opened door, it was Noriko's room. "Excuse me."

Noriko-san glanced at me, "Ah… Mai-chan."

"Is something wrong?" I asked in worried tone, Ayami-chan looked somber for some reason.

She smiled at me, "Ah it's just Ayami-chan being difficult." She informed me before turned her attention back to her niece."Ayami-chan, if you don't want to eat your snack then I'll eat it for you."

Suddenly Ayami-chan shouted, her hand shot forward and knock the cookie out of Noriko-san's hand. "Don't! They're poisoned!"

We couldn't help but stare at her in shock, wondering where she got the idea. "Minnie told me! The snacks are poisoned! That woman is an evil witch!"

I bent down toward Ayami-chan, "Minnie told you this?" The doll looked eerie to me but I didn't really sense any…?! It was very faint but I sensed this doll was 'touched' by something malevolent, leaving an imprint on it.

"Yes. That person is an evil witch. Don't trust her. She put Otou-san under a spell and made him her slave. She thinks me and my sister are in the way, so she's trying to kill us!"

Ayami-chan's eyes were serious. Her eyes were earnest. She truly believed what she said.

"That witch is going to kill us one day! Because we're in her way!" She continued to babble.

"...So Minnie told you all this? Not someone else?" I pressed on carefully.

She nodded frantically. "Minnie told me. Minnie won't lie. So Onee-chan and Mai-chan must be careful! The witch wants to kill Onee-chan, cut her body into pieces, and then hide them. Then she'll tell Daddy that my sister left home. The witch wants to make me drown in the pond and then say it's an accident!"

That was too detailed to be a product of eight years old girl's imagination. I didn't think Ayami-chan even knew what mutilation was.

"Ayami-chan who…"

"Shh…" I stopped Noriko-san, leaning down to whisper to her ear. "I am sorry but please let me handle this."

"But."

I shook my head, "I will protect Ayami-chan, I promise… but now if you try to push her I am afraid it would be a repeat of last night." Noriko-san became pale as she recalled the activity from last night.

She was reluctant but she left me alone with Ayami-chan who was still clutching her doll tightly. "Ayami-chan." I called her, smiling at the frightened girl. "It's alright you don't have to be afraid, I promise I will protect you no matter what."

She looked at me hesitantly with wide eyes. "Really? You're not under Witch's control?"

I shook my head, "I don't know whether Kana-san is a witch or not." Outright denying what she believed as the truth would just alienated her from me, so I had to take this slow. "So… if Kana-san is a witch, who is Minnie?" I tried to play the safest question.

"She is my friend."

I narrowed my eyes as I suddenly felt the sensation of being watched, and this something was hostile. "So she is a very good friend of yours." This almost like being held at gunpoint, how familiar. "Then what else Minnie told you?"

"She will protect me, so I don't have to be worried! She will get rid of the witches for me!"

I was very tempted to grab the doll and burned it to cinders now, I was positive the doll was evil or a tool of evil. Whichever she was… I didn't want this stupid doll anywhere near Ayami any longer. However it seemed prying the doll off of Ayami-chan's arm was not safe now.

Especially… since we were being watched.

* * *

 **Third Night (Naru's POV)**

I just returned from my research on the house and much to my annoyance, once again our base became a meeting place. As I walked in, Bou-san asked me, "Yo. Did you make any progress from your research?"

"It was okay... Have there been any changes here?" I replied before inquiring my older assistance.

"As of now, nothing changed."

Bou-san informed me, "I performed an exorcism today."

I glanced at Mai who looked subdued for some reason, she noticed my gaze and my silent question. She rolled her eyes. It seemed she didn't feel any safer being here, obviously Bou-san's exorcism was not working either.

I stood up, and called my younger assistant over. "Mai, come here. We will examine the camera's angle."

"Okay." She was massaging her temple as she followed me to Ayami-chan's room to check on the camera. On the way back, I asked to her, "Is there something you want to tell me?"

She nodded before glancing around, "Alright…" She was making sure our surrounding was safe? She was getting better at this, I almost thought we didn't need Hara-san anymore. "Short version or the long one?"

"Which do you think I would prefer?" I asked her back.

She huffed, "Long one… it's like this…" Then she began explaining what happened in my absence in a calm, business-like manner.

Apparently the entity in this house was using Minnie to talk to Ayami-chan and Mai was unhappy the doll was accusing Kana-san for planning to mutilate Noriko-san and drown her in a pond. Definitely not something an eight years old could even begin to imagine, even if she had an imaginary friend.

"And _it_ watched me." Mai finished with a growl, which explained why she was wary of our surroundings. "I feel like I want to burn it." She said the last part in a whisper, but I was close enough to hear her.

The spirit or Minnie? I didn't think I wanted to know, or why Mai had a sudden urge for arson. "I want to see the doll first. Where is it?"

"Naru… while I am all for getting that doll away from Ayami-chan, please remember what happened the last time we made Ayami-chan upset." She said pointedly.

"…Right, but I still need to see the doll." I argued.

She rolled her eyes, "Naru-chan… let's just wait until Ayami-chan fell asleep, and then we can take that doll away from her painlessly."

Well, Mai sure knew how to be sneaky.

* * *

 **Few Hours Later…**

Mai returned from Noriko's room with Minnie in her arms, "Here is the Minnie you wanted." She sighed in relief, "Boy… I am glad to get this thing away from Ayami-chan even for a while." She grumbled before she placed the doll on the bed of Ayami-chan's bedroom as instructed.

We were conducting an experiment, to confirm if the doll was related to supernatural activity in this house. It didn't take long for the temperature to drop, Mai was right to say Minnie was unhappy to be away from Ayami-chan.

"Bou-san, they're saying the temperature is dropping," Matsuzaki remarked with a grin.

"It's just the wind," Bou-san replied.

This was a closed room, how could you blame dropping temperature to wind?

"It feels like Minnie was going to move…" Mai mumbled under her breath, shuddering.

"Well, of course." He crossed his arms. "Dolls used to be vessels for human souls. Hitogata resemble humans. In the past, they were used to curse people."

Mai tilted her head to the side, "Like effigy doll?"

Ayako nodded, "It can serve as a channel for curses. Sealing spirits into voodoo dolls. Then you stick needles into the doll. If the voodoo doll is damaged, so is the person it represents. This is a method to hurt people."

Their discussion was cut short when I stood up abruptly in shock, Minnie was moving. Sliding and moving to the edge of the bed as if something was pulling her down. Then her neck snapped up and the dismembered head rolled off of the bed. As if mocking us the head continued to roll and hit the camera, giving us a close up look of her face.

Mai and Bou-san rushed to her room, I was not surprised they found everything was the same as we left it. The head didn't fall off. Minnie didn't seem any different; she was sitting in her original position. On top of that the video camera and cameras were working properly. But when we rewinded the tape, it was all blank. There was no sound either. Everything was just blank.

The data, all evidence of phenomena we watched was gone just like that. I was pretty annoyed but it confirmed my words back then. The entity of this house was out to make a fool out of us.

* * *

 **So here is the omake because I'm sure there would be some of you wonder if Mai would get paired with KHR's character. This is not bashing, and all guys mentioned below is amazing on their own uniqueness and so on BUT this is how Mai I develop see them.**

 **OMAKE: Who will marry our princess?  
** In hindsight the topic of fiancee was inevitable to come out sooner or later. Mai was not surprised in absence of her brother who went to have some 'guys time' with Dino, her father and grandfather sneaked in to have this conversation with her. After all she was the sister of Vongola Neo Primo, the mafia princess they groomed to be his second in command. So even at the tender age of fourteen they were worried and wanted to establish some sort of semblance to courtship for suitable in laws.

Mai didn't really care, in a sense if her brother wanted her to marry, she would. She was not _that_ sappy to be desperate for romantic relationship.

Surprisingly or perhaps not, they wanted her to marry inside the family or close. So her brother's guardians were the prime candidates.

She rolled her eyes and declined them as blunt as she could, pointing out that it won't work because she loved them in familial sense and changing the perspective would be wrong. It was too precious and important to alter relationship within inner circle of their family. That was the idealistic answer but the truth… she gave them that too.

Hayato was too devoted to both Tsuna and Mai, and she couldn't imagine to be in relationship with the guy who worship the ground she walked on.

Kashi-kun was perhaps a better choice, because while he respected her as a leader he didn't worship her. However Kashi-kun was out too, he was too simple minded. He was far from dumb of course but Mai couldn't see her brother's second best friend suitable to get involved in convoluted game of inheritance to keep their blood 'inside' the family.

Ryouhei-nii was out for the same reason as Kashi-kun, beside the older boy saw her as another little sister. That _would_ be just wrong.

Lambo was definitely out for many reasons they shouldn't even bother to mention.

As for the other two guardians left… Mai wouldn't even want to consider Mukuro, and no one even mention the oldest of her brother's guardians. Beside… while his love for his first disciple was slightly twisted, Mai believed Mukuro genuinely loved Chrome.

As for Hibari… Mai didn't even bother to point out why and outright told her father to _try_ convincing the Cloud guardian to court to her.

Her father asked if this was a covert assassination attempt on her part, and Mai rolled her eyes.

So in the end all guardians were out of candidate list much to her relief.

The Xanxus name came up, which while logical made her wanted to throw up. "Excuse me? I _will_ not marry someone who tried to kill my brother!" She retorted hotly. "NO WAY! Beside his personality is atrocious! Even if he is your son! Don't tempt me to kill him myself!"

"Mai!" Iemitsu hissed, reminding his daughter that she was talking to the father of the guy she wanted to kill.

Mai took a deep breath. "I am telling the truth!"

Timoteo just sighed in the background, he didn't blame Mai for disliking his son.

"Give us some picture of a fiancee you may favor at least." He suggested with a sigh.

Mai paused at that and thought. "Then my demand is simple… I don't really care about look, well as long as my fianceeis not weirder looking than Lussuria or Levi." Not a very high standard but if she put it too high they would be here all day. Beside… she could shamelessly admit she was surrounded by good looking guys since she became mafia princess, and she had learned the hard way looks didn't excuse horrible personality.

Reborn was a prime example, and she was no believer of bad boys with good looks and hidden heart of gold. If she did, she would have swoon over Kyoya of all people. She liked Kyoya but she couldn't stand his pride. She admired his pride but not so much when the guy almost killed himself because he was too proud to ask for help.

"But for personality I won't compromise… say… half as amazing as brother? Right! If he is at least half of my brother's standard I will consider him!"

Half sounded like a low standard, but she was talking about her brother who has hailed as a _living saint_ of Mafia world.

It took them a long while to come out with a list of name. Comparing their current boss to the candidates was impossible so they settled on kind hearted and humble boys around Mai's age they knew.

"Then how about Dino Cavallone?" Grandfather Timoteo suggested with a smile on his face, "You really like the boy and so do I." Personality wise, he was a lot like Tsuna.

Mai sighed, "Aside from he sees me as a little sister, he is from another family… even if we're allied it would get messy if you marry me to an outsider." She pointed out. "Avoiding jealousy of another family and conflict is part of the reason why this conversation come up, right?"

Then her father brought up another candidate, "Then how about Basil! Papa taught the boy himself!"

"Absolutely not." Mai shot him down with a snarl, "I like Basil… I really do, but I can't bring myself to be engaged to a guy whose whole life wrapped around your finger! He thinks the sun rose to shine upon you dear father! He didn't even care you use him as a bait in Ring battle!"

She would have consider Basil if only the boy showed some emotion in regards to that 'bait scheme' Iemitsu cooked up. She didn't ask Basil to rebel to Iemitsu or anything like that, but Basil waved the whole ordeal off as nothing! He saw his self-worth as nothing in grand scheme of her father. She felt pity for Basil who put someone like her father on pedestal.

Iemitsu flinched guiltily.

Timoteo quickly pulled another name, just to draw Mai's attention from Iemitsu. "Then… if you don't mind someone a little older like… Ganauche?" Obviously at this point her grandfather was tossing candidates from the very bottom of the list he made out of desperation.

"…"

"…I don't want Mai-chan to marry in the first place!" Iemitsu roared, before rolling on the ground left and right like a kid. "She should be forever my little princess! I'd rather die than marrying her to Ganauche!"

Mai stared at her father disinterestedly, "I am sorry to say… but it takes me _quite_ a while to remember who he is… grandfather's cloud guardian right?"

"My lightning guardian." Timoteo corrected.

"Right." Mai sounded a little embarrassed, "Is he the guy who kidnap Lambo yesterday to use him as… 'chick bait' as he so 'eloquently' put it?"

Silence…

BANG

Mai looked to the door that had been blown off of its hinge by sky flame, she was quite surprised to see her brother in his hyper mode glory. He was smiling angelically like the living saint he was hailed as but Mai's intuition said otherwise, but for some reason she felt extremely happy to see her brother when he was feeling murderous. Which was a very rare occasion.

"Onii-chan!" She gushed, hearts flying around her as she discarded her proud mafia princess persona. "When did you return from Cavallone Manor?"

Tsuna's smile was firmly in place as he replied, "Just now dear sister… I felt very… 'restless' when I was in Cavallone Manor so I excused myself early, and then as usual my intuition is proven correct as I… ah, I heard something interesting from my mist, that you're having a private conversation with grandfather and… father."

The two men behind her began to sweat profusely.

Mai deflated at that, "Are you angry with me, Onii-chan?"

"Oh, never to you… dear sister." Tsuna was chuckling now as he ushered his younger twin out of the room. "Please go back to your quarter, Chrome and Futa are waiting for you… go ahead I will catch up with you later for afternoon tea."

Then he closed the door, and Mai obediently walked away from the room. She was walking through the garden towards her quarter when she looked back and saw the windows of the room she occupied before, which was located in second floor, all of the windows broke and sprout sky flame. It looked like it had turned to a den of a fire breathing dragon.

She stared at the beautiful flame that belonged to her brother for a moment before she turned on her heels, shrugging and continuing her stride towards her room.

The topic of fiancee was never brought up again afterward.

* * *

 **As said in this chapter, keeping some of hyper intuition's usefulness is counter productive in their line of work. So yeah...  
Ayami-chan will get a lot of spotlight, interacting with Mai as adorable little sister. Mai who is surrounded by 'tough' girls even younger one wanted someone who can't kick ass she can spoil LOL **


	6. Case 02, Part 02

**Case 02, Part 02  
**

This was the fourth day of investigation and Mai was getting edgier, after what happened last night she didn't need her intuition to know Ayami-chan shouldn't be left alone with her doll. They had to return it last night though, in hope it would calm down in close proximity with Ayami-chan. Mai disagreed, it would be better to get rid of that doll as soon as they could just to get some peace of mind.

Especially what Minnie did last night reminded her a lot of illusion, one that so real it could fool electronic device. She was no stranger to that but…

Badump!

Mai was just in front of the stairs to second floor when she sensed a presence upstairs and rushed to Ayami-chan's room. After four days in this house her senses were getting more attuned to hostile entity in this house although only when it was attempting something. She was no Hara-san, but that was enough for her to know where she should go.

Her eyes widened as she stopped in front of Ayami-chan's room. She could hear high pitched voice of a little girl that didn't belong to Ayami-chan but what shocked her even more was she was not sensing just one but multiple presence inside the room as if they were having a party. It took all her self-control to stay still to eavesdrop their conversation.

"I'm scared..." Ayami-chan's whimpered.

"Don't be. I will chase them away." It was _giggling_.

"Will Onee-chan be gone?"

"Of course..." It was giggling again.

"But I want Onee-chan to stay..."

"No, no. I told you already. Your sister is the witch's minion!"

"Then how about Mai-chan?"

There was a pause before Minnie replied her with higher pitched voice, "She is a fire witch!"

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

Nice to know I was ranked higher than Noriko-san in her book, it seemed even supernatural entities in Japan saw me as incarnation of flame. It didn't notice my presence for now though, not in my current state. If it was me from back then it would see me as some sort of beacon and flee at the sight of me.

There was a reason even though we had the bloodiest history ever recorded, we didn't have a single spirit haunting our manor.

"But it's alright! I will get rid of them for you! So you have to listen to me!"

It was threatening her! "Ayami-chan!" I shouted as I opened the door.

Ayami-chan was the only person in the room, I didn't expect to _see_ but I could feel them. I instinctively stepped aside as 'something' was right in front of me. It seemed they didn't want to be in my presence, like any other supernatural presence I encountered before in my life. I turned my attention to Ayami-chan, and then to Minnie that was sitting on the table in front of her.

Ayami-chan looked wary by my presence and I had to swallow my urge to burn the doll that called me a fire witch. "Ayami-chan, who were you talking to? Is it Minnie?"

She nodded hesitantly, "Yes."

"Just Minnie?" I asked in gentlest voice I could muster.

Then she pointed at the direction of the door, "There are other children too."

I looked at the direction she was pointing at. Yep, they were watching us now. "So… where are they? Will you introduce them to me?"

"They already left…" Ayami-chan said, her gaze shifting toward the door.

Ayami-chan was right, I didn't feel so many eyes were on my back anymore. "I see. I guess they don't like me much." Gee, that was an understatement.

"No they don't."

I took a deep breath and, "Ayami-chan's friends... When did they start coming here to play with you?"

"...I don't remember." She muttered hesitantly.

"Was it after you moved in?"

"Yes."

"Are you good friends with them?"

Ayami-chan seemed sullen as she nodded her head, obviously she was lying. "Minnie brought them here..."

Minnie...brought them? Apparently we were indeed dealing with more than one entity.

"Mai-chan?" Ayami-chan called me in scared tone. "Are you a witch?"

The urge to burn Minnie came back to me in tenfold, but I knew burning Minnie in front of Ayami-chan was counterproductive so I tried another method. "Minnie told you that?"

I giggled softly as I reached out pull the doll into my arms in the most loving way as possible. I patted Minnie's head and inwardly heaved a sigh of relieve that whatever used to be inside the doll was not here.

She nodded frantically. "Are you?"

"Minnie is mistaken." It was a good thing Naru didn't set a camera in Noriko-san's new room yet for the sake of her privacy. "You see… I am not a witch but a flame fairy! Like fairy godmother!"

Hic… Reborn would kill me if he knew I let myself to suffer this indignity, I was pretty embarrassed myself but… looking at how Ayami-chan's face lighted up like a Christmas tree, I knew I got her attention. After all to an eight years old girl, fairy was more interesting than a witch.

"I will let you meet my friends." I winked at Ayami-chan who had forgotten about evil witches Minnie told her because I filled her mind with fairy. The dream of every little girl next to becoming a princess. "But keep it a secret from others." I whispered to her in hushed voice. "I have to return to fairy world if other people know who I am!"

She nodded enthusiastically, "Ayami will keep Mai-chan's secret a secret!" She promised me.

I giggled at her then summoned my flame, focusing it to the tips of my forefinger. A small flame flicker and flame butterflies emerged from my finger tip.

"Uwaa!" She looked a little scared to have the flame butterfly flying around her, but also awed.

"Open you palm like this." I asked Ayami-chan to cup her palms up, then I put my flame on her palm and it burst to a butterfly bigger than the rest. "Flame of fairies will not burn a good child! Ayami-chan, don't be scared." I assured her.

Then I saw the biggest and sunny smile bloomed on her lips, "Uwaa… they're so pretty! It's so warm…"

"Right?" I was very proud of this skill, even though Reborn called it just good for entertainment.

Unlike my brother who was born with strongest flame, mine was average. In fact I could be considered fell in lower spectrum so I didn't have as much as destructive power as my brother. Which was why I focused in finer control, I didn't even need weapon or other tool to control my flame.

Well… because of my current state my repertoire was reduced to parlor trick like this though. Even so…

"Thank you Mai-chan." Ayami was dancing around my flame butterflies, she looked very happy and nothing like the somber child living under Minnie's threat. What was the most important to me was my power could bring happiness to someone.

I smiled at her warmly. "You're welcome Ayami-chan… "

* * *

 **That night (Naru's POV)**

I came back later than yesterday after some detective work, it was getting tiring and I was almost tempted to send Mai. She seemed to be a natural in getting people to talk to her, but she was no researcher. It was better for her to stay at the house as their living alarm. Worse came to worse, Mai had a knack in getting people out of trouble it seemed.

"You must be tired," Matsuzaki droned on sarcastically. "Did you find anything? We're still waiting for you to prove yourself."

I ignored her sarcasm, I could guess that our client was getting unhappy with us because their exorcism failed. Which was their own fault to jump to conclusion and think exorcism could solve everything. I was about to ask Lin about what happened when Mai came in and took a seat on the sofa, on her lap was Minnie.

"How did you get Ayami-chan to let you to have that doll?"

Mai looked tired for some reason which was odd since this was the girl who could carry heavy equipment without stumbling. "I asked… you know a girl ask another girl to borrow her doll." Mai droned on vaguely.

In short Mai somehow got Ayami-chan wrapped around her finger, and she didn't even mind lending the doll to Mai.

"I see…"

"She's in Noriko-san's room. She should be with her sister now—is something wrong?" Mai asked.

"No. That's good." Then I added, "Did something happen?" I asked back.

She gave me an annoyed look, most likely because she could tell I found something but unwilling to share until she told me her finding first.

"She talked to her doll this afternoon…" Mai began as she told me what happened in Noriko's room, when Kana-san and Noriko-san left the house and leaving the girl to her own device. Mai was omitting how she convinced Ayami-chan to let her to have Minnie though. I was curious but our concern now was the doll.

"The important thing is, Minnie might be possessed," Bou-san stated. "...Kids that only Ayami-chan can see. Kids that Minnie brought over. Don't you think it's strange?"

Matsuzaki cocked her head. "Ghost children... Minnie brought them here...?"

"Isn't that strange?" Bou-san repeated.

"Kind of..."

"The doll is dangerous," Bou-san sighed then moved towards Mai, "Jou-chan, hand that doll over. I will exorcise it now."

Mai sighed, "Bou-san… do I look like someone who will hold a possessed doll?"

Bou-san's eyes lighted up in realization, "Ah… you're sensitive to hostile intention."

"What?" Miko-san looked confused, "Mai… you're a psychic?"

"No, I'm just sensitive to dangerous thing." Mai summarized her ability crudely, impressively being truthful and misleading in the same time. "At any rate if you want to try cleansing this doll go ahead, but now it's empty…" She informed us, "There is lingering trace of hostility but exorcising this doll is no good."

Bou-san groaned, "Haah… so unlike my previous experience, the spirit is not completely bound to Minnie?"

"No, it isn't." Mai confirmed sternly.

Miko-san shuddered, "I just never liked dolls. They always seemed scary. Ah, I always thought dolls were empty and that they could summon spirits. They look like humans too."

Always thought? While she had not shown any skill so far Mai had not called her out for lying so she must be telling the truth. So to spiritually sensitive child, doll was something they instinctively find scary? Interesting…

I cleared my throat, "At any rate Bou-san is most likely spot on, there is a jibakurei using Minnie to threaten Ayami-chan." I glanced at Mai who was still looking tired. "We could try to exorcise the spirit… at least to discourage them from using Minnie again."

Mai sighed, "Sounds better than nothing."

Bou-san nodded proudly, "Okay, that's good. Then I will try my hands on this."

"Hold on a moment," Ayako called out to Bou-san, "It's not like I don't believe Mai… but the spirit in this house is so good at laying low, so shouldn't we call Masako?"

Mai nodded, "That's a good idea, as I am not reliable enough to detect spirit. Only when they're up to something, but most of the time spirit in this house lay dormant so… it's better to rely to an expert like Hara-san instead of me." She explained. "She could communicate with them too."

Mai… I didn't want even more people in this case, especially Hara-san even if she would be more useful than these two. You were plenty enough, seriously your capability to detect them when they're going to wreak havoc was more than these two could do.

"Beside so far… did any of you notice the spirit seems to wait for the occupant of this house first before they did something?" Mai asked us.

"That's right… While Mai was always the first to 'notice' but the one who 'saw' first was always the occupants of this house." I cupped my chin, contemplating this new piece of information.

"So Masako?" Bou-san asked.

"That would be unnecessary." Not her, seriously… I don't want to deal with that girl. "Bou-san, how about you perform the exorcism."

"Just leave it to me."

Mai handed the doll to Bou-san, she looked unhappy with our plan the moment she heard the exorcism could turn bad for Ayami-chan. Then again Mai being unhappy with me was nothing new.

* * *

 **Few hours later~  
**

Both Miko-san and Bou-san had prepared their tools in their respective post. Miko-san was sitting in front of their bed. On one side was a stick figure; in the front were two knives. Her left hand was carrying a bead necklace, while she carried a bell with her other hand. There was a spell paper on Ayami-chan's chest.

Once they were ready, Bou-san began chanting, "Na u ma ku san man da ba za ra dan."

Minnie didn't look any different. We checked the reading on temperature, the room had become five degrees colder and stopped. Which was strange because the temperature drop was the only response, in comparison to previous activity this was nothing at all.

"There should be more response..." I murmured softly.

Mai tensed and this time she didn't even think to warn me before she bolted out of the room, I was about to follow her but suddenly from my headset I could hear moaning sound from the room they occupied, Noriko-san's bedroom.

When we got there, it looked like a small hurricane just went through the room. Everything was messy; the furniture were all pushed and slanted onto the walls like what happened in Ayami-chan's room on the first night.

Mai was holding Ayami-chan who was crying to her chest and clung to Mai as if my assistant was her lifeline. Miko-san was pale, one of the ceremonial knives she had was impaled just one feet away from where she was sitting. Noriko-san was next to her, clutching Miko-san's sleeve in shock.

"Naru!" Mai called me.

"Are you guys alright?" I asked.

She nodded, "I got to Ayami-chan just in time but… Noriko-san."

Noriko-san suddenly slumped to the floor, wincing in pain.

"What's wrong? Does something hurt?" Bou-san asked her.

"...My leg..."

"What's wrong with your leg?" I asked curiously.

Bou-san checked her foot, our eyes widened when we saw her right foot was longer than her left. "...Her ankle...is dislocated..."

Noriko-san clutched Miko-san's hand as she rasped out, "The person...who pulled my foot...was very strong."

"...Who...?"

"I don't know..."

Bou-san winced, "Well… at least we know it's a kid."

On her right ankle was a clear purple handprint of a child, whether it belonged to a child spirit or Minnie was still up to debate.

* * *

 **Few minutes later…**

It was inevitable that another argument blew up after that mess, Kana-san was furious that her sister in law got injured. Once again I wondered what the point of arguing was. When nothing will change. They were wasting our time and energy. Then Kana-san left in hurry after she voiced her complain to our lack of capability to bring her sister in law to hospital. As if we didn't have enough argument for one night, Matsuzaki began the round two with Takigawa.

I put a stop to their argument, especially since Mai was out making tea for everyone and not here to stop them. "...The situation is already like this. Even if you argue, nothing will change. Instead..."

I looked at the girl who was sitting on the bed, she looked better after Mai consoled her. Ayami didn't want to be separated from Mai but my assistant was wise enough to make her stay in a crowded room instead of following her to the kitchen. I was pretty worried Mai was alone in the kitchen but knowing Mai, she was more than capable in protecting herself if her track record so far was to be believed.

"Ayami-chan, what happened exactly?" I asked, only to receive a head shake in respond. "Did Minnie do this?"

Ayami-chan didn't answer my question, instead she asked back. "Where's Minnie?! Mai-chan borrowed her from me but she promise to give her back!"

Mai… why did you promise such thing? "I'm taking care of Minnie for you right now. Can you tell me some things about Minnie?"

Looking at her wide terrified eyes, I had said something wrong. Obviously Ayami-chan was unhappy that her doll was not with Mai. "Give Minnie back to me!"

"When did Minnie start talking?"

"Give Minnie back! She's my friend!"

"Ayami-chan!" I lowered my voice, a child or not she should understand her 'friend' had injured her family. "Listen, your aunt is injured. Minnie did that, right?"

Ayami-chan's eyes were filled with tears. It seemed if it was not Mai she was not going to be responsive to question. How did Mai deal with this child anyway?

"Do you want more people to get hurt because you keep quiet?"

"Hic…"

"Naru!" Mai had returned from the kitchen and she was unhappy with me _again_. "I left just for ten minutes to make tea and late snack for everyone and you bully Ayami-chan?!"

Ayami-chan's eyes went wide, and she didn't waste time rushing off the bed and ran to Mai's side. "Mai-chan!" she cried out.

"Don't worry. Don't be scared…" She murmured softly to Ayami-chan before carrying the girl back to the bed.

Maybe with Mai here she would be more cooperative. "Ayami-chan, Minnie, did she..."

Mai glared at me, "Naru… I told you to not interrogate her like that! She is a child!"

"Mai! Now's not the time for this!"

She glared at me harder, "We have enough time, and you just have to be patient!" Then she looked down at Ayami-chan who was clinging to her, stroking Ayami-chan's hair gently as whispering soothing words. "It's alright… I am here for you, Ayami-chan."

"...Rry!"

"Hm? Don't worry. It's not your fault."

"...I'm...sor...ry!"

"Ayami-chan..."

She held onto Mai's hand and began to talk. "Minnie told me I can't speak with anyone else! If I do, she'll punish everyone!"

As expected the moment Mai was close she spilled her secret like a broken dam. Mai didn't even _ask_ anything yet.

"...Minnie said that?"

Sobbing, Ayami-chan nodded. "Minnie said I can't speak with other people. If I do, she'll hurt everyone else. But I really want to play with Onee-chan and Mai-chan...!" She babbled on.

"When did Minnie start talking to you?" Mai asked, and I let her to lead the conversation. She knew what to ask and how.

"...After we moved here." Ayami-chan muttered softly.

"And she told you that Kana-san is a witch?"

Ayami-chan nodded frantically, "Minnie said, she made Tou-san her slave… Onee-chan is also on witch's side! She said she…"

"She'll protect you?" Mai finished softly.

Mai had had this conversation with her before.

"But then I can't talk to other people..." She murmured sadly, "But sometimes I forgot so I play with you… and then Minnie messes up my room and hides my toys."

Mai held her tighter, "That's not very nice of her… so on our first night here Minnie messed up your room because you introduce her to me?"

Ayami-chan nodded. "Yes… I don't understand why she didn't let me play with you. Mai-chan is very nice to me…"

"Minnie is a bad child then." Mai patted Ayami-chan's back soothingly, "Then how about the other child she bring with her?"

"They're Minnie's underlings! They helped Minnie to mess my room up!"

"I see…how old are they?" Mai asked again.

Very good question, that narrowed down our search a lot. It seemed I was right to let Mai to handle this herself.

"Boys and girls that're about my age…" Ayami-chan pointed at herself, it seemed at some point of talking with Mai she even forgot she was scared.

Mai was nodding at Ayami-chan as she continued listening to her babbling. "We have to keep Minnie with us for a while, so she will not hurt anyone."

"Okay…"

Mai smiled at her, "Thank you for telling us Ayami-chan, that's a good girl." Then she reached out to the tray she carried, there was a plate of something that looks like an omelet or pancake. I couldn't tell. "You must be tired and hungry right?"

Ayami-chan nodded, smiling at the sight of snack Mai made for her. "But… I am not allowed to eat snack at night."

Mai nodded, "Yes… you don't but tonight is special, if your tummy is full it would be easier for you to sleep. It's a light snack so you won't get tummy ache." She assured the little girl, "Say Aaah!"

"Aah…" Ayumi-chan opened her mouth and swallowed. "It's tasty! And melting in my mouth like magic! Is this fairy magic too?"

"Heh?"

Ayami-chan clasped her mouth, Mai just laughed nervously. "Maa… open wide Ayami-chan!"

"Aah!"

The snack was small so it didn't take long for Ayami to finish it and began to doze off on Mai's arms, just as she planned. Mai quickly picked the dozing girl up to her arms and was about to leave the room before I stopped her.

"Mai… what is this about fairy and magic?"

Mai was good at telling half-truth and vague answer but it didn't take long for me to find out she was apparently a very _bad_ liar. Which was probably why she avoided telling a lie in the first place.

She averted her eyes from me, looking anywhere but my face. "Mai…"

"Well…" She stuttered nervously, "I perhaps… perform one or two parlor trick to get Ayami-chan to believe me."

Parlor trick? That reminded me a lot of my own use of PK when I just started learning to control small amount of it at a time. I wanted to ask what Mai meant as parlor trick but I had a feeling she would clamp up if I asked. So instead I settled on something else.

"And what's with the fairy talk?"

Mai blushed a deep red, "Well… Minnie start to call me a witch, I don't want Ayami-chan to hate me so…"

Matsuzaki-san laughed, "My! That's so cute of you! So you play a fairy instead with her!"

Bou-san joined in, "Well… I guess that's very fitting for you, It's Ayako who looks like a witch!"

"Why you!" The miko growled at the monk.

"Fairy? You?" I echoed, the image was… just…

Mai glared at me but with blushing red face and how she was biting her lower lip it was not as effective. Even though for some reason my mind went blank at the sight, and I couldn't breathe either.

"Naru! You meanie!" Then she fled the room with Ayami-chan in her arms, still blushing furiously.

In the other I was still stunned for reason I couldn't comprehend and my brain was strangely absent to provide a comprehensive answer to this.

* * *

 **3rd Person POV**

Bou-san was always game for teasing Mai and Naru, simply because he wanted to get a reaction out of the stoic boy. His teasing rolled off of Mai like water on a rock, Naru in the other hand… even though his expression didn't change much, interestingly the boy felt bothered by his teasing. Sure, he and Mai bickered like an old married couple, but Bou-san could tell they were not in relationship. Naru while perhaps not interested in Mai in romantic sense, seemed to be very comfortable in her presence.

Then again it was Mai, as long she was not angry with you it was very comfortable to be around her.

So this was the first time Bou-san really see Naru showing obvious interest in Mai. She didn't even try, she was just adorably embarrassed for calling herself a fairy because she didn't want her new adopted little sister to hate her.

Yes, Mai was adorable and cute just now but it was not like she was doing anything sexy or anything that could incite this kind of reaction. Naru looked dumbstruck, and he obviously forgot to breathe.

"Uhm… Naru-chan? Mai has already left."

He was _very_ tempted to tease, but judging from the poor boy's reaction Bou-san didn't think it was a wise thing to do.

"Naru… are you alright?" Even Lin, his stoic assistant was worried.

At last he was snapped from whatever dreamland he was stuck into and back to reality. "I guess… I am fine, but I…"

As an older man Bou-san decided to give Naru a break and patted the boy on the shoulder comfortingly. "You're alright, don't worry." He told the stoic boy in the most soothing voice he could muster. Knowing Naru he would blame his condition for neurosis or something science could explain to him. "You're just being a teenage boy, you will figure it out later."

Naru blinked owlishly and Bou-san was struck with sympathy because the boy obviously was at a loss of what just happened to him. "Is that so?"

He nodded sagely, "Let's just figure out this case first alright?"

In the background Bou-san could hear Ayako grumbling about late puberty, and hoped Naru didn't overhear her. They had enough shock for one night.

* * *

 **Mai's POV (5th Day)**

After the horrible night, morning came to the house and I could let myself to relax a little. Ayami-chan was still sleeping upstairs and I couldn't blame her because she must be very exhausted after the whole ordeal. So I left her upstairs in a warded room by Ayako's charms and Bou-san's too.

I was reluctant whether it would do any good but so far since the activity only happened at night, I could trust them for once. Beside Naru wanted me to be on the base, we needed to discuss our next move.

"Aah… in the end I didn't sleep even a wink." I grumbled under my breath before once again my intuition rang a metaphorical alarm on my mind.

I bolted to the where I sensed the malevolent presence but all I saw was something writing itself on the corridor wall in a childish scrawl. It was red but not blood, the texture was like written with crayon.

"Mai-chan… we're back." Noriko-san called me, followed by the sound of closing door. "What are you looking at…" She trailed off. "Oh my God! What is that?!"

Kana-san paled when she saw what I was looking at, "Hiie! This is…"

"Stay calm" I instructed them, "And don't touch the wall! I am going to tell my team! Please don't panic!" I didn't think it was any use to tell them to not panic considering what was written there.

When I entered the room Naru was stressing the problem was not Minnie the doll but the entity using Minnie. "The problem is Minnie is being used as a vessel... The doll, however, is just a toy. A ghost in this house has possessed Minnie..." Naru raised his eyes. "Minnie is dangerous. We must find the real culprit."

I entered the base and shouted, "Naru!"

"Mai?"

"Come with me! The spirit has done something again! They left us a message!"

"A message?" Naru echoed.

I led them to the corridor to the part of the wall that was written in childish scrawl in crayon, if not for what the message contain we would think it was just random scribble of a kid.

 **"Bad girl will be punished."**

Naru crossed his arms. "She couldn't make it clearer than this that she is after Ayami-chan. It seems because Ayami-chan broke her promise Minnie think she has been betrayed."

I nodded hesitantly, "Bad girl… she mean Ayami-chan."

"Mai." Naru called me in stern tone. "Stay with Ayami-chan and protect her."

He didn't have to tell me that, I would do it. "Alright."

Ayako protested, "But Naru, Mai couldn't defend herself from them!"

On contrary I could say I was more capable in term of defending myself and others than anyone here with exception of perhaps… Naru and perhaps Lin-san with his pets. I was not sure what to call the five mystical presences that followed him around all the time. They were scared of me though but wise enough to keep it to themselves. Then again perhaps Lin-san was wary of me because his pets didn't like me.

"I would be fine." I assured her.

Naru turned his attention to Ayako. "Mai is good in sensing danger, if something out of her league happen she can alert us." He tossed me a communication set. "Carry them around with you all the time, while it's vital for us to protect Ayami-chan… cooping her up in safety of warded room may invite their ire even more."

"Got it." I smiled at him, it seemed he was learning to treat Ayami-chan better. "But still… we can't leave Minnie be."

Naru blinked, then lifted his head, "I guess we can call a professional for this?"

"A professional?" I echoed. "Hara Masako-san?"

Naru tensed a little when I mention the medium's name. What came over him all of a sudden? The last time I recall, he respected her skill as a medium. Now I could see irritation rolled off of Naru in waves in mere mention of her name. Did Hara-san offend Naru when I was not looking or something?

"No, Minnie is possessed by a spirit, in case of possession… it's the strongest forte of an exorcist." He explained, and judging from the look he shot me he was daring me to repeat the medium's name again.

I clapped my hands, even I knew sometime curiosity was not worth it to be entertained upon. "Oh, so we will call Father John to join us."

"Yes."

 **3PM, Morishita house backyard.**

In the afternoon, I sat in the backyard with Noriko-san. Ayami-chan was sitting beside me as I was styling her hair. Meanwhile, Naru and the others had _wisely_ cleaned the message on the wall up so Ayami-chan wouldn't see it and... Perhaps I scared them a little too much last night when the whole ordeal almost traumatized Ayami-chan.

Or perhaps Naru-chan was being considerate for once. Even Naru-chan had a hidden soft spot somewhere in his heart.

In the other hand Bou-san was trying to burn Minnie, and when he announced his intention Naru had looked at me with unreadable expression on his face. Which made me wonder if he knew I was a little jealous Bou-san got to do it.

Then again… I had a feeling Minnie wouldn't burn to ashes that easily. Well, with my flame that won't be a problem but in the end just getting rid of that doll was not a permanent solution. Yeah, contrary to my old belief, burning things was not a solution to everything… ha ha ha…

And Kana-san… After the writing on the wall, Kana-san was missing. There was a note on the living room table stating she couldn't take living in this creepy house any longer. Not to mention their maid, Kinoshita-san had resigned too so now Noriko-san and Ayami-chan were on their own now.

"There… I am done." I finished my work on Ayami-chan's hair, small twin bun on both side of her head while I let the rest of her soft long flowed on her back.

"Whoaa…" Ayami looked at the mirror, admiring my work. "Thank you Mai-chan."

I bowed, "You're welcome." And a laughter arose from Ayami-chan. She was truly happy now, after she was threatened by Minnie so she wouldn't say anything. She must've been so lonely in this house.

"Onee-chan, does your foot hurt?" Ayami-chan suddenly asked her aunt.

Noriko-san shook her head. "It's fine now. As long as Ayami-chan cares about me, it'll be okay."

An angelic smile lit up Ayami-chan's face. "Then I will pick some flowers for you then!" She offered, "Come on Mai-chan."

"Okay." I let Ayami-chan pull my hand towards the bed of flower. "Which we should pick?"

"The prettiest one!" She exclaimed and she about to reach for white clematis flower when on instinct I grabbed both of her hands away from the flower bed. "Mai-chan?"

I shielded her with my body, putting myself between her and the flower bed. "Stay there Ayami-chan." I tried to look closer even though I was not expecting to really 'see' anything but suddenly I felt an image of sick colored wisp evaporated to the air. "It's… gone?" .

"Ayami-chan! Wait!" Noriko-san called out to the little girl.

I turned around, realizing that when I was distracted by the image Ayami-chan was running deep into the garden. Something was chasing her! "Ayami-chan!"

"Mai-chan! Get her! There's a pond over there!" Noriko-san warned me.

Then I recalled that Minnie had lied to her about Kana-san was going to drown her in the pond. She was going to do the deed herself?! "I will get her! Don't move from there Noriko-san!" I was not confident I could protect two peoples at once. She looked hesitated but I was relieved she didn't follow me.

"Minnie! I'm sorry!" Ayami-chan screamed as she ran.

I was never as grateful as I was now that I could run very fast so it didn't take long for me to outrun her to the pond and caught the distraught girl. "Ayami-chan!"

"Mai-chan!" She was scared and clung to me as tight as she could. "Minnie is mad at me!"

She was right, Minnie was angry and she brought her friends to surround Ayami-chan and me. "It's alright… just don't let go of me."

I stood up and glared at the direction of hostile intention I sensed. "Back off all of you!" I warned them.

They hesitated for a moment but then I sensed them moving towards us. "Che!" I dodged them just in time, but I could sense something like cold breeze caressing my skin as they moved pass me.

"Mai-chan! I'm scared!"

I put on my headset, and called. "Naru!"

 _"Mai?"_

"They attacked us! We're near by the pond! Help!"

" _Hang on! Bou-san is on his way! I am also on my way!"_

"Quick! They're trying to back us to the pond!" I told him in panic.

Then I started hearing their voice, pained voice calling out for their mother and Ayami-chan. "Kuh…" It made me remember unpleasant things! The sin of my family and…

"I have no choice…" I gritted my teeth. "I am sorry! But I need you guys to back off!" I will feel the pain later but now Ayami-chan was more important.

Summoning my flame I drew a line on the ground and a wall of flame erupted. I winced as I heard their pained scream and how frightened they were of my flame. But it was effective, they ran away and I snapped my finger to call my flame off.

"Mai-chan… are you alright?"

I was panting heavily but I couldn't help it, so in this state my limit was this pitiful. "I am fine… I just need some rest." I assured Ayami-chan. "Keep it a secret alright?"

She nodded obediently, smiling brightly at me. "Yes! I will keep Mai-chan's fairy magic a secret."

Her smile was worth the pain and exhaustion. "Thank you Ayami-chan…"

"Mai!" From afar I could see Naru and Bou-san rushed to us.

I smiled weakly at him, "Naru…"

"What happened?!" He demanded, he looked worried.

I felt sleepy and then my forehead hit something hard but warm. I would feel embarrassed for falling to his chest usually but I was too tired to care. "I am tired and sleepy…" I informed him drowsily, my voice muffled by his shirt. "Someone… could someone protect Ayami-chan while I take… rest?" I drawled on, "They won't be back for… a while… so it's alright…"

Then I welcomed the darkness of slumber.

"Mai!"

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

Mai fell asleep and fortunately it was just normal sleep, she was exhausted for some reason. Ayami-chan was with her, sleeping beside Mai because the little girl refused to be separated from Mai. It seemed even if Mai was asleep Ayami-chan felt the safest with her.

At any rate this was the first time they boldly attacked Ayami-chan like this, before all they did was just scaring the occupants of this house. Not to mention Minnie was trying to fulfill her own prophecy, drowning Ayami-chan in that pond.

Which made me wonder if it was just random threat Minnie thought of or something significant. Speaking of strange, the area where we found Mai and Ayami-chan was warm… it felt warmer than other area nearby. Even though supernatural activity that just happened there should make the area colder, it quickly returned to normal temperature before we could measure it though.

It had something to do with Mai but I don't think asking her would give me an answer. Mai was as secretive as I was with her ability unless she was forced to reveal them. Then again her sharp intuition was borderline impossible to be kept as secret considering the danger in our job. It was counterproductive to hide it anyway, which was probably why she let us know about it. I couldn't blame her for being secretive. After all unlike what said in cartoon Gene quoted before, with power what came with it wasn't responsibility but _pain_ and burden.

If her warning before was to be taken seriously, she had experienced pain because of her power. Yet, she still used it to help people.

And whatever she did, Mai was confident Minnie and her friends won't be back for Ayami-chan for a while until she recover.

"Mmh…" Mai stirred in her sleep and suddenly a tear slipped from her closed eyes. "Onii-chan… "

I frowned at her, "Mai?"

"Where… did you… go?" Her right hand slid off of the bed and she was trying to reach something. "Don't…"

I didn't know what possessed me to hold her hand, but her raged breath evened out as her grip on my hand tightened. "Hm…" She was smiling now.

Brother? She lost a brother too? Was her brother the reason Mai wanted to learn parapsychology?

 **Mai's POV**

I had a dream I couldn't recall before once again I found myself in my astral world, or to be exact… part of it that was influenced by something for it to take form of a traditional Japanese house instead of the dome of sky, and last time I checked the world was not colored in sepia either.

This was not going to end well for me, I was going to see something I don't want to see like when we took our inheritance test! This feeling of trepidation was the same even though I didn't think anything can top off what I saw back then, the blood, gore, pain and suffering that was so real to the point our guilt almost suffocated us to death.

Then I noticed the shoji door was open, and I saw a young girl dressed in kimono was dribbling a ball. Then a man walked towards her, and said something. This man was someone she shouldn't follow but she did anyway.

"Tomiko!"

A woman rushed pass me, crying her heart out for her child. However her daughter had disappeared.

The image shifted to the mother who was staring down at a deep well. Her appearance was unkempt and her kimono was in disarray but she was the same mother who had lost her daughter. She leaned forward and I knew what she was about to do.

Suicide…

I closed my eyes but I could still hear her cry of despair as she fell to her death. I opened my eyes and the darkness shifted to familiar world of sky that belonged to me.

"Why did you show me this tragedy?" I asked the similar presence that was not Naru who was standing behind me.

He looked guilty and apologetic. "Because it's necessary." He told me. "We have to protect Ayami-chan."

I was about to ask more question but suddenly I was pulled out from my astral world, someone woke me up.

It was a given for me to wake up with pain all over my body, the pain I associated with overexerting myself I have not felt for a long while. I couldn't stop myself from wincing, or yelping when I saw someone was sitting beside the bed I occupied.

"Naru?" The real one obviously.

He nodded at me, "Are you well enough to listen to me?"

I raised my hand, "Yeah… a moment please, I am still a little dizzy." I rubbed my temple, it always helped to ease the pain. "Okay, go ahead."

Obviously Naru needed some lesson in bedside manner if he woke me up to read a list of dead children in this house, all of them around Ayami-chan's age. He also helpfully informed me Bou-san had failed spectacularly in burning Minnie, as he and I expected. She was intact without a speck of soot on her. He was looking oddly at me again when he mentioned it, which made me wonder what he expected me to do with this piece of information.

Again Naru, I could read emotion not mind.

"In the end we solve nothing." He told me. "Noriko-san is distraught." She had taken Ayami-chan with her when Naru wake me up to talk.

"Maybe it's better for Morishita family to give up their home, it's not worth it." I mumbled.

He nodded, "Noriko-san said the same thing but the problem is… they may be able to follow Ayami-chan to her new house."

I winced at the prospect, "So we have to deal with them here after all?"

His expression was calm but I could sense grimness mixed in. "Yes, contrary to what Matsuzaki-san believe in thinking of our own safety first, most cases shouldn't be solved with giving up on it." Then he added, "It's just going to get worse."

I rubbed my temple again, my head was hurting me. "I see… so…" I trailed off, "What are we going to do now?"

 **Ting Tong~**

"That's John-san." Naru guessed. "For now I guess we can get rid of the spirit possessing Minnie first and then."

Then as if on cue frantic footsteps came from outside and Bou-san entered the room with panicked face. "Minnie is missing."

I face-palmed. "Minnie sensed Father John's presence it seems, judging from her timing."

Naru was not surprised, most likely he expected Minnie to run away. "Well… she will turn up sooner or later." He turned towards me. "Mai, I know you're tired but I would like you to look for Minnie."

I nodded, "You don't have to ask, as long as Minnie want to harm Ayami-chan I will be able to find her." Then I paused, looking to the side. "In fact I believe we just have to wait, we don't even have to look."

After Naru left me alone I started rummaging my luggage, to my horror I couldn't find my meds. Not to mention for this case I escaped my guard's watch and left them hanging in Tokyo. I also left my private cellphone they could track through GPS at my apartment, only bringing my work cellphone with me.

Crap… I really brought this upon myself, didn't I?

* * *

 **Back in Tokyo** (3rd Person POV)

"Himeeeeeeeeeee!" Tojo wailed as he tried to call Mai's number for the hundredth time since few days ago.

"What do we do? She escape from our watch!" His partner pointed out the obvious. "Iinchou is going to kill us!" Katou, the other member of Foundation wailed.

Ring~

Shima looked at the number that flashed on his phone, and swallowed heavily. He picked it up on the third ring as he dared not to make the called to wait any longer. "Hello… Iinchou."

 _"So… our omnivore princess escape your watch?"_

He knew! How did he know?!

 _"Because you forgot to make your daily report of her activity for the last two days."_ The cold voice pointed out, _"And… report of three days ago said she spent the whole day at her apartment, which is unusual… "_

Since when Sawada Mai could stand being cooped up in her house the whole day? _You idiot…_

He gulped, "We're so sorry… we will find her! We swear!"

A snort could be heard from the other hand, _"What matters is whether we can find her before trouble did, but considering who she is… never mind."_ Another amused snort followed, _"Let her be… if she gets in trouble it's her own fault."_

"But!"

 _"I will not worry of her safety too much, if she got herself in trouble she should be able to get out of it."_ The voice droned on. _"She is after all… half of Twin Sky of Vongola."_

Then the line ended, leaving the two members of Foundation at a loss of what to do. Especially since their leader seemed to not care whether they should search for their missing princess or leave her alone.

* * *

 **Noriko and Ayami-chan's room (Back to Morishita's Residence)**

John was reading the first verse of genesis before using holy water to draw a cross on the wall and door. Then he drew a cross on Ayami-chan's forehead, his fingertip was wet with holy water so Ayami-chan shifted a little in her sleep. John took a rosary out , then placed it on Ayami-chan's body.

"She shall be protected for tonight." John promised.

"Thank you." Noriko-san bowed to him.

* * *

 **SPR's Base**

Mai was still feeling the headache, even though the throbbing had abated to annoying tap on her head. She had a dream few hours ago but she had difficulty in recalling it, which was not odd considering she had a habit to forget them. Then again perhaps it was the headache… as soon as she could clear her head she would remember them.

She needed her medicine, but in its absence and feeling the pain she felt oddly happier to not rely on it. She hated avoiding pain with her meds, because she was taught to face pain head on by her mentor. But still… her mood was almost as bad as pre-tea Naru.

"Jou-chan?" Bou-san called her. "Are you sure you want to be here instead of your bed?"

"Positive." Mai grumbled in annoyed tone. "From my experience sleeping in will just make my headache worse. Don't worry, if something dangerous happen I will get better in instance."

"What's with your psychic power? Why they're wired to danger like that?" Bou-san wondered.

Mai was growling now, "Don't ask that please… I am not in the mood for Q & A session."

Naru glanced at her, "You better sit down Mai, as we can't have you to collapse now."

"I am fine standing, Naru… beside…" In instant her headache was gone, her eyes snapped open in shock. "Naru! They're coming!"

The poltergeist activity started and happening everywhere in the house. All the furniture moved, rapping noises started, and stomping sounds could be heard.

Mai looked up, "They're frantically searching for Ayami-chan… this is like a mass and frantic game of hide and seek."

Bou-san snorted, "Yeah… but everyone is the It/Oni and Ayami-chan is the only one hiding."

"It's so...strong," John murmured uneasily. "I've never heard rapping and knocking this bad."

Bou-san crossed his arm, "Well… if they're looking that means John's prayer is working."

John nodded, "My prayer erected a barrier around her room, and hopefully it will hold on."

"Naru! Machine #6 is receiving sound!" Lin informed his boss.

"Switch it on."

"Okay."

Sound overflowed from the speakers to their base and Mai recalled these voiced were the same one she heard when she faced Minnie and her friends. "That's...Ayami-chan's invisible friend..." she whispered.

Naru nodded, "Most likely. It's so noisy. How many children are there?"

Mai tensed, "Naru! They're upstairs! They found Ayami-chan!"

"Nani?!" He gasped, and all of them rushed out of the room. The ghostly sounds faded once they were out of the room, like someone had pushed the mute button. "You're right Mai, they found her so they stopped."

Ayako burst out of the bedroom, she was holding a white bundle on her arms. "You guys…"

Mai groaned when she saw the bundle. "Argh… there she is."

Ayako blinked owlishly before comprehending what Mai was talking about. She nodded grimly. "Of course you would know." She unwrapped the bundle. "We found her under Ayami-chan's blanket, she just appeared out of nowhere."

Mai groaned again, the headache returned after the danger passed. "Naru… if you want to get rid of her, now is our chance." She pointed at the doll. "Something is inside of it now."

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

As soon as she said that Mai backed away from the doll, in fact since Ayako appeared with the bundle Mai was trying to stay away from it as far as possible. "Mai?"

She was rubbing her temple again, "If I get too close it will run away… just exorcise it without me." She turned around. "I will be in our base if you need me."

I watched Mai left, puzzling over what she meant by Minnie will run away if she got too close.

It took a while but John had finished preparing his altar then began to pray. "In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God...Please look over us and protect us." Then he put a silver cross on top of Minnie's forehead.

Her eyes snapped open but John paid it no heed and sprayed holy water in cross motion. Obviously he was expecting the doll to react. Then it started to shake as if it was having a seizure.

"And the darkness comprehended it not." John finished.

Finally, a wisp of smoke rose from Minnie's forehead, followed by a cracking sound. The doll's skirt fluttered in the wind. Minnie's marble eyes rolled down, and the cross on its forehead slid down. On her forehead was a cross shaped burn mark.

"The exorcism was successful," John announced, looking up at us. "However, the ghost did not disappear. Just to be safe, I think we should burn it."

We followed John's suggestion and this time we succeed burning it to smithereens. Mai didn't seem to care she lost her chance, her headache and exhaustion were still taking a toll on her. Though she claimed she would be fine if the situation got dangerous. It seemed her body was so in tune with her power, and yet in the same time it was not without a price.

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

After I woke up from my nap, I felt a lot better. I was not back to one hundred percent yet but I wasn't in danger of tripping over myself now. I went back to base to watch the video of recording from last night.

"They are kids that Minnie brought over..." Naru echoed what Ayami-chan told them as they heard wailing of children.

"Well, isn't that the case?" Ayako asked Naru. "We can't just guess like crazy. Why don't we call Masako?" She was demanding now.

Naru's face was stern but I had an impression he was holding back a grimace, as if he had swallowed something sour. Now I couldn't help but wonder what that girl had done to make Naru hated her so much.

"Why do you hate Masako so much?" Bou-san echoed my thought. "She's pretty, and didn't you say that she was really capable?" He recalled back in previous case only Masako got Naru's respect.

Then again she _deserved_ it, for sticking up to her own belief and skill. I doubted Naru had problem with her skill and professionalism.

"There's no need," Naru insisted sternly.

"Ha ha," Ayako laughed happily. "I know, I know. It's because she has a terrible personality."

Look who was talking!

John raised his hands in placating gesture, "Let's set whether we will call Hara-san or not aside." He suggested, "As for Minnie, she is a bound spirit so there must be a reason why she become one."

Bou-san brought up his theory, "Her reason seems to be simple, her spirit is lonely so she brought all those children to be her friend and they become bound spirit like her."

I interjected, "Bou-san… that sounds like a classic horror story of bound spirit."

They turned their attention to me, "You're awake." Ayako stated the obvious. "How is your feeling?"

"Better." I replied. "So… what do you think of Bou-san's theory? Naru?"

Naru contemplated the possibility. "That could be the reason, but…"

"But what?" Bou-san urged him.

Naru glanced at me, "Why they only after children their age? If they're lonely their range of victim should be broader… why didn't they look for a mother or sister figure?"

"You do have a point." Bou-san nodded sagely, "Mai-chan is great with kids, so does Noriko-san… why don't they want her too?"

I was very tempted to tell them no child spirit would want me as their mother or sister. They'd want me faaaar away, especially at my current state. I was like… oozing anti-pheromone on them.

"Mother…" I echoed softly, wondering what was the nagging on the back of my mind.

"At any rate, let's try this first." Naru handed a piece of paper to Bou-san, "The first child who died here was Tachibana Yukiko. Here is her profile, she belonged to Jodo sect."

Bou-san stared at the paper, he was impressed. "Wow… this information is dating from seventy years ago, good job for finding this."

"This is a simple task for me. I'm not the same as you."

If I was not busy recalling things, I would have scolded him for opening his mouth just to spout condescending words.

 **That Night**

We assigned everyone a task, Bou-san was stationed in Ayami-chan's room for exorcism. While John and Ayako stood guard in Noriko-san's room for Ayami-chan. While the rest of us were in the base for mission control. I wanted to be stationed in Noriko-san's room but Naru asked me to stay in the base instead. At least Father John was also with Ayami-chan, we were not going to rely on Ayako-san alone tonight. But still… this sense of trepidation was bothering me a lot.

The moment Bou-san began we were not surprised the temperature dropped first as usual and followed by rapping and knocking. I wondered how many times we tried to exorcise them to the point their reaction got predictable.

"The temperature is decreasing drastically...especially the bed's surroundings. It's about ten degrees now." Lin announced.

"How are the rapping sounds?" Naru asked.

"They're still continuing... Nothing else is unusual."

My eyes widened in shock as I realized the activity was too weak in comparison of what we had been dealing with so far. Could it be… "Naru! The living room!" I pointed at the screen, their living room looked like it was about to enter an ice age with how clouded the view with white fog.

Naru stood up immediately. "Lin, what's the temperature of the living room?"

Lin-san shifted the computer slightly. "As of now, the temperature is two degrees below freezing." His voice was still stoic but obviously he was also in shock.

"Below freezing...?!" Naru looked at Lin-san in disbelief. "Now?" We almost forgot about the living room with how quiet that place was.

"Naru! The area I marked!" I pointed to the screen again.

"White smoke coming from there?" He drawled on. "Then the smoke is not because of the sudden temperature drop then."

"Naru, I've directed the sound to here." Lin-san had connected the microphone to the base but there was no sound. Then the white mist startled to swirl, forming ghostly face of children.

"Soul of children…" I murmured, covering my mouth in shock. "There are so many of them."

At that point, the living door room opened. A small figure dressed in pink pajama came through the door, it was Ayami-chan.

"Ayami-chan...!" I gasped, and realized because the whole house was active now my intuition couldn't tell where she was anymore. "What is Father John and Ayako-san are doing?!"

Ayami-chan was not awake, her eyes were blank. She was controlled by something. I was afraid she was possessed but then she looked up to the wispy smoke of children face. She was wide awake and looked at them innocently in wonder. "Did you bring me here?" She asked, "It's time to sleep, if we play now we will get scolded!"

Why did I stand here and watch? I had to save her! I dashed out of the room, ignoring Naru's call of my name.

"Mai, wait!" Naru shouted.

Then he was shouting command to others upstairs, "Bou-san, go to the living room! On your way there, look into Noriko-san's room and find out what those two idiots are doing!"

I cared not what was going on behind me and rushed toward the living room I was already wary of since my first day here. The moment I reached my hand toward the door, I felt static electric burning my palm but I didn't care and opened the door. The pain was good to keep me wide awake anyway!

"Ayami-chan!" I called her, she was standing in the middle of the room that was filled with white smoke. She looked half-asleep, and not aware in how much danger she was in.

"Mai-chan...?" She called me out.

Ignoring the stinging in my palm I walked in slowly, they were too close to Ayami-chan for my comfort. If I jump in my mere presence might make them violent. They were just coaxing Ayami-chan now, so as long as I could convince Ayami-chan to get closer within my arm reach…

"Come over here…" I told her, "It's late, you have to go to sleep."

"But they want me to play with them." Ayami-chan told me.

"You can't. You can't play with them." I insisted sternly.

She contemplated my words for a moment before she began to walk towards me. "Mai-chan…"

"That's a good girl." I praised her, praying will all my strength they will let her go peacefully.

No such luck, the moment Ayami-chan held her hands out for me the smoke grabbed her. "Kyaa!"

"Ayami-chan!" I shouted.

She cried, "They won't let me go! Mai-chan! Help!"

I was about to damn the consequence and jumped in but Naru came from behind and grabbed my wrist. "Naru?! Let me go! I have to help her!"

"Look before you leap, idiot!" He pointed at the black figure who knows since when was behind Ayami-chan, not a child but a tall woman dressed in kimono. She looked familiar…

"Mai-chan!" She cried again, "I'm scared!"

The black figure reached her hand out toward Ayami-chan. **"Child… come here…"** She called in eerie voice.

She was the woman from my dream! How could I forget it?! "Naru! If you don't let me go this instance I swear! You will regret it!"

"No Mai!" He insisted.

"Jou-chan, Naru-bou!" Bou-san called us just in time to see me throwing Naru over my shoulder, and if not for his quick reflex Naru would have slammed into him.

BAM!

Bou-san gaped as I run towards Ayami-chan, and the apparitions parted like the red sea as they fled in fear. He fortunately didn't realize they made way for me and began to chant, right when I managed to get through them and grabbed Ayami-chan.

"Naumari saba tatakiyateibiyari sarabamokkeibiyari sarabata taraku..."

I ignored his chant and began to pull Ayami-chan, surprisingly for the first time I met a supernatural entity that didn't back off from my presence. In fact she was trying to take Ayami-chan straight from my arms.

 **"My child…"**

Mai recalled the sadness and despair this woman felt as she killed herself. "She is not your child! She is not Tomiko! Back off!" I was almost beyond caring of what happened to me and raised my hand.

"Mai! Don't do it!" Naru shouted.

I froze on my track but luckily for me at that moment Bou-san finished his chanting

"…tarata kanmun!"

And the mother disappeared.

"Huwaaa!" I was snapped back to reality by Ayami-chan's cries and her tightening hold on my neck. Her body was cold and her sobs was mixed with chattering teeth.

"It's alright…" I murmured to her ears, pulling her closer. "You're fine now…" I slumped on the floor, adrenaline was leaving my system so my exhaustion returned in vengeance.

"Is it gone?" Naru asked Bou-san.

"Not for long…"

CRACK!

We jumped in shock when suddenly the floor inside the chalk marked area, the floorboard emitted cracking sound before it shattered. Revealing a deep well made of stones, and the darkness below that seemed to be endless.

* * *

 **I have a hard time deciding where to cut this... so whatever I settled on this part. And I'm sure you noticed... it's different from canon now.  
What Mai shows Ayami-chan is inspired from K-project, one of their character shows formidable control over his power to the point he could shape them to intricate shapes. They have no destructive power though, as Mai said... they're just pretty to look at.  
Shedding some light to Mai's capability in flame manipulation, Mai as she stated is 'weak' in term of destructive power Tsuna excelled at. I will shamelessly state from early on Tsuna in this fic have idealized image on purpose because we see him most of the time in Mai's POV so it's to be expected.  
**

 **Expect a surprise on next chapter as we drift further away from canon plot. And... Oh, I have decided there would be an original case after 'The Afterschool Hexer Arc' in which I will involve more KHR chara ^^ he he he... BTW this is an omake on Lin.**

* * *

 **Omake: In which Lin was concerned**

Lin was hired by Oliver's parents to be his guardian and bodyguard for duration of his stay in Japan. Oliver was relatively low maintenance since he was more mature than most teenager his age, as long as he had a case or any other parapsychology related activity to occupy his time and a cup of tea he was manageable. Or so Lin thought before he became Oliver's sole guardian in a foreign country. While he had already working as his bodyguard in England, his working scoop didn't include managing Oliver's daily need.

The scientist' eating habit was horrible, and Lin had to remind him constantly to not skip eating. Human definitely couldn't live with tea alone, no matter how highly Oliver thought he was. Tea was also a problem because somehow no café or restaurant around them could provide tea that was to his liking. As his bodyguard and guardian Lin wouldn't touch water kettle even for his sake.

Gene was right to label his twin as 'idiot scientist' and Lin had forgotten that with Gene no longer around to reign his twin, Oliver was even more high maintenance than any teen his age. His maturity and intelligence didn't help much.

Lin almost regretted letting Oliver to have his own apartment but in the other hand Lin didn't think even him could endure watching Oliver 24/7 constantly.

Sawada Mai came in to his life like a whirlwind and solved all of Lin's problems in instance. He could almost say without remorse that his sprained ankle was a cheap price to get Sawada to Oliver's life. She could brew tea to his liking, and so far he had not make a single complain to her tea and coffee. She lived next to Oliver's apartment, and also cooked his meals three times a day.

At first Lin thought this was a romantic endeavor on her part, the strategy Madoka once called winning a man through his stomach. Against his better judgement Lin asked why Oliver let her cook his meal. Oliver's first reaction was an annoyed glare and told him that romantic intention was the last thing on Sawada-san's mind in regards to him.

"Taking care of me keep her happy, when I try to stop her because she _has_ _no_ obligation to do so she got depressed." Oliver informed me, looked very unhappy to reveal this. "So I let her… beside I did pay half of grocery money she spent every month."

Sawada-san was not paid as an assistant, because obviously if she lived in the same apartment as Oliver she didn't need money. What she wanted from Oliver was knowledge and experience.

Oliver didn't take her kindness for granted, it was not in his personality anyway. It didn't take Lin long to realize she had clinical depression, and a chronic one most likely. She was mature and self-sufficient, very like Oliver but it stopped there because she was a people person. So unlike most teenage girl rather than an attractive boy, Sawada saw a person she could take care of to alleviate her loneliness.

All thing considered, their current arrangement was pretty ideal for both party. Although… he was not sure how to report to Madoka and Luella that they didn't need to worry about Oliver starving himself because a girl had taken care of him. Not without making any of them coming to Japan by the next flight to see the girl themselves. The headache to convince Luella and Madoka that romance was not involved was not worth it either. Considering he didn't understand either how did Oliver and Sawada's relationship worked. They were living together in a sense-just next door- she cooked his meals and everything, however they had no romantic relationship.

So Lin decided to keep Sawada Mai's presence in Oliver's private life a secret.

* * *

 **Ciao~ Next time we will get to see Gene. Hopefully he won't get killed by Mai LOL**


	7. Case 02, Part 03

**Case 02-Part 02**

 **SPR's Base**

I got scolded for my recklessness, which was nothing new, even though the one who scolded me was new… Bou-san. He went on and on about how idiotic it was to charge in the middle of spirit swamp and why couldn't I wait for him to finish praying. I should have think with cooler head, and tried to rely on adults a little.

I refrained from pointing out that so far they had not shown their reliable side at all so they should excuse me for being skeptical to rely on them. It didn't help that Ayako and even Father John had failed to be reliable spectacularly with falling asleep on their guard duty. Father John sincerely admitted his fault, Ayako loudly blamed the spirit for putting her to sleep.

Spirit or not… you shouldn't say it couldn't be helped you fell asleep. Ayami-chan almost died.

The adults weren't so bad, in fact I could be careless of what they thought of tonight. However…

The worse thing that had happened tonight aside from Ayami-chan's close brush with death, was Naru-chan's wounded pride.

"I don't know what to say…" I looked down in shame. "But I am so sorry…" I did warn him, but that didn't excuse me for resorting to violence.

"I don't need your apology." He told me coldly.

I was very tempted to argue that apology was not the matter of needs, but starting an argument with Naru was self-defeating if I wanted him to forgive me. Not to mention… unhealthy or not, I had forgotten a very important piece of information.

I heard Bou-san snickering about Naru being weak if a girl could throw him so easily in the background. Ignoring the logical part of my mind I gave in to my irritation. "My martial arts teacher said… I am strong enough to handle middle sized man bare-handed." I announced loudly. "And that include _all_ _men_ in this room." Except Lin perhaps, but he couldn't be heavier than a Gola Mosca right?

The unspoken threat hung in the air, would they like me to test all of them to prove it now?

"So… Tomiko?"

"Tomiko?" I echoed dumbly.

Naru turned to me, he was still irritated with me but curiosity won over. "Who is this Tomiko you were talking about with that female spirit?"

I began to tell him what I saw in my dream, omitting about his doppelganger. It was not like I wanted to keep dream-Naru a secret, but I was not sure who he was. I just had a feeling I shouldn't spoke of my visitor/trespasser so lightly before I confirmed something.

"I am so sorry for forgetting it…" I said in somber voice.

He sighed, "You're not feeling well since you saved Ayami-chan yesterday…"

I shook my head, "No it's not only that but I…" I swallowed, "I tend to forget this kind of dream… I don't…"

Bou-san whistled, "So you also have Postcognition, Jou-chan… that's awesome."

I gritted my teeth. "NO! IT'S NOT!" I snapped before I covered my mouth, shocked by my own outburst. "I…"

Naru sighed again, patting my head in comforting gesture. It was out of character of him but it calmed me down. "Calm down Mai… you did well, don't force yourself."

I swallowed heavily, "I am so sorry but… I hate it…"

 _I hate this power so much!_

 **Astral World**

The amount of rest I needed because I was out of my meds was ridiculous, I could put hibernating bear to shame. Then again… I sat up, gazing down at the abyss below me. This condition of mine couldn't be fixed by medicine either. I unclasped my pocket watch open then opened the hidden compartment to reveal another clock face behind, the hands were stopped in 10:27.

When the hands moved again…

"E'la nostra ora incise sull'anello…" I recited the word that carved to my mind. "A prosperare o rovinare... La Vongola tramandata la sua forma di generazione in generazione..."

CLANK!

I looked up, gazing at the giant clock with exposed gear that hung on the sky of my world. Both of its hands also stopped at 10:27. It was in tatters, a number of its exposed gears had crack all over it and once briliant gold color surface was marred with rust.

Groaning as I palmed my face I couldn't help but think, "I shouldn't have checked..."

"What is that?" a familiar voice asked from behind me.

I sighed, "You again..."

"Erm..." There was no sound of footsteps in my world but I could tell my visitor or rather my trespasser hesitated to approach me.

I craned my neck so I could see Naru's doppelganger taking a step back from me, a sheepish smile on his lips. "I am not in the mood of burning anyone tonight." I gestured towards the spot beside me, "You may take a seat over there... or unless you're like certain high and mighty narcist who wouldn't deign to sit on the floor? I can materialize a chair or even a throne if you'd like."

Naru look alike hurriedly took a seat beside me, all trace of nervousness disappeared from his face and full blown smile bloomed on his face. This guy... he was very easygoing, it seemed I wouldn't have a hard time to distinguish him and Naru.

"Thank you for having me." He told me, as he gave me a curt bow.

I smiled back at him, hoping I was not giving a misguided hospitality that made him think he could trespass my world. "I can't accept that... because you know... while I have no intention to be violent tonight, and I am sure you have no bad intention to come here..." I droned on, "Intruding someone's astral world is a serious offense..."

"But I..."

I sighed, "Let's see... you have a female relative." Surprisingly he was looking at me attentively and listening obediently, he was nothing like Naru who would listen but feigning ignorance in the same time. "Let's say... your mother, will you let a male stranger to enter her bedroom?"

It was a crude parable, but looking at his appalled face, he got my point.

"I am really sorry..." He said as he sat in seiza, eyes dropped and he looked like a sad puppy that had just been scolded.

 _'_ _Kawaii... it's different kind of kawaii than Naru's cat like haughtiness!'_ Wait... did I just call a guy older than me and not my brother cute? And Naru too? I had been corrupted by Ayako! Wait, focus Mai! This was not the time to be concerned by temporary idiocy!

"Well... good if you understand." I crossed my arms, trying to hide my embarassing thought. "Trespassing someone's astral world is a serious offense and there are others that wouldn't be as lenient to you!"

He looked up in confusion, "Others like?"

I tilted my head to the side, imagining reaction of certain illusionist if someone who was not certain eyepatched girl trespassing his astral world. "There is a guy who will trap you in hell, six realms of it." I told him seriously.

"What kind of person is he?" He asked me cheerfully, "I would like to meet him, I am curious of how hell looks like."

My left eyebrow twitched, "This is the first time someone wants to see that guy after being told he can show you six hells..." I said in dazed tone, amazed at how cheerful he was in this situation and he seemed to forgot I was not quite his friend just a few minutes ago. "That scary desire of curiosity..." I trailed off, "That part of you is so alike with Naru..." I couldn't help but commented.

He perked up at the name, "Ah... you know Noll." Then he bowed at me, "Thank you very much for taking care of Noll, he is handful... but deep down he is a good person."

Noru? Naru... "Erm... by Noll." I tried to pronounce it in English pronounciation. "You mean... Naru?" He nodded. "Alright! I delay this for quite some time already, but... who are you?"

He straightened himself, warm smile firmly in place but instead of charmed it weirded me out a little because his face was identical with Naru. "I am Eugene Davis... you can call me Gene."

"Jin?" It slipped from my tongue before I could stop myself. "Davis?" Obviously not a Japanese name.

He brightened, "You can call me that too! So I also get a nickname from you..." He sounded very pleased for some reason.

"Whoaaa wait!" This person was so carefree but he swept people away to his tune like Naru, in different kind of way but similar. "Alright Gene..." I pronounced it correctly this time, uncaring of his disheartened look. "This is a pretty dumb question but... are you... Naru's twin brother?"

He nodded, beaming a smile that would make other girls squeal but weirded me out a little since it was like looking at Naru who had taken 180 degrees turn in personality. This would take a while to get used to.

At any rate... twins, Naru had a twin and it made me feels someone above is laughing maniacally at me.

"By the way I am the older one." He sounded insistant when he said it, and I could imagine most people would mistake him as the younger one.

I wouldn't know since I was the younger twin and while occasionally when we were young people mixed us up, as we were older no one mistook us. "Alright... so, while I will waive off your trespassing for now I still think you have to explain what are you doing and how did you get here?" I asked and he blinked in confusion at me, "My astral world is perhaps one with toughest defense..." Especially when our psychic link was still active. "You can't just get in as you please even if you want to..."

He looked somber as he began to explain, "I'm... already dead."

Gene was already... what?"

"You see... I had a trip in Japan because I..." He began to tell me about his trip to Japan and how suddenly a request came up, and he was asked to go to a remote village. "I was crossing a street in the middle of nowhere, it was a moonless night." He pointed at his all black clothes. "Not the wisest thing to do in this clothes and then a car in high speed hit me..." Noticing that I had stood up at some point of his story and was looking down at him with bewildered eyes, Gene looked back at me in confusion.

"Uhm... sorry, I'm too used to story of death... it's not something you should tell to a girl so lightly..." He said sheepishly, his eyes never leaving mine. Then he gasped. "Mai..." He called me so casually like his twin, and didn't bother to ask permission either. "Your eyes... such beautiful color, are they..."

Are they human's eyes?

That was not a rare comment ever said to us so I ignored it, I was searching... gazing deep into this man before me for a sign of lies and... I find none. This person, his power emitted the same feeling as Chrome. I compared him to one of my best friends, to Chrome who was a medium for Mukuro... yes, both of them were medium but this person... Gene, at his current state reminded me more of...

"Eugene Davis, right?" I called his name in detached voice, startling him at my change of tone. "You said...you're dead?" He nodded numbly, wondering why I asked. "But... Gene." I inhaled sharply.

 **"You're not dead yet."**

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

Mai once again fell asleep, but we didn't dare to let her out of our sight so she slept on the couch Lin used as bed in our base. She looked exhausted even more than before, and I couldn't even get angry at her for my wounded pride tonight.

She was definitely an ESP user, multiple types and post-cognition was one of it. It was similar to my own psychometry, while limited to past she didn't need specific object like I do.

"Didn't we discuss this before?" I asked Bou-san who flinched guiltily, recalling what we discussed when Mai was asleep after she saved Ayami-chan in their backyard. They wondered if it would be better to have a psychometrist to check on Minnie. Which was pointless because the doll was just a tool, it won't give us any useful reading.

"ESP user that fell in line of pulling information on people and object usually end up seeing unpleasant things."

John-san nodded, "Well… that's true. Whether it's Croiset or Peter—or other famous psychometrists, like England's Oliver Davis and America's Alex Tanous, all of them help the police find missing people…" Not the most pleasant job in the world when it stop becoming detective work, and you had to watch horrible event in first person perspective.

I shifted a little at hearing my real name mentioned so casually by John. "That didn't seem to be the case for Mai though." Surprisingly for ability that took little energy the pool of known users was very small in comparison to other ESP power.

Bou-san sighed, "Oh well… let's get some sleep for now, at least now we know what the hell is inside the circle Mai made. And also that we will call Masako over… we rely on Mai-chan too much already." He yawned before he exited the base, followed by John and Miko-san.

In the end we called that girl, but it couldn't be helped. Bou-san was right that we exhausted Mai, it would be easier if we just get Hara-san to talk with the spirit here although I doubted talking could solve our problem.

"Mmh…"

"Hm?"

Mai shifted on her sleep and then something slipped from her pocket. It was the pocket watch she carried around everywhere with her. It fell off of the couch even though the end of the chain was still clasped on the rim of her pocket. I picked it up, inspecting it for a moment for damage. The design was so delicate, so it must be custom made by a master. I saw a very small and fine writing of the crafter on the edge of the watch.

 _Talbot. E_

An unusual name, it sounded like it was taken straight from sci-fi comic's mad inventor. I checked on my own wristwatch, and annoyed to find it had stopped.

Must be when Mai threw me… just remembering that annoyed me.

Hoping Mai wouldn't mind me borrowing her watch, just to check the time. I opened the watch and suddenly my mind was invaded by a vision. I tried to stop it, but I was swept away.

 **"** **This is our sin! Shoulder it… as you're our heir"**

 **Kill!**

My hand was holding a gun and before me a Caucasian man was begging for his life and family. His plea was ignored as the trigger was pulled and my hand was soaked by warm red liquid.

Then the image shifted to a gun fight, smell of blood and smoke hung in the air heavily.

 **Betrayal…**

This time someone slit my throat, it was a swift death.

 **Revenge!**

Burning buildings and human… smell of burning flesh…

"My eyeeeeeeeeee!"

"Please! Spare my son!"

"It's so painful! Stop!"

What was this? Not… It's not Mai's memory.

"Please! Stop it!" That was Mai's voice, she sounded so young. "Onii-chan!" She cried.

"Mai!" Voice of a young boy. "Stop it! Please! Don't let her see this! Spare her!" He cried out.

 **"** **No… both of you are our heirs, you shall not turn your eyes from our sin! Bear with it!"**

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

Suddenly Gene fell on his knees and I was sure it was not because what I just told him. "Argh!" He curled to petal position, grimacing and convulsing.

"Gene!" I called him out, kneeling beside him. I turned him over so I could see his face, his eyes was unfocused and he was holding his head. "What's wrong? What did you…?"

"Stop it!" He shouted to the sky, his eyes snapped open. "Noll! Stop it! Noll don't look!" His hands were roaming wildly all over his body as if he couldn't decide which part was in pain. "Noll!" He cried. "Cut the link!"

I slapped him, but whatever hallucination he was trapped within didn't let him go. "Snap out of it! Gene!" Why he was calling out for Naru too? What link he was talking about?

"Noll!" He called out, "Cut the link! NOW!"

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

 **"** **Noll! Cut the link! NOW!"**

My eyes flew open, Lin was hovering over me with worried expression. I felt so cold as if I just had taken a dive to a pool of ice water. Then I realized the cold was because I was soaked in my own sweat.

"Are you alright?" He asked in low voice, because Mai was sleeping on the couch. I was laying on the floor next to it.

"That… was close…" I gasped out, although calling it close was not right either. I was not only dead multiple times over but I also killed people with my own hands in the most gruesome way possible. I couldn't even cut the link, no… more like I was too shaken to do so.

Lin looked at the object next to my hand, it seemed I got lucky it slipped off of my hand which is why the link was cut off. What I meant by it was close was not losing consciousness or heart attack that happened when I overwork my psychometry, no… I would have been _killed_ by what I saw.

"Naru… what did you see?" He whispered.

I tried to move but I felt nauseous, bad enough that I fled from the base to nearest bathroom to throw up. Lin came to check my condition, I didn't know if I was feeling better after emptying my stomach. I still felt quite ill. My guardian looked worried, which was no wonder because I was no stranger to the most gruesome vision. But I was knocked out cold from one touch of that accursed pocket watch.

"Hh…" No, don't think about that watch anymore or I would throw up again.

Lin handed me a cup of tea, and I drank it slowly. It usually helped to ease my mind but it didn't work as well as usual. I was ashamed to admit it but the vision I saw just now shook me even more than when I saw my twin's death.

"I… I am not sure what I saw just now." It was a miracle I am still coherent in speech. "I didn't even mean to look at anything, it's just rushed in through me in waves… like a broken dam."

If I wanted to make a comparison between _that_ and my usual vision, it was like comparing tap water and with unstoppable flood from broken dam. There was no faucet for me to turn the water off, I was drowned and swept away.

Lin's eyes hardened, "She doesn't seems to be someone whose past could shake you this badly."

I shook my head in negative, "No… what I saw was not her memory, or to be exact… I was watching what she saw through her post-cognition ability."

His eyes widened at that, "What was it…"

 **"** **Sin…"** I repeated one word that was the most prominent one spoken in that vision. "Just sin… the worse of it." I had no words to elaborate it in better way. "Mai… was _forced_ to watch the same thing and I suspect what I saw was just a chunk of it, I didn't see all…" Her cries was still ringing on my mind, and it made me feel unexplainable phantom pain in my chest.

Lin swallowed, "It's no wonder she hates her post-cognition ability…" Suddenly her reaction to compliment for her ability made so much sense.

"What is a wonder is how the hell she is _still_ sane." I corrected, not caring how out of character I sounded. "It's not something…" Not something a human, much less a child should see. "And someone forced her… she had no choice."

Lin looked very uncomfortable, imagining such a bright girl like Mai had seen something even I deemed shouldn't be seen by human. Even though it was human's darkest side, it was not meant for human's eyes. If I didn't hear the voice telling me to…

My eyes widened in shock, turning to Lin who was as shocked at my expression. So open and defenseless. "Lin… just now… when you wake me up, did you call me Noll and told me to cut the link?"

He shook his head, "As you requested I opted to call you Naru… in fact I haven't say anything to you because I'm afraid I will wake Sawada-san up so I was just shaking your shoulder."

-Lin did pinch the boy's cheek too when the shake failed to wake the boy up but he didn't have to mention it, especially since Naru was too shaken to realize the sting on his cheek.-

"Are you sure… you…" Lin shook his head, "I… it's Gene…" I whispered to myself in disbelief. "He is the one who told me to cut the link, and… for one brief moment I feel him… the familiar sensation of our power intertwining and synching…" That was what cutting the flood of cruel vision.

"Gene?" Lin echoed in shock, "He contacted you… but he… "

I shook my head to clear my thought. "I am sure I did hear him! I wasn't hallucinating." It was not luck Mai's damned pocket watch slipped from my hand. "It's really…"

"Ara…"

Lin and I were startled by familiar voice from behind us. We turned around and found Mai smiling at us as holding a pot of freshly brewed tea. "What are you guys doing in front of bathroom?" She asked curiously then frowned at me.

She was reading me and I felt like a child with his hand caught in cookie jar. "Mai… why you're awake?"

"I am thirsty." She told me in flippant tone. "And… Naru, are you alright? You looks like you has just woken up from a nightmare." She said, very close to the truth without meaning to.

"I am fine." I told her curtly, and before I could stop myself I asked. "Are you alright?"

She blinked owlishly at me, wondering what I was talking about before something dawned on her. "Oh… I am fine, in fact I feel pretty silly to snap at Bou-san! You know… it's a sad vision and all but nothing I should get angsty over! Ha ha ha…"

Of course, seeing a girl kidnapped and a mother committed a suicide was a walk in the park in comparison of what she was _forced_ to see.

"How could you laugh it off?" I asked, my voice hardened.

She tensed a little, "Uhm… I didn't mean to laugh their suffering off!"

"That's not what I meant." I sighed, trying to control my emotion. "Are you alright with seeing them?"

"Them? You mean… tragedy in the past?" She looked at me oddly, before sighing. "No… I am not alright, I am upset and angry…" She listed on, "So! It happened, it was set on the stone~ and it's _not_ mine but the future is." She stated resolutely. "So we…" She stopped herself. "I… uh… can't we just drink a cup of tea?"

 _We…_ plural.

"Alright…"  
The past was not hers but the future is.

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

That was odd, Naru didn't seem to be the type who looked shaken because of a nightmare. However… I looked up at him who serenely sipping his tea, it was subtle but I could see the grip of his fingers on the cup was slightly unsteady. His eyes was wet as if he had been crying, and I still could see slight wetness on his neck.

Definitely not the correct time to tell him that I met his 'presumably dead' brother. If it was me, I would like to know about my brother regardless of what happened around me, the world could be on the verge of Armageddon for all I care and I still would want to know my brother's whereabouts. But… that was my selfish wish as a sister… I was not only a sister but also a leader, second in command and a friend… no matter how much I loved my brother, I knew he would never be happy if he knew I put him above everything in the world out of selfishness.

"Mai, what is it?" He asked, noticing my gaze on him.

I am sorry Naru but… Gene have to wait for you. I inhaled slowly, "No, it's nothing… but…" I trailed off unsurely. "Why your left cheek is so red like someone just pinched it?" I asked pointedly.

Naru's touched his left cheek and winced, as if he just realized his cheek was stinging. If looks could kill, Lin would have melted to a poodle of black goo.

* * *

 **The next day (3rd POV)**

Mai wake up late on sunset, but she felt refreshed and born anew. She was still sleeping on the base, which was just fine because coach was much more comfortable than rocky ground. However she didn't expect to watch one of the most hilarious thing she had ever seen. She just opened her eyes and drowsily rubbed the crust on her eyes, when she was treated to first rate dramatic damsel fall.

Masako was led inside the base by Ayako, she looked sick. Then as soon as she saw Naru, with her hand placed on her temple in classic 'I'm so dizzy' gesture, she closed her eyes and fell forward to Naru's chest. Or so she hoped as he managed to hold her in arm length while holding her shoulders.

"Hmph!"

As one all eyes shifted their attention to her. Mai's shoulders shook with mirth as she jumped off of the couch and fled from the base. Once she was in corridor she laughed until her sides hurt. It had been a while since she saw something funny, and Naru's face… thanks to her hyper intuition she could tell that beneath his stoic face Naru was tempted to step aside and let Masako fall to the floor but settled on holding her on arm length instead.

No matter how much he dislike Masako, Naru was gentleman enough to not let a girl to kiss the floor.

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

Undoubtedly my youngest assistant was alright and had returned to her cheery self, judging from how loud she laughed. I had no idea what she found funny in this situation, and because I was distracted by her laughter, Hara-san succeed to clutch my shirt and got into my personal space.

Mai poked her head in, took one look at my situation and laughed again to her content in the corridor.

With her intuition, in which I still had no clear picture of how much she saw through… it was no wonder Mai had her own inside joke we couldn't comprehend.

I endured the close proximity as I listened to her story about this house. "I can feel the spirits of many children gathered here. They're all children. On my way here, I saw three children headed toward this house. This is like a congregation of ghost children."

Much to my annoyance my suffering was not over as this girl slyly used me as her crutch to walk around the house to look for Tachibana Yuki, the first child who died in this house. Even though it was pretty obvious she had no trouble walking on her own. It was her job as a medium, it didn't make sense she fainted in every single haunted location.

Mai was watching us from behind, and I didn't like how she found this funny.

"What's so funny?" Bou-san asked.

"He he… no, I won't tell, he he." She was still giggling. "Naru will be mad, hmph!"

"Mai!" Bou-san whined.

* * *

 **One hour later…**

"So basically, the children are stuck here?" I concluded.

Hara-san nodded, "Yes… because of her they couldn't pass on, she pretended to be their mother." Which explained why they didn't go after Mai or Noriko-san. "Then she pulled them in, using them to bring in more living children." She looked down sadly, "Tachibana Yukiko-san realized that she isn't her mother... she is in so much pain…"

That was why this house was filled with wailing of the children.

"Tachibana Yukiko-san said… she's tired, in pain, and that she can't stand it anymore. She and the rest of children here just want to return to their real mother."

"And Tomiko?" I urged her on.

"She is still looking for her daughter…" Hara-san's eyes shifted. "But Tomiko-san is not here… she will continue to roam in this house for her daughter."

I stood up, stepping away from her personal space. "In other words, that woman is searching for her own daughter, but in the end, she is simply collecting all these children." My eyes narrowed, "So… until she found her child she won't find rest."

While the information was detailed and complete now I felt like calling her in was not really worth it because there was hardly new information. In fact if I was patient enough I could have used my own psychometry to gather as much. Or Mai will… She was that determined to help Ayami-chan.

While I respected Hara-san's skill, I didn't enjoy being around a person who blackmailed me to go on dates with her.

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

He was in pain, and Masako didn't even notice. I felt kinda evil for not doing anything even though I could tell he was itching to get away from Masako. Then again… Naru, even though I sensed your SOS signal. What the hell you expected me to do to help you anyway? I was not going to help you with your fangirl problem, Nope! Even if you're my friend, I wasn't going to touch problem in _that_ direction even with ten feet pole.

You were not as adorable as my brother to make me go through that trouble!

In the end Naru escaped on his own with excusing himself for another research outside. Masako looked disappointed as she longingly watched Naru's retreating back.

Masako… why did you fall in love with this troublesome guy anyway?

I shouldn't think of such thing… because somehow as we took a break the conversation turn to Naru. In his absence somehow they got into a girls talk. Much to my amusement somehow Ayako revealed she had a crush on Naru, or rather she just liked his face like my friends. Between Masako and Ayako it was like watching a ping pong match. I was tempted to have a popcorn on my lap but Ayami-chan was occupying it. Thankfully she was too busy reading a picture book to notice the ongoing verbal catfight.

Noriko-san went to buy groceries, it was a hard job to feed increasing people in her house.

"It's only a six year age difference." She insisted.

"You're too old!" Masako insisted back, waving her sleeve covered hand.

Ayako glared at Masako, "Don't you know that guys his age tend to go for older girls?"

"Does that line of reasoning even make sense?" Masako shot back. "You're too old anyway."

I had to agree with Masako here, although I had a feeling this conversation would degrade to nonsense by the end of it.

"Stop playing around with me. I know that with your personality, there's no way Naru would fall for you."

In the first place Naru's personality was… horrible. When that was put to consideration, rather than personality you'd need patience of a saint to deal with him. Then again Naru might give even a saint a heart attack with words alone.

"At least my personality is better than a certain old woman's."

That was not a very high standard, Masako-chan.

John interceded, "Shibuya-san puts his heart into his work. So about what you two are saying...he shouldn't be interested, right?"

"Right," Bou-san agreed, smiling, "with the way he is, he must not be dating anyone."

You two… I hoped you knew you were diving into a pool full of shark.

"He went on a date before," Masako asserted proudly.

I blinked owlishly at that, adjusting Ayami-chan on my lap who had dozed off. She was mumbling something cute as she snuggled deeper to the crook of my arm.

"We went out together numerous times." The medium boasted with a smile.

"...You're kidding." Ayako accused immediately.

"How rude. Well, you can go ask Kazuya-san yourself." She huffed indignantly.

Wow, she even called him by his first name. Which 'might' be a sign they were really dating if not for Naru still insisting to call her with her surname. Not to mention the outright refusal Naru expressed for her involvement in this case that almost borderline illogical, considering he was stalling his own investigation.

"It must be work related!" Ayako for once said something that made sense when Naru was concerned.

"Well, movies and concerts are not related to work." She drawled smugly.

...Movies? Concerts? Were you trying to torture that guy who didn't even like to watch TV?! Wait… torture?

"Erm… your date with Naru didn't happen to be on Saturday two weeks ago and…" I listed on another two dates I still could recall clearly. "Right?"

Masako's eyes widened in shock. "How do you know?"

Aah… that explained a lot why Naru came home in a very _bad_ mood on those dates. His mood was so bad I could sense his presence from far away, and I would scramble like a possessed woman to brew tea for him. Then Naru would slam his door close without caring what our neighbors said and I delivered his tea as an offering in hope he won't blow up.

He was so absorbed in his brooding, he didn't even notice how I even knew he needed his tea. Or he just didn't care, and took the convenience for granted like certain skylark.

Naru was powerful, he was practically oozing power like my brother if he was out of control. So living next to him when he was at that state was like waiting for incoming storm. Fortunately tea always managed to get him to calm down, it was a slow process but by the time I cooked his dinner his mood was good enough to get him to talk.

I thought he just came back from a meeting with sponsors since he looked like he had just suffered a great slight to his pride. It was apparently a date with Masako-chan. But still… she looked very pleased with the date even though Naru went home from it in stormy mood. Or she just didn't care?

Or should I warn her because I had a feeling Naru's dark face screamed, 'I will make 'someone' pay'

"Sawada-san? How do you know?" She demanded again.

How the hell I should answer her? That I knew because after your dates, Naru went home in killer mood?

"Jou-chan?" Bou-san called me out. "Masako-chan wants an answer! How do you know that he had a date with Masako-chan?" Then he frowned, "Wait… you don't know he had a date, you guessed on those dates that was what happen."

Bou-san… you were so sharp in the most unfortunate moment, I wished

I could strangle you for that.

I was very still and Bou-san eerily reminded of the time I snapped at them. "Uhm… Jou-chan?"

"Am I obligated to answer that?" I echoed Lin's stock answer when he didn't want to give any.

Silence…

"At any rate… now Naru is out I think we shouldn't do anything tonight." I had enough of trying exorcism and got the woman and children rowdy. I could stay with Ayami-chan and Noriko-san tonight, and that should be enough to discourage the spirits to back down for one night at least. "I'm getting tired of this cruel hide and seek game with them."

I rubbed my palms together, I was starting to get my power under control so I should be able to use some if I had to.

"Well, let's just do this then. Tonight Ayami-chan should sleep in a hotel." Bou-san suggested out of the blue.

What the hell?!

"Wouldn't that create problems?" Ayako asked.

"At least it'll be safer than sleeping at home. John can stay at the hotel. Last time, John's prayer confused them. If Ayami-chan stay somewhere farther, it might be more effective… and if we add Ayako's charm to seal the room we should have a better chance to keep her safe." Bou-san started to take command in Naru's absence.

Normally I would be impressed he took charge when the situation called for it but…

"Ayako, go to the hotel and help John. I still haven't seen you be useful yet. Can you really exorcise ghosts?" He asked skeptically.

Ayako replied gruffly, "...Perhaps I have something up my sleeve." Surprisingly she was… honest, she did has something. Whatever, just use it!

"Then you can be John's partner. Masako, go with them." Bou-san turned around and looked at Masako.

"Me?"

"These two idiots are too susceptible to the ghosts. If things end up like before, we'll really be in trouble. Go with them. If a ghost shows up, wake the two up."

"I got it." Ayako stood up. "Then, what about you?"

"Since the prayer seemed to be effective, I'm going to try an exorcism and…"

"Wait a minute!" I hissed at them, careful to pry sleeping Ayami-chan's hand off of my shirt. "Are you guys really want to go through with this plan?"

Bou-san sighed, "Mai-chan… you're not going to wait for Naru to come up with something, are you? Night is fast approaching, we have to do something…"

I saw a point in that but I was not satisfied with their safety measure for Ayami-chan. Fine, he sent Masako to go with Father John and Ayako in case they were put to sleep again. However did he forget this girl was a medium? She was susceptible to possession! Worse comes to worse she could be the one who tried to kill Ayami-chan!

However I was obviously outvoted and I had two choices… either staying at the house to keep an eye on Bou-san and the woman or go with Ayami-chan to protect her? The latter sounded tempting but…

I rummaged my pocket, taking out my pocketwatch. I flipped the lid open, it was three o'clock in the afternoon. I didn't like using this but… if only for a short time and in worst emergency case…

"Very well." I closed my eyes, "I will go along with your plan for tonight Bou-san."

* * *

 **One hour later…**

Surprisingly Naru came back earlier than usual and listened to their plan, our de facto leader decided they were free to try it out. It was already dusk when he returned so we had to hurry our preparation. Noriko-san was quick to pack up their belongings, no one could blame her for being eager to take Ayami-chan away from the murderous house.

Ayami-chan was holding a protective charm Ayako made, and in Masako's expert opinion it was working properly so the spirits won't be able to see her. I was skeptical not in the effectiveness of the charm but on how long it would hold on against single minded brutality of supernatural entities of this house.

"We will send Hara-san, Father Brown and Matsuzaki-san with you just in case." Naru said.

Speaking of stubbornness and determination, I only believed in Vongola to outrun anyone in that competition. So after Ayako gave Ayami-chan her charm, it was my turn.

"Ayami-chan…"

She looked disheartened when she heard I won't come with her to the hotel. "Mai-chan, you're not coming with me?" She shook a little and I was tempted to say yes. "I'm scared."

I could overhear Ayako grumbling to John about her wounded pride that Ayami-chan had more faith in me than in a professional like her. John sincerely admitted they were disappointing last night, and children was innocently honest.

I ignored them and apologized to Ayami-chan, "I can't come with you but…" I glanced at my coworkers behind me and decided I could be discreet even in front of audiences. "I will lend you this." I took out my pocket watch and put it around Ayami-chan's neck like a medal as I bent down to her eye level.

"What is this?" Ayami-chan asked innocently. "It's pretty and ticking like a clock."

I laughed at her innocent words and held the watch up so it was close to my lips. "I will put a spell on it, alright." I winked at her, I was so focused on Ayami-chan I didn't even notice Naru who was standing behind me went rigid at the sight of my watch.

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes as imagining an image of frozen hourglass in my mind.

 **"E'la nostra ora incise sull'anello,  
** **solo per un momento** **farò girare la clessidra congelato,  
nel mio sangue e il nostro peccato... Ottavo"**

I set the watch, and both hands began to turn backward to 00:00 beneath the closed lid. Then I spoke the name in a whisper... and the image of hourglass in my mind was melted by my flame, and I could see a woman in red suit wielding a crossbow descended to my astral world. Smiling briefly before she disappeared.

 _'I'm counting on you.'_

 _'Bene.'_

Ayami-chan hugged the watch close to her chest, marveling how warm it was. "So… your friend will protect me?"

I wouldn't call that person a friend but… I nodded, "Yes… make sure you never _ever_ let this watch go." Then I glanced at confused Noriko-san beside Ayami-chan. "Don't even take it off when you bath Ayami-chan, it's waterproof so it would be alright."

Noriko-san nodded, "Alright, thank you… Mai-chan."

We saw the five people off, then started to prepare for the exorcism. "Mai-chan… just now?" Bou-san asked, "Is that a mantra?"

I snorted, mantra? As if. "It's a countermeasure… just in case."

He groaned, "Come on! Are you and Naru plan to pile mystery upon yourself?"

"Yes." I told him bluntly, "Don't get yourself bald over me and my secrets, Bou-san… it would be bad if I can't distinguish you with other Monk!"

"Hey! I have my own style!"

* * *

 **SPR's base 7PM (Naru's POV)**

I had my own plan but there was nothing wrong with trying their simpler plan for now, even if it failed it could serve for my plan. Exorcism severely weaken spirits, for my plan it would be better if they were not in their full power. Beside… our exorcism so far was not pointless, considering their progressively violent behavior was an indication we were eroding their defense rapidly.

Lin suddenly cleared his throat, "Sawada-san."

It was rare for Lin to begin a conversation with Mai, even though he obviously still distant to her he didn't dislike her either.

"Yes, Lin-san?"

"Bou-san didn't notice yesterday but…" Lin began in detached tone, "Since I was watching everything from our monitor I noticed the spirits of children scurried away from you when you got close. Why is that?"

Silence…

Something like that happened yesterday? Mai threw me to the corridor so I was too disoriented to notice. However it was odd that Mai got close to Ayami-chan so easily. Then again… she did say something about she shouldn't get too close or the spirit would run away, once… when we found Minnie under Ayami-chan's blanket.

"…Is this question come out because your…" Mai trailed off hesitantly glancing at Lin's direction, or to be more precise the air behind him. "Pets?"

"They're my shiki… familiar." Lin informed her bemusedly. "You sensed them."

Mai nodded, she looked somber. "It's hard not to… even though I can't see them I can feel they're like wild cats, hissing indignantly at me constantly as if I am going to _hurt_ them and you." She looked depressed about it, "I mean… sure you got hurt that time but…"

This supposed to call for a serious confession but Mai turned it to a depressing one, she acted as if a puppy or Ayami-chan hated her.

"Since we're already in this conversation, can you tell them I'm not going to hurt them or anything?" She asked hopefully.

"Mai… why do you even care, whether Lin's shiki hate you or not?"

Mai snarled at me, "In case you forgot… I work for you! So I will spend copious amount of time around Lin-san and if those five…" She trailed off, "Erm… familiars of his keep acting like that, it's vexing! How do you feel every time you're in the same room as Lin-san they're like screaming at me to stay away! Don't hurt our master! They treat me like a criminal!" She flailed her hands up and down in frustration.

I frowned at her, it would bother her _that_ much? "Fine… Lin will try to convince his shikis that you're… not going to hurt them." I could sense Lin's eyes on me, I just decided on my own he should convince his shiki for Mai. "But don't avoid the subject."

She rolled her eyes, thinking furiously before she answered. "I am not sure… in the first place I work for you to learn so I can understand." She pointed out in lofty tone. "I don't know since when either but supernatural entities usually avoid me like I'm a plague." She pointed at herself. "I didn't go out my way to find them either even though I love ghost stories, so I _never_ really think why… I have some theories but nothing solid."

"Theories?"

She nodded, holding up two fingers. "Either to them I'm oozing some sort of anti-pheromone they didn't like…" The opposite way of medium that would draw them in like bee to honey. "Or…they're simply scared of me for natural reason, or unexplainable reason…"

"…"

"…"

"I'm suck at explaining… don't hope for something technical." She grumbled, "For example, human in general didn't like snakes. Even if it just slithering pass our yard, not poisonous and in general minding its own business human didn't like it to be around…" She sighed, "I think that's how I looks to them…"

"Not because of your power?" Lin inquired.

"If that's the case why they still attack Bou-san? Your shiki is okay being around him but not me…" Mai reasoned smoothly.

I sighed wearily, once again she pulled another rabbit out of her hat. "Let's save this for later… Monk is about to begin his exorcism."

* * *

 **Hotel, Room 1508 (3rd Person's POV)**

"No!" Ayami-chan yelled at Ayako and Masako.

"Ayami-chan!" Noriko scolded her niece, "They just want to look at the watch Mai-chan gave you!"

Ayami-chan pouted, "No, Mai-chan give it to me! It's our secret!"

Ayako groaned, "Gosh… she is totally become Mai's follower." She turned to Noriko-san. "It's fine… we just want to check, we will not bother you about it." Then she retreated to the bed beside the one Ayami-chan and Noriko-san occupied, she and Masako shared it together. While John took the couch.

"Hm…"

"So…" Ayako trailed off as watching Ayami-chan hugging the watch close to her chest with happy expression. "What do you think of that watch?"

Masako shook her head, "I don't know… I didn't pay attention when Sawada-san gave it to Ayami-chan but…" She trailed off, "For a very brief moment I sensed a new presence… I am not sure it's a spirit or not but it feels so warm."

Ayako tilted her head to the side, Noriko-san was fussing over her niece as she led Ayami-chan patiently to the bathroom to brush her teeth. John approached them, then taking a seat on the sofa by the window that was next to their bed.

"I don't think Mai-san is doing anything strange…" John offered his opinion. "But what she whispered back then…"

Ayako craned her neck, rubbing her ear. "She spoke very fast… but I think she was speaking in foreign language. I am sure it's not English though… Is it latin?" After all it was not strange, Ayako had heard some exorcist spoke in latin. Rumors most probably because John spoke in Japanese to exorcise spirit.

He shook his head, "It sounds similar… but I think it's Italian." He pointed out, "Both languages are similar in roots of the words but the grammar structures differs a lot. I have met Italian exorcist before and he still have to learn Latin all over again but he has easier time to learn it in comparison to English speaker like me."

Masako nodded at that, "I see… it make sense to think that Sawada-san has foreign blood in her." Like Shibuya-san…

Ayako looked confused, "Mai looks very Japanese to me."

John nodded in agreement, "Hai… how come you think she has mixed blood, Hara-san?"

Masako's eyes went wide in shock, "Uhm… none of you realized?"

"What?" Ayako demanded in confusion.

Masako's eyes shifted, "Her eyes…"

"?"

"Sawada-san…" Masako trailed off unsurely, "Her eyes has the color of amber stone… " She paused, trying to recall the image of smiling girl who worriedly called her name when she fell in that old school building. "No… it's the color of shimmering flame… gradient of red to orange."

As if they were mirroring twilight sky.

"…That's…" Ayako trailed off, "That doesn't sound like eye color of a human... if only you who saw it, I think it's just your imagination!" She huffed, "How many times you saw Mai anyway? You're the least of us who interact with that girl, in fact I think you keep trying to avoid her."

Masako didn't understand either, in fact she also just realized in their short time interacting with each other not even once Masako really look at Sawada-san in the eye aside when she was injured. Then she had instinctively tried to flee from Sawada-san's eyes, afraid to be seen by Shibuya-san's assistant. Not to mention when she asked how Sawada-san knew about the dates of her outing with Shibuya-san… she quickly regret asking. She didn't care what Matsuzaki-san said about her relationship with Shibuya-san.

However… she was afraid of what Sawada-san would say about it, as if it would be an absolute verdict that couldn't be changed.

She had read somewhere that eyes were the mirror of the soul, and reflects everything hidden by its owner. However in Sawada-san's case… her eyes were a mirror that reflect those who gazed at them, drowning them and baring their soul open. When she looked at Sawada-san's eyes she could only see her reflection clearly but not Sawada-san herself…

"Go to sleep Ayami-chan…."

"Yes!" Ayami-chan beamed, she was still hugging the watch on her arms. Then she flopped herself to bed, before snuggling under the blanket. Her cheeks pressed against the watch. "Hm…"

Noriko smiled at her niece, "Ayami-chan… you really like Mai-chan's watch, isn't it cold?" It was made of metal after all.

Ayami looked at her oddly in confusion. "But Mai-chan's watch is very warm like her…"

"Warm?" Noriko echoed in confusion.

The three spiritualist frowned, "Warm?" Ayako repeated.

BLINK!

The lights blinked off and on sporadically, and then the familiar rapping and knocking sound started.

"They're here!" Masako announced. "Brown-san! Matsuzaki-san!"

John quickly went to Ayami-chan and Noriko-san, shielding them as he began to chant. "Our Father in Heaven…"

* * *

 **Back in Morishita's Residence…**

"Haah haah…" Bou-san panted as he crawled out of the living room, exhausted from his tough battle.

Naru and Mai were already waiting for him outside of the room, as they had told him that if he was asked to get out he had to without question. They had warned him.

"It seems you are beaten again, Bou-san." Naru murmured mercilessly. "Though… you put up a better fight in comparison of Matsuzaki-san." Which was not a high standard at all to be proud of in comparison.

He groaned, "Give me a break! They're even more intense than last night!" He mumbled as he accepted the water bottle Mai passed to him.

Mai tensed and then looked up, while the two of them snapped their attention to her. "Mai?"

"It seems… they go to the hotel after all…" She murmured softly. "I am no Hara-san but when they attacked Bou-san, the house feels _less_ crowded."

The monk blanched at that, "That's bad! We should call them and go to help them in the hotel!"

Naru narrowed his eyes skeptically at Mai who was very calm even though Ayami-chan she was so fond of was in danger. "Does it seems we could rely on them tonight?"

"Hm… we're sending two spiritualist they put to sleep last night and a medium that susceptible to possession." Mai listed on in dry tone. "How reliable are they?" She asked back instead, she didn't want to be condescending but Bou-san had to see sense.

Bou-san slumped in defeat. "I'm sorry… sending Masako along is not a good solution after all…"

Naru crossed his arms, "No, it isn't…" He turned to Mai, "So, in the end your countermeasure come to play after all…"

She sighed wearily, "I _really_ want to rely on you guys, seriously I do…"

"Mai-chan…" Bou-san sobbed theatrically. "Are you trying to console me or guilt-tripping me?"

Naru snorted, "At this point, do you think there is anything we can say to flatter you?"

"Naru… remember, the battle is not over yet. Don't erode morality of our comrades now." Mai reminded him cheerfully.

Bou-san couldn't help but think Mai was getting sadistic lately, "Hic… so… do you still have a plan?"

Naru snorted, "Of course I do, but first… we will call those three back to this house first thing in the morning."

RING~

"Eh?" Bou-san blinked at the sound of phone ringing.

Naru sighed, "That must be them." He could almost imagine what was going on in the hotel. He would have been worried if not for Mai who was too calm.

But tonight they had lost another round of hide and seek with the spirit.

* * *

 **So by unspoken agreement Mai n Naru leave out secrets to stay as one...  
It's NOT like they're not curious of each other, by nature both are curious persons... however they're content to keep it to themselves. There was no reason to break a perfectly arranged dynamic they had now. Naru to an extent had sixth sense... he is no Mai but he unconsciously realize if Mai wanted to she could pry on his secrets, but she respected his boundary so she didn't. So the least he could do was paying her the same courtesy. Naru in a sense is a little like Verde, he has single minded curiosity but well... he is not mafia so he has some decency about it.  
**

 **So since I merge KHR and GH, let's us pray Naru will never meet Verde.**

 **As for Masako-chan**

 **I don't hate Masako, really… she is one of those characters you're annoyed with but the series would never be the same without her type of character ^^ However I couldn't help but despise her way to get close with Naru. Love rival is alright and vital in progress of relationship, but Masako's way as Mai pointed out is self-centered and foolishly counter-productive IF she want to get the guy. She KNOWS he has a great pride and yet she used one advantage she has over him to slight his pride just for pointless dates he didn't enjoy.**

 **Which is why calling her feeling for Naru as more than a crush is up to a debate.**

 **Mai in this fic is not easy to fall in love, considering the family she grew up in. She was surrounded by good looking boys and spoiled rotten by her twin brother since she was very young, so naturally as arrogant as it sounded she has no desire like most girls her age to be fawned by boys or interested to get attention from boys her age. She effortlessly gain attention from them because they're her family…**

 **So yeah, excuse Mai's lateness to notice attention from boys her age like Naru. She didn't get their attention for her is 'special' and means deeper than friendship. It didn't help a number of people in her family like Hibari is obviously care for her and cold to others. So to her even if someone like Naru treat her in special way she still consider it as nothing out of the box of friendship and familial relationship.**

 **As for the omake...  
Well... that conversation could go down a different path~ **

"Are you jealous?" Masako-san asked cautiously.

Bou-san shivered, "Uhm… Masako-chan…"

Mai blinked owlishly, "Jealous? Of what?"

"My dates with Kazuya-san of course?"

The brunette blinked again, "Ha-i? Why would I be jealous of your date? I mean… I don't even like him." Bou-san winced in sympathy for their de facto leader. "I mean… not in romantic sense." She laughed softly as caressing Ayami-chan's hair.

Sensing his chance, and hoped Naru's chance was not nonexistent, Bou-san braced himself. "So… Naru-chan is not pretty enough for you?"

Mai-chan tilted her head to the side, "He is pretty enough to be in love with himself." What kind of answer was that?! "So what? He is not adorable enough to make up for his personality~"

In short to Mai, personality was more important than looks. Naru's chance was not so good considering… who knows? Maybe he could be very sweet to Mai, who he liked.

"So what's your type?"

"Bou-san… I don't know why the topic shift to my type of guy, but I will tell you… Naru is not it." Mai-chan stated with a tone of finality and Bou-san inwardly cried for the boy. "As for my type…" She sighed dreamily. "Well… I am not hoping for too much to be honest, or is it too high?" She wondered out loud. "After all… I am looking for a guy that at least half as wonderful as my Onii-chan."

Huh?

Onii-chan?! Well… it was quite a news she had one but did she just say…

"So you have a brother complex." Ayako stated in a dazed voice. "Well… that's new, what kind of guy your brother is?"

She sighed dreamily again. "The most wonderful person in the world… it's _justified_ I have a brother complex!" She insisted, sounding oddly pleased with herself.

"Be specific, that's your sisterly love talking." Ayako pointed out helpfully.

She cocked her head to the side, "Hm… if you ask me I will sounds biased no matter what." She was _aware_ of that?! "But people who know my brother summarize him in one word." She giggled. "He is a _saint_."

"…A saint?"

Mai nodded, "Yeap! I think that description is pretty justified."

"How?"

"My brother is the gentlest soul you will ever met… he can't even hurt a fly." She was shaking her head now, "He can't say no to helping people, caring, sometimes he is also naïve and worry me a lot because people is taking advantage of his kindness!" Mai continued to babble. "He is shy and timid but never hesitate to be the first in line to protect his friends. He is charismatic but never arrogant, humble and…"

The rest of her rant could be replaced with sparkles, and Bou-san couldn't help but wonder if Mai's brother exist or just a product of her imagination. Then again… imaginary or not, in that long list Naru barely scratch five percent of it.

In short what Mai wanted in a boyfriend was _everything_ Naru was not, humble and caring was on the top of list Mai was waxing lyrical on.

"How about looks?!" Bou-san tried again.

Mai rolled her eyes, "If they can even reach half of my brother's standard, their looks doesn't matter~"

She was _serious_ that her standard was _that_ high.

"Mai-san… is your brother a human or an angel?" John seemed to be the only one who had faithfully listening in Mai's long list of how amazing her brother is.

Mai huffed, "I am sure I have heard him called that by a number of people… but most just call him a living saint."

A saint, how far Naru was from that? As far as possible… in his opinion.

* * *

 **So yeah... this is connected to 'Who will marry our princess' OMAKE... Actually this almost canon to this story before I delete it. I was carried away when I wrote this LOL  
**


	8. Case 02, Part 04

**Since you guys are so nice, 11 reviews overnight... I can't resist giving in to post next chapter. I'm working on 3rd part of Third case BTW... but I'm planning to say ahead by three chapters for every update!**

* * *

 **Case 02, Part 04**

 **The next morning(3rd POV)**

Click, clack, click…

"It can't be…" Ayako gasped the moment she entered the base, followed by Masako and John.

Inside the base Naru and Lin were both sitting in front of monitor, uncaring of their presence as ever. The three spiritualist who had just returned from the hotel after a rough night didn't care about the two dark and gloomy ghost hunters though, because what shocked them the most was the ghost hunter in training who was sitting on the couch with bored look on her face. She was holding a very familiar pocket watch she had never went without, and was flipping it open and close absentmindedly.

Click, clack, click…

"That thing!" Ayako pointed at it in dramatic fashion. "I swear it's still on Ayami-chan's hands last night!"

"But… we were so tired after the attack." John stammered, "I don't think we pay attention to it."

Masako covered her mouth with her kimono sleeve. "It's back with Sawada-san." And it felt different from last night, it was not brimming with power anymore.

She sighed before she craned her neck towards their direction. "Good morning Matsuzaki-san, Father John…. Hara-san." She greeted them.

Masako stepped forward and braced herself. "Last night… the spirit of children from this house tried to take Ayami-chan away… they knocked all of us out of their way and went for Ayami-chan but…"

Suddenly the room was filled by bright light that blinded them. She almost couldn't see anything but she thought she hallucinated that their hotel room was set on fire and there was a woman. It was almost blinding but Masako could see the silhouette of the spirit, or something she assumed as one. She had never seen spirit with such a bright aura, but neither holy nor evil.

It was a female, tall, slim and graceful. It was very brief but Masako saw faint outline of foreign woman with flower tattoo on the side of her face, a spirit shrouded by flame. The spirit of children were stopped on their track at mere sight of her and then she pulled out something like a bow, a western crossbow. Then she pointed it at them and Masako screamed at her to not kill them.

Then she heard something echoed on her mind, _**"** **Buona notte, i bambini**_ ** _..."_  
** The spirit said before all children spirit attacking the hotel disappeared, they were purified by gentle flame.

Masako then asked Father John, what did she say meant in Japanese. The spirit of flame said… _good night, children_ … She put them to rest.

"But…" Masako breathed out.

"But…" Mai echoed, smiling at the medium girl.

"I think you already know the rest." Masako finished. "You put your shiki on your watch and ordered it to watch over Ayami-chan, and then you call it back this morning."

"Wow." Naru interjected suddenly, a bemused expression on his face. "Amazing… so this familiar of yours could easily drove the spirits away."

Mai huffed, "Not familiar!" She protested, pausing. "I don't know what to call _them_ but… who cares! It works!" She beamed.

"So tonight…"

Masako was hopeful, perhaps… they didn't have too.

Mai looked somber as she flipped her watch open, "I'm sorry… it run out of time." They understood she meant she couldn't use it again for tonight but her choice of word was odd. Masako deflated at that. "So Naru… if you don't have confidence the plan for tonight will work, I _will_ go over to the hotel."

Naru smirked at her, "I do, and my plan _will_ succeed."

"Good to know that." Mai grumbled under her breath. "I am tired of this."

The scientist sighed, "Did you exhaust yourself again?" She was testy today and Naru couldn't help but wonder if it was because their coworkers were being unreliable or it was her power taking a toll on her again. With Mai you would never know.

She paused at that, closing her eyes. "I am still good, you don't have to worry."

"That's good, because I need you on standby."

Bou-san raised his hand, "Wait a minute! Can you explain what you have in mind? Unlike Mai-chan, we can't read your mind."

"I can't read his mind!" Mai interjected, "I told you many times, I can't!" She looked strangely offended to be labelled as mind reader.

Bou-san ignored her protest and went on, "So start explaining!"

Naru sighed before he passed a stack of paper to their Miko, "Matsuzaki-san… please create some charms to block spirits from passing through and I want the rest of you to post them throughout the house."

While she was unreliable in exorcising Naru acknowledged her skill in charm crafting.

She sighed, "I'm telling you… this _will_ fail, don't underestimate their single-mindedness to achieve their goal." She stressed, and she was speaking from experience. "My charm works to an extent but it's their bullheadedness that tore through it." Children's tenacity was amazing after all.

"It's okay. John will assist us." Naru said.

"Okay, but..." John rubbed the back of his head, "What do you want me to do?"

"Perform another exorcism." Naru told him.

"But…" Like the Miko, John knew his exorcism was limited.

"The idea is trapping the spirits inside this house." Naru elaborated, "Thus preventing them from going after Ayami-chan while we deal with them."

"I don't know if that will work." Bou-san rubbed his chin.

"We only need the barrier to be good enough to stop them from leaving through anywhere but one path, the demon gate." Naru said pointedly.

Mai blinked at that, "Demon gate… is it the northeast gate evil spirits pass through?" It seemed she had read it somewhere in passing but didn't remember it well.

Naru sighed. "in short the smoothest path for them to leave from, and since the charms will be blocking all other passages of exit, the ghosts that are heading toward the hotel will have to pass through the Demon's Gate, And Bou-san and Miko-san will disperse the spirits leaving the Demon's Gate."

Mai hummed at that, "Ho… so leading multiple opponents we face to narrow space to face them one on one." She nodded to herself sagely. "I see… and in the same time preventing them from pushing our barrier that won't hold on for long with showing an obvious opening." That was one tactic she often heard used in street fight, and waived off by Reborn as useless considering… fighting using flame in small space was _never_ a good idea.

All spiritualists in the same room stared at Mai in bewilderment, did she just refer to spirit as opponent?

"So you want us to disperse the spirits that leave the Demon's Gate?" Bou-san stirred the attention back to their current mission. Deciding he won't touch the topic of why Mai-chan sounded like a yankee talking about street fight.

"That's right. All you have to do is disperse them." Naru supposed Mai's description was apt but why it sounded weird in her version?

Ayako groaned, "We can't solve the problem this way. Even if we do disperse the spirits, they will end up accumulating anyway."

"We just need the defense wall that woman put up around her to thin out temporarily, and that is the spirit of children she gathered… we have to get to her to solve this case."

"Alright…" Ayako grumbled.

Bou-san called Naru, "Hey, I understand that we get to handle the spirit of children, but who is going to exorcise that woman?" He pointed out the most vital position.

Their eyes slowly inched to Mai, who blinked owlishly at them. "Absolutely _not_." Naru refuted very quickly with irritation in his voice and ignored inquiring look from Mai who sensed his displeasure. They were just asking, Naru didn't have to sound so testy.

The Monk couldn't help but wonder if it was just him that suddenly the temperature dropped rapidly but since Masako had not said anything it was not because of spirit. "So… who? Can it be… you?"

None of them noticed Mai's sidelong glance at Lin who was generally ignored by everyone.

Naru smirked confidently, he didn't correct them. "Let's start."  
Their meeting ended with Ayako promising to pick up their bones and kindly offer to hold a funeral in their honor, Shinto style. Bou-san loudly object to that, John just laughed and Mai wondered if they would go to the same place if their funeral was held in the same fashion, much to their horror.

The longer they were spending time with her, the more they realized Mai had an odd and sadistic sense of humor.

* * *

 **Living Room - Mai's POV**

"So… when you said you need me on standby, you mean _this_?" I said in defeated tone, because I couldn't help but feel disappointed of my role in his grand plan. Not that I wanted a spotlight but anything sounded better than this.

Naru smirked at me, "Mai, I assigned everyone to suitable role according to their skill."

Hara-san clutched my arm, smiling at me but I could tell her smile was not sincere at all. "I am counting on you, Mai-san." She looked scared but somehow she still had strength to swoon over Naru's concern for her.

"It will be _troublesome_ if she gets possessed." Naru told me, loud enough for everyone in the living room and especially Hara-san to hear him. She looked disheartened by it.

As usual delicacy was not your talent, I sighed at them, "But still… I can't believe I am here as 'spirit repellant' of all things." I grumbled under my breath. Aah… if my family back home found out that I was degraded to this I'd never be able to live it down. I'd rather die if certain illusionist heard this indignity I suffered.

"Just do your job Mai." Naru said.

I rolled my eyes, how was sitting beside Masako a job? "Hai."

"John," Naru called out, urging him to start.

John nodded and started his prayer, opening it with first verse of Genesis. We were not surprised to see the room become foggy and the air was getting colder drastically. Then the sound of rapping and knocking began, followed by wailing of children.

Masako became even paler than usual, and fear was written all over her face. I was worried since nothing happened yet, and she was already this scared. I had to compliment her stubbornness to stay in the same room as her crush. She could have stayed in the base and informed us of her sighting from there and yet she went through trouble to stay here instead.

"Are you okay? Do you want to go back to our base?" I whispered to her softly.

Masako shook her head. "No, I'm fine... I'll stay here."

Stubbornness of a maiden in love never failed to astound me.

"There are two ways to exorcise spirits..." Masako explained, her eyes searching the room. It seemed she was trying to distract herself from her own fear with talking. "Purifying them and exorcising them. Purification involves talking with the spirit and finding out why they can't cross the bridge. But this is something that only a medium can do."

Yeah, that made sense because if you couldn't see them you can't counsel them. If my brother could see spirit he would do an excellent job on that.

"Naru's not a medium, so he wants to exorcise the ghost," she continued to explain. "Killing it with brute force..."

So purification was like a peace treaty and exorcism was straightforward battle to eliminate them?

"I hope he doesn't kill them, at least not in front of me."

I understand why you, who could see spirit think they were no different than human, but… if you didn't want to see why did you stay here?! I wanted to sympathize with Masako, I really do… but it was hard to feel that way when she blatantly juggling her crush on Naru and sympathy to spirits. She could have stayed because she wanted to try convincing the mother again but… since she hadn't suggested that most likely Masako already know the mother couldn't be convinced by words.

I looked up as the rapping sound grew louder and the room felt like flooded by waves of emotion in my sense. It was like facing a whirlwind head on and made it harder for me to breathe. Then together with Father John's prayer I felt the wind started to abate in my sense and it was easier for me to breathe.

Amazing… so when it was supernatural phenomena in full blow that I sensed, the sensation was not merely metaphorical. Naru would have a field day if he knew.

"Mai-san!"

I was snapped back from the overwhelming sensation as I turned to my side where Masako edged closer and glared at the empty air beside her. "Leave."

Then something that tried to pull Masako away withdrew, followed by voice of crying child. It was a boy and made me a little guilty for scaring him. "Mai-san! They're really scared of you!" She exclaimed, she sounded impressed.

That didn't sound like a compliment Masako-chan…. I was great with living kids but to children spirit I was the bogey woman. I cleared my throat, "It seems that woman spirit is stalling…" I could feel her in the deepest part of the well, she was angry but patient.

Naru who was leaning against the door in Northeast direction craned his neck towards me. "She has to come out sooner or later, Mai." Naru turned to look at Masako. "Hara-san! What's the situation?!"

"They're running away. The amount of spirits has decreased drastically... They're leaving the living room." Masako said as looking up at the ceiling. "I wish I could help with purifying them but as long as that woman is here…"

They couldn't leave even if they wanted to, because they were chained to her. It was no wonder when I saw this house I had an impression it was like a prison.

A cold layer of air enshrouded the floor, and white wispy smoke hovered about the floor, encircling the entire room. The sound of sorrowful cry of children was getting louder, they were hurting because of the prayer.

"Uuh…" The wave of emotion was getting stronger again, and all my senses were overloaded by grief and pain from my surrounding. Naru! You were seriously going to play a game of patience with that woman? I was fine but Masako was not!

"Don't touch her!" I scolded to the empty air in front of us, I could almost feel a child bent down and tried to pull Masako's hand. They were getting bolder to get a hold on her so ignoring her yelp I pulled Masako closer to me.

"Mai-san!" John yelled at me.

"John! Duck!" I warned me.

"Eh?" He ducked as instructed, he didn't understand why but he could feel something cold breezing pass over his head.

Stupid Naru! You weren't the one who had to endure them, they didn't even pay attention to you because we got John who was attacking them and Masako who was like a beacon to them! Wait, this was part of the plan in the first place! I was SO disappointed in you, bastard! You made John and Masako be your bait! Sure I was here as safety measure, but you're still an ass!

I was getting impatient so I shouted, "Come out already! Okku-san! You hide behind children, and yet you dare to call yourself a mother?!"

Silence… I could tell my coworkers and boss were staring at me in disbelief. I was getting embarrassed because it was not just them that was stunned to silence, the children spirit around us also didn't let out any voice either.

"She is coming!" Masako announced in disbelief.

"Mai-san…" John was looking at me oddly and I blushed a deep red.

I didn't look at Naru because I knew he must be smirking at me now. "Good job Mai."

Should I feel flattered?

The tension that popped like a balloon returned in full force as the woman materialized on top on the old well, and I heard the sound of water dripping coming from her. It was not literal sound, but image my intuition projected to my mind. Sorrow and grief so great, it was dripping endlessly to that well of darkness she trapped herself within as she ensnared children to fill her loneliness.

...Her eyes was filled with nothing but sadness as she gazed at us and we stared back at her. She looked even more battered in her kimono and unkempt hair, as the image was becoming more vivid. I actually could see her now!

"Tomiko-san isn't here!" Masako yelled at the mother. "She's not here anymore!"

The figure lowered her head, but didn't respond. She couldn't even hear Masako's voice.

"Please understand! Tomiko-san isn't here!" Masako cried out desperately, trying to convince the mother. "These children aren't Tomiko-san! Please release them! They all want to return to their mothers!" She begged.

I flinched as I sensed incoming danger, as hostility replaced the sadness in the air surrounding the mother. "Masako! Stop!"

Masako stopped talking and realized quickly why I told her to, the edge of the well was filled with white hands of children crawling out. I didn't need my intuition to know it was not a good sign. John stood in front of us as he prepared to sprinkle the holy water to defend us.

"John! Duck!" I cried out, but my warning this time was late and he was knocked away by an invisible force. I didn't even had time to react as he was thrown across the room. "John! Are you alright?!" I called out as I didn't dare to leave Masako, if she got possessed it would go from bad to worse for us.

Her gloomy eyes swept the floor before it stopped at the black figure near the door. I was surprised she at last took notice of Naru, I almost thought Naru's black clothes served as perfect camouflage in this dark room. Maybe he did has a practical reason to wear black all the time.

Then Naru pushed himself up from the door he had been leaning to and Masako panicked. "Naru, stop! Please wait!" Masako cried out.

Naru ignored Masako's plea and stepped closer to the woman. Then he flashed an object he was holding on his right hand towards the woman. "Your daughter is here," Naru calmly announced.

It was a wooden board cut in the shape of a human with a tag on it. The woman stared at the wooden piece disinterestedly. However she still regarded Naru as a threatening figure so when he threw it to the air, her eyes followed it.

"Take those children you have gathered...with you as well."

The wooden figurine spun in the darkness, slowly spinning toward the woman. The blurred trajectory faded into a figure of a child enveloped in warm light. It was very brief but I recognized that child, it was the girl I saw in my dream. She was Tomiko… Tomiko reached out for her mother who cried as opening her arms towards her daughter.

All I could see was serene and warm light and then I saw that woman embracing someone and as the light slowly faded away the spirit of children was swallowed by it, but they were smiling before they disappeared into the light.

The light dissipated, leaving the dusky room the way it was before it all happened.

Masako heaved a sigh of relieve as a happy smile bloomed on her face, "They've gone as she has been purified."

And so the case of Doll House of Morishita family was closed.

* * *

 **Two days later~**

"Mai-chan!" Ayami-chan cried, "Promise me you will call! I will write lots of letter and…" She babbled on and I listened to her patiently.

I nodded at her, "Of course Ayami-chan…" We had been sleeping together last night and it was a relief to see her sleeping so soundly in her own room.

"And also…" She trailed off shyly, "Please come to visit me once in a while too!"

Of course I will! My happy thought was interrupted by the commotion in the background. Ayako and Bou-san were pestering Naru about his dates with Masako and even though he replied their inquiry coolly I could sense his ire coming from him in waves. Then Masako made it worse with clinging to his arm as giggling behind her sleeve. You guys were free to tease him for all I care but please think of me who had to ride in the same van with this guy for two hours and living next to him! I wanted to sleep well tonight too!

Coming to a decision I decided to help him just this one time…

"So Ayami-chan." I stood up, "Since this is our last day, let me show you one last magic!"

In instance all eyes were on me, and they completely forgot about Naru and his dates. I turned around and saw Naru who was in the middle of trying to subtly pry Masako's hand off of his sleeve, when everyone was distracted by me.

I grinned brightly at him. "Naru! Come over here for a sec!" I beckoned him to come closer.

He looked _almost_ happy to have a reason to pry Masako's hand off of him openly and made his way towards me, his eyes shone with curiosity. I was saving you and you still had time to be curious?! Idiot scientist! Too bad… what I was going to show you was a parlor trick, kinda…

"Steady…" I grinned at confused Naru who stared at my hand on his shoulder.

Faster than his eyes could follow, using his shoulder I flipped myself upside down. So I was standing with one hand on his shoulder. "Mai?!" Did he just yelp?

Bending the hand that supported my weight a little I propelled myself to the air, somersaulted after I reached highest point, adding more spin as I made my way down to slow down my fall and I landed smoothly back to the ground like I always did.

Ayami-chan's excited squeal as she clapped her hands enthusiastically was _so_ worth it.

I took a moment to bask in satisfaction of my stunt –which was not really a stunt if my flying ability was taken to account- but whatever! I fell from high places too many times to count because of Reborn. I cracked on eye open and not really surprised to see my coworker's jaw dropping at me, and even Lin-san's eyes were widening in shock. However I didn't expect Naru to be right beside where I land with hands stretched out in catching position.

"…"

"…You have no faith I can land on my own, haven't you?"

My coworkers were torn between appalled and impressed by my latest stunt, which was expected. Bou-san was impressed but expressed his worry because I was wearing a skirt, and I told him nowadays active girls like me wore shorts under their skirt. John was more worried than impressed that I could get hurt. Ayako scolded me that a girl should be more lady like, not jumping and doing air salto. And Masako… she looked annoyed Naru paid attention to me because of that stunt, which was not my intention but…

Whatever, I should be able to sleep well tonight if Naru was in good mood.

* * *

 **On the way back to Tokyo (SPR's Van) in Naru's POV**

"I think you owe me a thank you." Mai told me abruptly, she was sitting on the back passenger seat. So she was right behind Lin's driver seat.

I didn't even bother to look at her as I replied, "For what?"

"For saving you from their harassment of course." I could imagine she was rolling her eyes when she said this, "Sure you can handle them just fine… tell them your dates with Hara-san is none of their business, and even if you go out with her it also none of their business…" She recited the line that seemed to be taken straight from my head in driest tone she could muster.

And she said she couldn't read mind, and she always sounded strangely offended when called a mind reader. It was impressive how well she could read me, and strangely I was not bothered because it was Mai. She was no Hara-san, and while she liked baiting me she wouldn't stood as low as blackmailing me.

"But then… their exaggerated reaction would get on your nerve, and Hara-san would get bolder around you if you end the conversation hanging with 'none of your business' which was an easy way but will leave you open to Hara-san…"

I didn't see that coming, perhaps I did owe her one. Then suddenly she paused.

"On second thought it's partly for my own good." She mumbled to herself. "Never mind then."

I became curious, she had a talent in inciting my curiosity. "What do you mean it's for your own good?"

She snorted, "In case you forgot, I lived next to you and worked part-time for you." She said pointedly. "I just found out just why you come home in a very bad mood in the weekends sometimes." I tensed at that, "I thought you had a meeting with idiotic sponsors/investors because you looked like your pride had been slighted."

That was a very accurate description of what I felt after a 'date' with Hara-san.

"Apparently you went out with her…" She sighed loudly, "But still… it's just dates Naru, she is not that bad of company. I _think_ …"

You didn't sound convinced either.

"She drag me…" I retorted before I could stop myself.

"To movie and concerts…" Mai finished in patronizing tone. "She told us." Did she just say us in plural?!

I scowled, my mood soured even though I just solved a difficult case. "So? Why do you care?"

"Don't be like that." She chided me, even though _she_ was the one who made me remember unpleasant memories. "I don't know if you just think of me as… assistant, student or research subject and on occasion living alarm and spirit repellant." She droned on. "But in my part, I also think of you as my friend… I care, I didn't cook and work for you just for altruistic reason. I am not a saint…" She laughed at the last part and I felt strangely warm in my chest region.

"Oh."

"I would like to ask why you go out with her if you dislike her so much but I'm afraid it's something you don't want to divulge to me and I am not going to pry." She told me and I could imagine she was smiling when she said this. "However… I think it's wrong for her to make you to put up with her. You didn't even deign to address her familiarly and yet she forced her way in to your personal space." She sighed wearily.

"My impression of her as Yamato Nadeshiko is completely ruined." She grumbled to herself, and there was soft sound of sipping. I craned my neck and saw her drinking coffee from her thermos cup. "I like her better when she is being blunt, honest, and butting heads with Miko-san…"

I couldn't stop myself from smiling at her comment. I guessed for someone who saw through people like Mai, she disliked how Hara-san enforced the image of proper Japanese lady on herself. Then again aside from her profession as a medium, she was also a celebrity so perhaps she couldn't be blamed for concocting a fake image of herself. However she used the artificial image to appeal to me, and that didn't impress me at all.

Maybe that was also why Mai put up with me. I was not in delusion that my personality was as charming as my face, I was not Gene. Mai herself told me that at first sight people was generally surprised by my looks and then by my horrible personality.

"And also Naru… I'd like you to know." She snapped me out of my thought. "Whenever you returned from those dates, I can _feel_ you coming from miles away."

She could what?

"Then when you got close and back to your apartment, my intuition made me feel like there is a brewing storm next to my apartment… _cold_ storm… the first time I sensed you in that bad mood I thought there is a vengeful spirit in your place for a moment before I realized it's _you_."

Lin who sat beside me on driver seat choked on nothing.

"You're very powerful." My eyes widened in shock at her casual comment. "But please control yourself better, how do you think someone with intuition like me feel living next to you? I feel like there is a ticking bomb next door, and every time it happened I scrambled to my kitchen to brew tea to diffuse it."

I could feel my cheek began to discolor at her words. Lin hit the brake abruptly, almost throwing us off of our seats. He wordlessly pointed at the quaint teashop on the left side of the road, it was selling tea and Japanese snack. It seemed it was not safe for him to drive when Mai kept dropping metaphorical bomb on us. She was strangely talkative on this ride for some reason, as if she was compensating for something… or rather testing the water? I was not her, so I couldn't tell. It was vexing.

Mai chose to sit outside on the platform like seating with low table while Lin went inside to sit. I joined Mai because I wanted to hear what else she wanted to say.

"So?" I urged her, but she kept quiet. "Should I feel sorry for being angry and upset in confinement of my own apartment because apparently I disturb my _sensitive_ neighbor?" I asked her in sarcastic tone, beside while I was in bad mood at those days I kept my power in tight control.

Then I heard her sigh, "It's fine with me though but I am worried for you, uncontrollable power bring nothing but pain." She muttered sadly. "So don't hold back with me at least… if there is anything I can do just tell me."

"Alright… so can you convince Hara-san to give up on me then?" I challenged her, humoring her offer.

"I can talk to her, but I'm afraid my diplomacy skill will do naught against maiden in love…" Mai returned smoothly, "Bad to worse, she will think I'm her rival."

I winced at the prospect. "I don't think she is in love with me…" I told her bluntly. "It's superficial, she only sees someone with the right image to compliment hers."

Mai snorted at that, "That's what you think… perhaps you're right, perhaps not. As that superficial feeling is what Hara-san sees as love."

"…And you think it's alright for her to think of it as love?" I said the last word in distaste.

She laughed softly, "Didn't I keep telling you I can't read mind? I looks like I can because I can read emotion and body language… but the truth is, human's mind and feeling are so complex they can fool themselves, what I see is what they know and feel as the truth." She placed her hand above her heart. "There is no factual truth about it… even if I tried to pry deeper on emotion she feels towards you, even if I see it as fake and superficial as you said. There is no point in telling her…"

"…Because it would be like telling people who have never seen supernatural being that ghost exist?" It was something you could try to back up with scientific proof but in the end it didn't matter whether ghost exist or not. Those who knew should keep it to themselves, and shouldn't bother to turn disbeliever to believer.

Mai nodded, "Beside… generally no one likes it when I see through them too much."

"Oh…" There was a history, a bad memory in her words.

She turned to me, an apologetic smile firmly in place. "I'd like to tell you more but…" She glanced at Lin who was sitting inside and clutching his cup of green tea as if it was his panacea. "I think I reveal what I know too much for one day, I'm afraid even unflappable Lin-san couldn't take it… we still need our driver after all."

I could almost hear the unspoken, she was afraid we would get into an accident if we didn't let Lin to get a break. "If you say so… but still…"

She closed her eyes and bluntly told me. "You still have to confront her sooner or later, but I warn you now to… at least word it delicately?"

I snorted, "What do you expect me to say? Thank you for your feeling, I'm happy but I can't return it?" I recited the standard 'gentle' refusal my mother kept telling me to say when a girl confess to me. "I would be lying because I'm neither thankful nor happy."

Mai winced, "Naru… I admire your brutal honesty, seriously I do… it's your sincerest feeling even though…" She trailed off, before giving up on finishing her own sentence. "I guess that's part of your charm or something." She snorted at her own words.

For some reason I couldn't look at her in the eye when she said that and turned my face away.

"By the way..." Suddenly her voice took somber dive, she looked depressed. "I'm so disappointed I didn't get to see the purification properly!" She said, pulling her folded legs closer to her chest, a very depressed looking pose.

I was confused what this was about, "What do you mean you didn't get to see it properly?"

"Because I _saw_ through the hitogata!" She bemoaned, "I only saw a flash of Tomiko looking spirit! Then all I saw was the mother holding something small... "

"...ah, hitogata is also an art of fooling senses and because of your power you..." I drew a conclusion. "Impressive... so not even hitogata can't fool you."

"I am not happy at all!" Mai groaned. "I want to see the best moment of this case! I can't believe I miss it!"

Only Mai would get depressed because a hitogata didn't fool her, in fact I had slight suspicion she wanted to _try_ how it feels to be under auto suggestion because sometimes she eyed my auto-suggestion equipment curiously. And she called me out for my single-minded curiosity...

* * *

 **Mai and Naru's Apartment Building**

It was a bizarre sight even for a supernatural investigator like me. While I had associated my younger assistant as a mystery with dozens of quirks, I never associated her with the word bizarre before. That one was new.

In front of her door which was just next to mine a pair of man dressed in gakuran was sitting in seiza on both sides. Which reminded me of guardian lions from China, their glaring expression was also similar. Mai however unlike most girl her age that would freak seeing two scary thugs in front of her door, she was apologizing to them.

"Tojou-san! Shima-san! I'm so sorry!" She cried, bowing to them profusely.

In response they were crying waterfall tears as kneeling on her feet, "Himeeee! Hu huh u…. we're so glad you're alright!"

Lin and I stared at them in bewilderment, considering they were making a commotion in corridor of our apartment I had right to complain but I was speechless, and Lin didn't fare better.

"You guys alright?" Mai asked worriedly, she just noticed something missing and was staring at their head in horror. Much to my shock, Mai was touching their head without reservation before crying out, "What happen to your pompadour?"

What? She was worried about their what?! These guys didn't style their hair in regent though, but buzz cut. Although… it seemed they just had a haircut.

"Did Kyo-san made you withdraw from your job?!" She squeaked in horror.

Which surprised me _again_ because Mai didn't even scream in a haunted house even once and yet she looked horrified over the loss of pompadour and two guys got fired.

They shook their head, "It's our decision!" They stated stiffly, "We just realized… after."

"Wait!" Mai stopped them, glancing nervously at our direction. It seemed she just remembered Lin and I were still here. She quickly opened her apartment and ushered the two guys to go inside then she grinned sheepishly at me. "Ah, sorry Naru! Dinner would be a little late tonight! But don't worry!" Then she closed her door.

I stared at the closed door some more before my brain started to catch up with the fact my assistant just locked herself with two boys I didn't know. "MAI! I don't care they're your friends but they're guys! Have you lost your mind?!" I yelled as banging the door repeatedly, uncaring of our neighbor's protest.

Actually we didn't have to care _that_ much considering most elitist who owned apartments around ours worked until late in the evening and rarely at home, which was why I bought apartment in this building. In fact I suspected more than half of apartment in this floor were bought for investment so most of them were empty and unused.

Mai however… didn't know that of course. Or at least I suspected she didn't know since she always acted conscious of our nonexistent neighbors. I had my suspicion Mai was not used to live in apartment or having people living next to her in general, I didn't know which. Especially with her intuition she would have noticed the lack of human presence in this floor. Which support my theory that Mai's clinical depression made her ignorant of this little fact.

My assistant opened her door with a bang, glaring at me. "Come in! You're noisy! Don't disturb our neighbor." She huffed.

I followed her inside, with Lin just a few steps behind me. She left me on my own device to replace my shoes with indoor slippers, Lin followed my example. I was no stranger to Mai's apartment, considering I ate most of my dinner and breakfast here. Whether she volunteered herself as my cook or not I was not going to trouble her further with carrying my meal to my place, beside I had suspicion Mai went through trouble cooking for me simply because she didn't want to eat alone.

Beside she was a good listener so it was a win-win situation.

Her apartment was the very opposite of mine that was bare, with minimum furniture and mostly colorless. Her place was colorful and every corner seemed to have distinctive one color theme. Yellow and other kind of its tone and shade for kitchen, blue for bathroom, indigo for the entranceway, and other colors in rooms I never saw myself. I once asked how many color she decorated her place with, her house was like a rainbow and it was fortunate she had a good taste it didn't look like a kid's room.

She laughed when I told her, apparently her apartment did have seven colors in total, orange, red, blue, yellow, green, indigo and purple. It seemed those colors had deep meaning for her. Her apartment looked bright and cheerful with so many color but I stood up like a sore thumb here because of my monochrome fashion.

The two guys who also wore all black didn't fare better than Lin and I as they were seated in deep orange two seats sofa in Mai's living room. I took the sofa on their left side while Lin opted to stand behind.

"Lin-san." Mai called my guardian as she exited the kitchen with a tray of tea and cookies. "You should take a seat too, if you have to sit by Naru's side then…" She craned her necks towards one of the guys. "Tojo-san, can you please pull a chair from the dining set?"

"Hai!" Both Lin and Tojo quickly raced to the dining table, but the boy was faster as he put the chair next to my sofa. Lin returned with unreadable expression to my side, feeling defeated or annoyed I couldn't tell.

* * *

 **3** **rd** **Person POV**

Mai wondered why Naru acted like a protective boss all of a sudden, beside it was obvious she knew the two boys she brought inside her apartment. She thought Naru would be less reserved about guys and girls in the same room considering he was a foreigner, or perhaps he was still Japanese enough to overthink this kind stuff?

Well… these two were Kyoya's subordinates, they should know how to behave in front of outsiders. Fortunately they had enough time to tell her what was going on before Naru banged her door like an idiot parent, who just found their daughter brought a boy to her room. It eerily reminded her of one time she dragged Yamamoto to her room to play Othello. Which resulted to the idiot father to tear her door off of its hinge and demanded Yamamoto to die. Her father _conveniently_ forgot that her 'room' was not 'just' bedroom but a studio complete with living room that separated from actual bedroom.

And now Naru… acted like that? She often compared a number of his behavior that similar to her family members but she never thought her _father_ made it to the list. Which was very hypocrite of Naru, considering she suspected Naru was almost as comfortable as his own place with her apartment already.

She cleared her throat, giving discreet glace towards the two boys and trusted they knew how to follow. After all the cloud guardian _hated_ idiotic subordinates who couldn't take clues, so she had faith they had a good head on their shoulder. Well, so far she didn't interact enough with them to know about their intelligence.

"I guess an introduction is in order." Mai gestured to her right, "Over here is Tojo Koushiro-san." She addressed the boy with thick eyebrow, square faced and glasses framing his dark eyes. He looked like the intelligent type delinquent boy. "And… Shima Renzou-san." She gestured towards the boy with thinner build, lazy looking eyes as if he was half asleep.

"Osh!"

Mai closed her eyes and prayed her faith in Kyoya and his taste in subordinates didn't fail her.

"So?" Naru didn't seem impressed and as cool as ever even though he looked pretty bewildered by their antics just now. Well… it seemed if by fate's cruel sense of humor Naru met her family, he would be one of few who managed to come out with his sanity intact.

She didn't need to worry about his sanity at least, then again…

Mai cleared her throat again, fidgeting a little as a small blush bloomed on her cheeks. "You see… for our latest case I _thought_ it would be fun to go missing on my bodyguards so I left them hanging in Tokyo."

"…"

"…You have bodyguards?"

Mai looked pointedly at Lin, _'So do you.'_

"I guess that explains why they were sitting seiza in front of your door." Naru bellowed, "And… how come I was informed only now about these unseen bodyguards of yours." He was sure as hell never saw these two for the last three months.

Mai averted her eyes guiltily, "What make you think it's easy to admit you have people following you around for your safety?" She asked back, reminding Naru that he introduced Lin as an assistant and nothing more while obviously Lin was also a bodyguard judging from his body language around Naru. He was watchful and alert.

"Touché." Naru snorted, "So you ditched them?"

It was subtle but Naru began to see why these two went unnoticed even though they were following Mai and to a lesser extend him too for three months. He was unconsciously talking about them as if they were not in the same room as him. They were pro… just like Lin in suppressing their presence even in plain sight.

Mai sighed, "Do you think a bodyguard will stay still in a haunted house when I'm in danger?"

Well, there was a reason why Naru tried his best to saddle Lin with monitor duty so he had as much as breathing room as he wanted. He understood perfectly why Mai ditched her bodyguards, not that he would admit he had the same idea as Mai.

"I hope you introducing them to me now didn't mean you want to ask me to let them tailing us to investigation openly…" Naru pointed out in serious tone, crossing his arms in annoyance.

"I want no such thing." Mai assured him with a shrug, "You see… they're not really _mine_ in a sense they didn't take direct order from me." Mai began to explain, "So now… they're kinda quit from their original job, so yeah!" She threw her arms up as if she didn't know what to do with them. "They're working directly for me now."

"…Meaning?"

Mai took a deep breath, "We have a deal… you know our office building. The office room next to ours is still on sale ne?"

He recalled that was indeed the case, it used to be a lawyer office. "Get to the point Mai."

She sighed, "I will just buy that unused space, turned it our warehouse and record room and got these two to watch over them?" Naru's eyes widened at that, "You don't have to worry about their salary… and they were qualified to handle delicate job, and if we need help in physical work like moving equipment they volunteered to do it for us." She listed on. "And they promise to not get in the way, and lay low as if they didn't exist."

To be honest even Naru felt these two's presence was so thin, even thinner than Lin at his most quiet mood. Of course Naru didn't know that suppressing one's presence was a skill they naturally learned when one's leader was a crowd hater.

"…Can I refuse?"

"I'd rather you don't." Mai told him honestly. "I am trying to take responsibility here and beside! We will get a bigger office!"

Naru wondered if he should remind Mai that their current office was big enough for all of them even if they had two additions.

Ping!

"Oh." Mai checked her phone. "They finished the payment and other procedure."

"...Didn't you just mention the plan to buy the space next to ours just now?"

"Yep, did I have to wait for you to say yes to buy it?" Mai asked with a roll on her eyes, "Even if you don't want to use the extra space I am sure… I can think up what to do with it."

So in the first place she just try to be considerate with informing him. "Mai…" He sounded almost in pain when he said this. "As long as they don't get on the way of our work, I don't care."

"Yatta!" She beamed before turning to her new subordinates. "Get everything ready as soon as you can." Then she began to type an email on her phone so fast Naru couldn't help but wonder if she didn't misspell anything. "I sent you the list, get it done."

"Hai!" They chorused, standing and bowed swiftly before excusing themselves out of the apartment. "Thank you, and have a nice day Hime!"

Mai waved at them with a smile on her face, "Hai… be careful on your way." She giggled as they closed the door and turned towards Naru who was face-palming. "What would you like for dinner? And Lin-san I hope you will stay to join us too."

Lin stepped backward, "Ah… no thank you, I have an appointment for tonight." He didn't really care even if Mai knew he was lying and promptly excused himself out of the apartment.

"…"

"…Mai, tea." Naru requested, just to get a semblance of normal routine going.

Mai grinned at him before she skipped towards her kitchen, then poked her head out to ask. "Is Ceylon alright with you?"

"Yes."

* * *

 **SPR's office (Mai's POV)**

It seemed Naru was determined to not let what happened few days ago to bother him, in fact he was pretty pleased that now our office was twice as big. Which also meant he didn't have to rent the warehouse two blocks away to store our heavy equipment. We even got two new gofers too, so it would be quicker to set up our equipment.

No matter how strong I was, Lin and Naru seemed to be determined to not let me carry too heavy things. Most likely because it hurts their manly pride if I did.

Like Bianchi always said, men…

But still… I felt a little guilty Tojo-san and Shima-san quit their service from Kyo-san's place because they wanted to devote themselves to me. I felt like I stole them from him although… in a sense they still worked for me, they just didn't take direct order from me before. At least now they were mine to command and I didn't owe them a job anymore.

I filed in the last paper inside its respective folder with title 'Case in Morishita' that contained research result from our latest case. Naru in spite of his dramatic tendency had no theatric taste in naming.

Speaking of Naru… I had not tell him about Gene yet, then again… how the hell I should explain Gene was not dead yet but he thought he was? Not to mention I had been waiting for seven nights in a row in my astral world for Naru's twin and I couldn't find him. I didn't think proximity with Naru was the problem because I lived next to him so there must be a trigger…

An investigation perhaps?

I felt guilty but as long as I had not talk properly with Gene once again and get more picture of their situation, there was no way I could tell Naru anything yet. I didn't get it either myself, how could I explain to him?

Much to my frustration, we didn't get another proper case until November. I also didn't foresee I would be stalled by my family problem temporarily either.

* * *

 **For some reason I didn't get myself either... while I have all intention to derive from canon in next case, SOMEHOW one of the creepiest case in GH series turned to be stuffed with funnies and IRONIES. Maybe because Vongola start to enter the picture~ No omake for this story but I will give you an interesting preview of next chapter...**

In which Mai got an emergency call from back home...

 _She beamed at him, looking so relieved that she got his permission. Which made him wonder did she think he wouldn't allow her to fly to Italy. That was ridiculous._

 _"Thank you, Naru!" She said as she walked towards him and stepped into his personal space as if she owned it. Then much to his shock, she tip-toed and kissed his left cheek and then his right. Before he could process what just happened she already walked away towards her luggage, dragged it to her door, and began to read a mental list._

 _"Your breakfast is on the table, and I also prepared your bento for lunch and dinner on the fridge so heat it up later! Lin-san I'm sure you know you have to watch out for our boss, don't let him to skip his meal!" She stressed this was non-negotiable, "I left spare key of my apartment on the coffee table, so lock my place on your way out! You're free to use the psychology profiles I compiled, Tojo-san and Shima-san are yours to command…" She said as she turned the doorknob, she was about to walk out of the apartment before she added. "And the most important thing… try to not scare our guest off, you don't have to be nice to them but_ please _put some effort to not make them hate you and lose faith in humanity. Or I won't be surprised by the time I'm back I will be using my intuition to search for your voodoo doll."_

 _She snorted at the last part, and a small giggle escaped her lips. "That's all… ciao-ciao~"_

* * *

 ** _Preview above pretty much summarized next case is all about funny, havoc and irony... it's Vongola style LOL Or perhaps, it's me who lacks self-restrain... BTW I noticed for some reason everyone seems to be excited over Daniella protecting Ayami-chan. WHY? Actually I wish to just make that part short but I make it longer and give her a cool one line. Erm... not really cool, it's just like sweet dream, children in Italian.  
_**

 ** _BTW... there would be a lot of Italian because some scene took part there BUT there is no need to translate, simply because I will give some sort of description to tell you what I want it to say. I have no trust in google translate anyway SO just leave it, unless there is any of you who want to correct Italian in next chapter LOL_**

 ** _Ciao-ciao!_**


	9. Case 03, Prologue-01

**Case 03-Prologue**

 **November, Sunday (3** **rd** **Person POV)**

"Hic… hic…"

Lin craned his neck towards the door, where the two school girls who came to their office were still standing. The one with her hair in the bun was crying, covering her tearing eyes as the other with bob hair style was patting her on the back. Before they were out of the room the one who was comforting her friend threw on last glare at his boss' direction, conveying what she thought of the young boss.

'Jerk.' Her eyes said, and she also mouthed it too before closing the door.

Slam!

The bodyguard slash assistant sighed at his charge who didn't look guilty, not even the slightest. Even though their request wasn't interesting and not really in line with their objective of investigation, it didn't change the fact these people came for help and turned down in not so kind way. Naru heard their explanation-which they had to squeeze out of their nervous-wreckedness that caused by Lin's and Naru's combined intimidating presence- with disinterest then without offering explanation whatsoever he told them to bring their fox-spirit-possessed-friend to a hospital.

While Lin was a loner in nature too and not much of a talker either, he supposed his charge should at least told them there is a possibility of medical condition called hysteria and consult the rest of it to a doctor.

But no, Naru just had to tell two nervous and desperate girls who had braced themselves to go to Shibuya and unusual office like theirs that what they needed was a doctor not SPR. He had thrown impolite and persistent clients out of the door before, but those two had been pretty respectful and well behaved in short time of their consultation. He felt sorry for them with how they had to go.

"Lin, I have not done anything wrong." His boss stated. "It's a matter of fact."

"No, it isn't." Lin corrected, "Beside… those two are the third guest you send out with the worse mood possible."

The first had been indignant, she gave them a deep bow before excusing herself out of the room as mumbling under her breath how the hell they stayed on business. The second was a trio of girls, not so much of a consultation because they were too nervous and couldn't even decide who should explain. Naru lost his patience and told them to come back once they decided who should be in charge with artic like voice. The third was the pair with fox-possessed friend just now, and was the worse out of all. Even though they got explanation out and everything, one of them broke to tears, and the other called his boss a jerk.

This wouldn't happen if Sawada-san was here… Lin could imagine Sawada-san would take their contact information down, chided their boss and apologized to disappointed guests as escorting them out of the office with comforting words. Then she would secretly call one of their associates-most likely Father Brown or Bou-san- behind Naru's back and asked if they were interested to help instead. The girls would be disappointed their case was not taken but at least they wouldn't leave SPR's office, upset and losing their faith in humanity.

He wondered, how did they received their guest before Sawada-san came along again?

"And?" Their boss definitely didn't feel a speck of guilt for sending upset girls out of his office in a row like that.

Lin cleared his throat, "As Sawada-san said over _and_ over again, you _could try_ to change your tone at least." Madoka said it too but Lin didn't think mentioning her would help Naru's mood.

Naru snorted, "Since when did you side with Mai in this? However you're right that if Mai is here she wouldn't be pleased with me for what she'd call... ah, brutal honesty."

Brutal, how fitting.

* * *

 _Flashback (Yesterday)_

 _It was Saturday and Naru was on his way to next door with Lin who had stayed over at his place for a discreet video call with Luella and Martin in England last night. It was early in the morning even for breakfast but Mai who cooked their meal woke up ridiculously early every morning. Whether Naru liked it or not he had to make it a habit to go over early if he didn't want to eat something reheated._

 _They were not surprised upon entering –Mai left her door unlocked after she finished cooking to save the hassle opening the door for Naru- to smell fragrance of tea and coffee in the air, but very shocked to see Mai pacing back and forth in her living room as shouting at her cellphone in rapid Italian with a mug of espresso in the other hand._

 _"_ _Non mi posso lamentare… " She muttered, sighing loudly. "Capisco, grazie... prego! Arrivederla." She grumbled as she ended the line. "Idiota…" She turned around to face them, unsurprised as usual by anyone's presence and greeted them cheerfully. "Buon… I mean ohayou, Naru… Lin-san."_

 _She almost greeted them in Italian. What was that phone call about?_

 _It was then Naru and Lin noticed she had a small luggage ready next to her shoe cabinet, and she had a suit jacket on top of her usual white-orange formal wear. "You're going somewhere?" Naru frowned, "I've not heard anything of this."_

 _Mai growled, "I've not either until two hours ago, as I was woken up one hour early by international call from Palermo!" She glared at her phone as if it was the one responsible for the injustice. "Something coming up."_

 _"_ _Obviously." Naru remarked sarcastically._

 _"_ _Indeed." She rolled her eyes, "I am really sorry but I need to take… few days off from SPR, some idiot back home messed up and I have to deal with it. I'm not sure how long but no longer than a week."_

 _Naru's frown deepened, "And pray tell why you're the one who have to deal with it and fly off to Italia without so much of prior notice?"_

 _Mai raised an eyebrow at him, and Naru had a feeling Mai thought he should understand without an explanation. Again… this girl sometimes forgot he couldn't read people like her. "Because I_ _ **am**_ _the boss of course."_

 _She was the what?!_

 _"_ _Erm… or vice-boss, something like that." She grumbled with an eye roll, "Look, this is really an emergency and I don't like it either that I have to leave without prior notice." She explained in tired tone. "This is work related… and in the same time family related, I can't avoid this."_

 _Why did she phrase it like it was the matter of life and death?_

 _"_ _I'm really sorry Naru." She said apologetically._

 _Naru crossed his arms, sighing. "If you say so I guess it can't be helped, a week or less then." He could understand the sentiment of someone in charge who had to deal with subordinate's mistake. "I'm sure our office can survive a week without you."_

 _She beamed at him, looking so relieved that she got his permission. Which made him wonder did she think he wouldn't allow her to fly to Italy. That was ridiculous._

 _"_ _Thank you, Naru!" She said as she walked towards him and stepped into his personal space. Then much to his shock, she tip-toed and kissed his left cheek and then his right. Before he could process what just happened she already walked away towards her luggage, and began to read a mental list._

 _"_ _Your breakfast is on the table, and I also prepared your bento for lunch and dinner on the fridge so heat it up later! Lin-san I'm sure you know you have to watch out for our boss, don't let him to skip his meal!" She stressed this was non-negotiable, "I left spare key of my apartment on the coffee table, so lock my place on your way out! You're free to use the psychology profiles I compiled, Tojo-san and Shima-san are yours to command…" She said as she turned the doorknob, she was about to walk out of the apartment before she added. "And the most important thing… try to not scare our guest off, you don't have to be nice to them but_ please _put some effort to not make them hate you and lose faith in humanity. Or I won't be surprised by the time I'm back I will be using my intuition to search for your voodoo doll."_

 _She snorted at the last part, and a small giggle escaped her lips. "That's all… ciao-ciao~"_

 _Blam!_

 _"…"_

 _"…_ _there she goes." Lin muttered under his breath. "Naru?" He inquired for something he couldn't comprehend himself to his charge who was looking up for something on his phone._

 _Naru was silent for quite some time as he scrolled down information he needed. "I'm not sure how accurate this online information, but apparently it's_ normal _in Italy to greet people you know well with kissing their cheek, they even have a rule on the order to kiss left cheek before the right." In short exactly what she did._

 _"…_ _Why do you have to look it up?" Lin couldn't help but asked. "Cheek kissing is not uncommon either in England, or in most European country." Did his charge just tried to make sense of Sawada-san's display of affection?_

 _Naru didn't answer and strode towards the dining table, then he began eating his breakfast quietly. Lin followed his example, and the subject of cheek kissing was never mentioned again._

 _End of Flashback_

* * *

And so it brought us to today, the second day of Sawada-san's absence. It was almost scary even to Lin, how spot on her prediction was, and he suspected aside from post-cognition the girl also possessed pre-cognition too. Or perhaps she just _knew_ Naru too well. At this rate, perhaps he had to be prepared for voodoo doll or other doll related curse. At least if Sawada-san was correct _again_ , it was within his expertise to handle the matter.

"Ossu! Naru-chan yahoo~"

Sawada-san didn't say anything about cowboy coming to their office, did she?

"Shibuya is crazily crowded on Sunday! Not my best idea to come here on this day!" The cowboy complained loudly. "Mai-chan! Ice cof-" The cowboy paused, looking around the office. "Where is Mai-chan? She would have greeted me with a charming smile and offer me coffee!"

That voice, Takigawa-san? The monk of mount Kouya?

He flopped himself to the sofa, not bothering to wait for permission to do so. "Ne, where is Mai-chan?"

"It's her day off." Naru informed the monk dressed in cowboy costume, being informative and in the same time keeping the rest to himself.

Bou-san groaned as he took off his sunglasses, "Huwaa… so I have to talk with you without her as a buffer?"

She was what?

Naru frowned at him, "If you need Mai to talk to me, you can come back later or never at all."

Bou-san was about to point out, this kind of behavior was why he didn't want to deal with Mai-less Naru-chan. On second thought, that confession could be detrimental to his health so he held it back. He cleared his throat. "Ehem, you see… I'm here to talk about business."

"You didn't dress the part." Naru pointed out, "Then again you and Matsuzaki-san never have." Most of the time when they were not in the middle of exorcism.

He groaned, "I'm a professional bassist! I just come back from a concert so excuse me for dressing like this." Ironically for once he did dress suitably for his job. "Prayersmith is my side business, do you know in this field there is a lot of curse and stuff involved all the time? So I got a lot of request from my fellow musicians."

What was amazing was they believed this man was _still_ qualified as a monk in the first place, Lin and Naru thought.

Bou-san was itched to elaborate more about why he came down the mountain because his father didn't allow him to bring CD and stuff up in the mountain. Mai would listen and even ask curiously, but Naru-chan wouldn't appreciate small talk like that.

"So today… I would like to borrow your expertise for a request I just received from one of my fans." He explained his purpose for visiting, giving up on Mai-chan's amazing ice coffee that would put even professional barista to shame. "You see… this girl came to me and tell me a story about a cursed desk in her class."

Naru frowned at that, "Cursed?" That didn't sound like anything Bou-san needed to consult with him, it was well within a Monk's expertise to deal with cursed object.

"All students sitting on that desk for the last three months got into an accident."

"...This sounds cliché," Naru remarked.

Then he elaborated, stressing. "The _same_ accident, exactly under the same kind of circumstances. Four times in a row…"

"...Didn't Japan have the highest amount of accidents in history this year?" Naru was not impressed.

Bou-san rolled his eyes, this would be more bearable if Mai-chan was around to scold this guy for not keeping his snide remark to himself. At least he should have waited until Bou-san finished explaining. "I thought you'd say that. But unfortunately, that's not the case. This isn't a simple traffic accident. All four were dragged by a train because their arms got caught in the door"

He crossed his arms, "And the victims condition?"

Bou-san craned his neck, lacing his fingers together on his lap, "Well… one got off easy but the other three are not as lucky. All of them got dislocated shoulder and two got broken leg…" He elaborated the list of injuries. "I would have gone straight to the school to purify that desk if that's the only thing but there are more…"

"More?" Naru echoed.

"For the last three months they have self-study almost all the time, do you know why?" Bou-san's smile became grim, "Some of their teacher have fallen victim to various kind of accident and illness, all of it seemed to be related to supernatural cause… however all of it seems to be different, none of them follow the same pattern."

Multiple activities in the same location, and they didn't seem to have an exact pattern? That was unusual.

Bou-san coughed, "For example, one of the girl's teacher used an art prep room, but then a ghost showed up and the teacher was sent to the hospital. He's still vomiting blood, but no one knows why… they heard doctor couldn't diagnose the cause." Considering the circumstances, the guy was really lucky he was still alive now at least. Bou-san had heard some people who got cursed waste away as vomiting half of blood in their body from his father.

"And? Which school is this?" He would even make a call to take this case, it seemed interesting and… quite an emergency if the school was already barely functioning by now.

"It's Yuasa High School." Bou-san informed them, noticing the slight change of expression on their face he became curious. "What's wrong?"

If Mai was here she would have crowed about karma by now. "We already received request from students of that school, three of them."

"That's great! You just need to contact them then!" Bou-san grinned happily that now they were on the same page.

"…"

"…"

"…Erm, I am almost afraid to ask… but did those poor girls come to consult their problem with you when Mai-chan is not around?" Bou-san asked in horror.

"…"

"They did." Bou-san took their silence as a yes. "Poor them, did someone cry?"

"…" The pair of manager-assistant seemed to be content to not give verbal answer, but their silence spoke louder than words. If anything it _sounded_ worse because it left a lot to Bou-san's imagination on how it went, stressed school girls plus Naru-chan. Not a good combination.

The haired Monk looked up to the ceiling, "Mai-chan… come back, some people have fallen victim to Naru-chan when you're not around." Then he turned his attention back to Naru, then he asked seriously. "Naru… when she will be back to work?"

Looking at his expression the monk seemed to be serious, as if he would resort to something drastic if Naru didn't tell him. He sighed tiredly, "She didn't say the precise timeline, less than a week and today is her second day."

"…You're kidding right?" Bou-san looked more horrified than when the old school building was about to collapse on them, or when he was surrounded by apparitions. "Where did she go?"

Why did he has to divulge so much information on Mai to this guy anyway? "Palermo."

"Where is that?" They could almost see metaphorical question marks flying above Bou-san's head.

Did this guy even graduate from high school already? "Italy, it's the capital."

"Vacation?!" He squeaked, "It's not even a holiday season!"

Naru closed his eyes, his patience was being tested here. "Of course not, it's a family matter and I'll not elaborate." Not that he knew what was her family matter was.

"On second thought Naru-chan…" He trailed off. "Maybe you shouldn't…"

Click, the door opened and a nervous looking old gentleman came into the room. Lin walked towards him to inquire his purpose of visiting and the man handed a business card to Lin.

"Mikami Noboru, principal of private school: 'Yuasa High School'" read the card.

"There have been a number of strange incidents happening at my school, so I was wondering if I could request an investigation." He asked in tired voice, very much like his students who came here before him.

The headmaster of course had no idea his students had beaten him in coming to SPR. Bou-san couldn't help but lament why this guy didn't come to SPR earlier and saved those girls from trauma by Naru-chan.

* * *

 **Case 03-Part 01**

 **Monday, Yuasa High School**

It was a typical school, but unlike Mai's school that had a long history this one was neither new nor old. The size of the school was also just decent, and apparently they were lax with grades too. In short there was nothing notable about Yuasa high school aside from the string of supernatural related incidents happening for the last three months.

Naru expected Bou-san to come as he received the same request but not the sheepish looking Father John Brown who was standing beside him. "Takigawa-san invited me." He explained.

Unknown to Naru after their meeting yesterday, the frantic Bou-san went straight to the priest and begged the blond to come with him to Yuasa high school. He explained that a horrible mistake had been done, Naru was coming to a school full of stressed high school girls and teachers without Mai. He also informed John that some girls had fallen victim and he needed John to come with them before more lost lamb lose their faith in humanity because of Mai-less Naru.

John was pretty confused but he would always be ready for distressed soul. Although he had to agree with Takigawa-san and expressed that for some reason he couldn't explain, he felt interacting with Shibuya-san without Mai-san around made him nervous too. He wondered why…

Bou-san told him that was John's sixth sense talking, and their sixth sense agreed on the same thing. Then he tasked John with an important mission, to counsel the victims if Naru-chan traumatized someone just with being himself. John still didn't get why Naru-chan traumatize people with simply being himself, but promised the monk he would help people in need.

That calmed the Monk a great deal, err… not so great but better than nothing. He prayed to Buddha that no one would get scarred too badly in Mai's absence and please… returned Mai to them as soon as possible.

* * *

 **Palermo, Italy**

You would wonder if fire resistant paper was something revolutionary, it was when the people who used it could ignite flame simply by willing it. You would never know when a paper could annoy a flame wielder Mafioso too much, so for the last ten years all paper Mafia used was flame resistant.

So Mai could only stared helplessly at stacked pile of non-burnable paper in front of her and wondered what she had done in her past life to deserve this.

"Hh…" She sighed, "Better start working… these papers won't burn even if I stare at them the whole day." She mumbled to herself.

CRASH! BOOM!

She didn't bat an eye at the sound of explosion and something crashing coming from somewhere, she picked up her phone, dialed a number and said. "I don't care what happened, just fix it. Then tell Giannini the cost would be cut from his paycheck…" Then with pain in her voice she added, "And send me the paperwork as soon as possible." She ended the line and began to read the nearest pile within arm reach.

Click

"EXTREEEME!" This yell was also coming from somewhere in their manor but Mai was beyond caring from where it came, even though she could tell where if she checked with her intuition.

She uncapped her pen and began to write, while her free hand picked up her phone again. This time she dialed a speed dial that could connect her to everyone in their inner circle who pick their phone. "Someone… preferably Hana-san or Kyoko-chan, please stop Ryo-nii before he run to something and put him on medical duty shift… who leave him unoccupied anyway? If the girls aren't here, and if either Kashi-kun or Hayato-kun is free can you keep him occupied? Also… make sure he didn't go _anywhere_ near Kyo-san's quarter."

Click

That was done she continued working through her paperwork, it didn't take long for her to finish the first pile and was about to begin on her second when something alerted her intuition again. She was in need for another phone call, "Ah… Chrome-chan, his private jet has just landed. Please receive Mukuro before being alone and unsupervised too long give him _ideas_ … and keep him _far away_ from Kyo-san, thank you."

Click

It was just another day in Vongola Manor. The emergency? Some minor squeamish that needed her attention, Nonno's birthday, but the worse was… idiocy of timetable manager that made _all_ guardians including Mukuro and Hibari to be in the same place at once while… _he_ was away. So far she managed to get everyone to not blow the manor up, and their two vicious guardians had not met face to face yet… and preferably not at all if she could help it.

Whose genius idea to make those two Vongola guardians?! Oh… right, her idiot father... it was never a genius idea then.

* * *

 **Yuasa High School (Japan)**

Yoshino-sensei was the student advisor and teacher in charge of showing them around the school. He looked like he was going to fall over if strong wind blow him. He had bad complexion, and bags under his eyes. As he led them to the conference room prepared to be their base, Naru recalled the headmaster's summary of what was happening his school

 _"There have been a lot of accidents and illnesses lately," The headmaster said in tired tone. "Two-fifth of our staff is on leave, and it affected the rest of our staffs on duty too. Our students fares no better than us... Everyone seems to be losing it…"_

In shorter and crude summary, _'Help us, we're going crazy.'_

He also informed them that the rest of school population had been informed about their presence and afterschool or on break times, both students and staff would come to them for consultation.

"Here it is," the teacher announced, opening the designated room for them. Yoshino-sensei looked back at them. His eyes rested on the tallest figure, Bou-san.

"Are you the leader?" He asked.

Bou-san shook his head and gestured towards the black clad teen beside him who was one head taller than John. "No, he is."

Yoshino-sensei turned to look at Naru. Then an uneasy expression appeared on the teacher's face. It was not strange he was not confident with consulting his problem with a boy who was the same age as his students. "Well...I also have something to talk to you about." However at this point he and the rest of school population didn't care about age much, they were desperate.

"Tell me the details," said Naru as he took a seat on the large table that had been prepared for SPR.

Yoshino-sensei nodded as he followed Naru's example, while Lin opened his laptop and prepared to type a report. "...Well, the thing I've wanted to talk about was..." His eyes shifted, and his uneasiness grew.

Naru nodded in understanding. "We will protect our client's privacy. You don't need to hide anything from us. By all means, please tell us the details." Then he took out a recorder and Lin placed a mini camera connected to his laptop for video. "Go ahead." He had something in mind to do with the recording.

Yoshino-sensei nodded. His forehead was covered in sweat as he glanced warily at the square device on the table and camera that as if eyeing him back. "Um... I hear knocking sounds at night."

"Does this happen in your house?" Naru asked.

"Yes, at first it was. It's a soft sound, but I woke up anyway even though I'm a heavy sleeper. It's a knocking sound on the windows and doors... And then when I checked it out..."

Yoshino-sensei became hesitant. Naru silently prompted him to continue. "I saw a thin, white, feminine hand knocking, it's very brief and disappear as soon as I saw it so naturally I thought I was just seeing things, but then the knocking goes on every night..."

"Is it just a knocking sound?" Naru asked as he took down notes.

"Yes, just a knocking sound. I was scared. There were times when I didn't want to go home, so I went out at night. But it's the same wherever I go. Whether it's in the bar, or at midnight, or just in the vicinity, I always hear that knocking sound. If I don't open the door or window, then it just keeps knocking until the morning. ...Recently I haven't been getting enough sleep."

He looked like he was very tempted to hold his head with both hands, it wouldn't surprise them if this teacher was on the verge of going hysterical with just recalling the horrible experience.

 _'_ _This teacher…'_ Naru thought, _'Why he is so fidgety? He also avoids eye-contact with me a lot.'_

Especially since his family in spite of hearing the knocking sound was not bothered at all, so they didn't understand his suffering.

So Naru requested a charm from Bou-san, and the Monk made one with instruction for the teacher to not wandering alone at night and don't open his window and door. And informed them if the knocking continued regardless. Yoshino-sensei left with the charm, he looked like a dead man walking even with the charm.

"...That was sudden. What do we do now?" Bou-san asked the moment the door was closed.

Naru shrugged and looked at his watch. "If we wait, class will end soon," Naru replied. "We can let the students to come in and tell us about the incidents."

Much to their silent hilarity -except Naru of course- the first three visitors were the one who had visited SPR's office, and all of them had the same reaction. They took one look at Naru's face then quickly excused themselves and closed the door promptly.

"Why did they change their mind…?" John wondered in confusion.

Bou-san clasped his hand and inwardly cried. "That's why I drag you here, John…" He was no Mai, but John would be a good therapist.

Fortunately for them, more students who never met Naru appeared and other 'representative' of the same phenomena came in. Bou-san didn't need Mai's intuition to distinguish them, as he was sure the girls who were more nervous and fidgety were brave souls who volunteered to face Naru for their friends.

A fox possessed friend because of Kokkuri-san they played.

Poltergeist of track club room.

Ghost's hand massage that cause an ulcer.

Feeling of someone stalking them in a 'closed' empty room.

Repeated injuries in the same place on their body.

And after a stream of seemingly endless students, the girl who invited Bou-san appeared.

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

Takahashi Yuuko was the girl who requested Takigawa-san's service in this investigation. The cursed desk, and she thoughtfully brought her friend who was one of the victims along. Much to my exasperation Bou-san still had enough energy to bask in his fan's adoration.

"You really came, Norio!" she said in adoration.

"Of course!" He beamed, "Let me introduce you to my coworkers. Then Bou-san craned his neck towards us. "That handsome guy over here is the president of Shibuya Psychic Research, Shibuya." I suppressed my urge to twitch at his way to introduce us and somehow I couldn't stop myself from imagining that if Mai was here, she would have chided Bou-san for giving me bigger ego boost. "And the blond guy over there is John Brown, a priest."

"Nice to meet you." Takahashi-san smiled at us, then gestured to the girl on her left.

"Same here." John returned, "Uhm… who is Norio?"

Bou-san couldn't resist to explain but I cut him off before we got off topic. "I want to hear the entire story."

"Okay." The girl beamed, "Come on…"

The girl looked hesitant, but with her friend's encouragement she began her story."I'm the second person to get in an accident, but..." She trailed off as her friends led her to take a seat. "It happened when I tried to get off the train. Well, I was getting out of the train, right? As I was leaving the train, someone tugged my arm. It was really forceful. My arm got stuck in the door, and the train started moving, so I ran to keep up with it. There was nothing else I could do, right? Anyway, I fell and was dragged along the platform. This went on for five meters before the train stopped."

Her shoulder was dislocated, and her leg got bad sprain. She had just removed her cast last week.

"Did anyone see you get dragged by the train?"

She glanced to the side, recalling the incident. "There weren't many passengers on the train that day. No one was near the door when my arm got stuck."

I jotted down more details, the time and location of the incident. From what they heard the similarity ended on 'dragged by the train and hand stuck on the door' as the station was different and the time was not specific either.

"Do you know why these accidents happen to people who sit in that desk?"

The girls exchanged doubtful looks. "No… we have no idea."

"...I see. Thank you." It seemed dawdling here was not productive, I needed to move a little to refresh my mind. "Then, can you show me this cursed desk?"

Takahashi raised her hand, "Ok! I'll show it to you."

She brought Bou-san and I to her class, which was located on second floor in the south wing of school building. All the desks looked exactly the same and new, according to her all desks in this class was replaced last year. The cursed desk was on the back, by the window. Bou-san didn't even sense anything and if Takahashi didn't point which desk neither of us would know.

"Over there."

I walked over to the desk, touching the desk and discreetly using my psychometry to peek at its history. I didn't succeed to get anything noteworthy as expected, because this desk was not a personal object thus I couldn't get a link to any specific person. In fact I only saw who had sit here for the last two months and nothing more.

"Is anyone sitting here now?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

Takahashi shook her head in negative. "Nope. The last person who sat there is in the hospital now."

Actually it was amazing two peoples deigned to sit here after two peoples fell victim to it. If they were smart they would sneaked this thing out and replaced it discreetly. "Was the desk ever moved?" I asked.

"No, it has always been over there." She stated confidently.

I contemplated about the information I gathered so far about this desk, but nothing I could use to get a solid analysis. It was not an old thing, or personal, or mystical… it was just a desk. I wondered what would Mai got with her intuition? When it came to dangerous object like Minnie the doll and this desk that had no noteworthy history, Mai was more suitable than me.

Although knowing Mai, she might want to burn it after explaining why it was dangerous. Shaking my mental amusement off, I turned to Takahashi and prompted more information. "I heard that your teacher was behaving strangely."

"Yeah… he saw a ghost when he was teaching. It was a shock since he is not a believer of supernatural things, but now he is in hospital and still rambling about the ghost he sees…" She sighed, "I didn't like him much… but I pity him, especially since the last time I heard his doctor just waived his condition off as neurosis."

Typical of ignorant people.

"Very well... Thank you." Bou-san thanked his fan.

We went back to our base and found John in a pinch as he and Lin were overwhelmed by a large group of girls who couldn't decide who should talk first. Somehow we managed to get them to talk in line. Then two teachers came, it seemed they waited until their students were done before coming forward. One teacher said he saw ghosts in the car mirror when he drove. The other said that he felt like someone was following him even though no one was.

In addition, the two also said they often heard eerie sounds. This was getting nowhere, in fact I could say this day was one of the worst first day of investigation I ever had. No useful information, only piling up report we didn't even know was true or product of their imagination.

"And the worse of all…" Bou-san grumbled as he brewed himself a cup of tea. "I make my own drink… and it taste bland, how did Mai-chan brew hers?" He wondered out loud.

I'd rather die than admit that was my sentiment exactly as I took a sip of mine, which brewed by Tojo. Speaking of Mai's two pseudo-ninja, it was baffling how neither Bou-san nor John noticed their existence yet. Even though Tojo and Shima helped us to carry equipment and other grunt work.

Then again these two forgot Lin existed most of the time.

* * *

 **3** **rd** **Person POV**

At last the stream of students and staff ended and they were feeling the exhaustion after listening to their problem all day, "We're getting nowhere, not to mention on top of endless phenomena we don't have enough equipment to investigate all of them properly." Even Naru sounded pretty tired even in Bou-san's ears.

Bou-san seemed to be on a roll in complaining, "John and I are just two persons! This school is too big for the two of us! I beg you Naru-chan… I will even tolerate Ayako! So please call for reinforcement! Masako too!"

Naru in spite of priding his self-control couldn't stop his expression from darkening at mere mention of the medium. "Absolutely not."

"Then… Naru-chan, can you think of a one-time solution of exorcising all the evil spirits here?" Bou-san asked, just for the heck of it. He knew there was no such thing, he was just wondering what Naru would come up with.

"Blow up the school and all the people involved," Naru answered in an irritated tone.

Must be what the boss was thinking all day, so Naru-chan was fed up with this school just after one day too. "Oh, that could work. But then we'd have to make this school off-limits for a long time afterwards. What a way to solve this problem in one shot…" He played along with it, inwardly he was laughing hysterically at the image. He was losing it, especially if he had an urge to giggle right now.

Then again listening horror story the whole day would take a toll even on a spiritualist.

"Anoo…" John trailed off, "You guys are joking, right?"

Bou-san rolled his eyes at the priest, "Of course we are." Though to be honest he was very tempted to go along with Naru's homicidal plan. "Well, I guess. ...We'll have to divide the exorcisms up between everyone. But don't you think that this could be a prank by someone?" Bou-san remarked as he faced Naru.

"Maybe so..."

"Eh?" John blinked owlishly, "A prank, but… I think it's overboard to be called a prank! Someone got hospitalized."

Bou-san frowned deeply. "Yeah… however according what we heard so far." Bou-chan gestured to piling binder of consultation report on the table, "How to say this… we're used to serious and direct harm like what happened to Noriko-san and Ayami-chan in our previous case." The monk pulled out an example, "However… in this case most of it are not serious at all, in fact it give me impression the spirit was just scaring the hell out of them…"

Naru nodded in agreement, "A crude explanation but yes, most are not serious. It's especially true in Yoshino-sensei's case… the spirit is just disturbing him constantly but didn't do any direct harm."

He nodded sagely, "And also… what's with the abnormal amount? If I didn't know better I would think this is terrorism attempt to this school!"

"Why would anyone want to terrorize a school?" John wondered out loud.

"Saa…" Bou-san shrugged.

Naru cleared his throat, "Speaking of terrorism… yes, it seems like one. Especially since there is no logical reason or clear purpose for all this to happen. The only similarity the victims share are they are from this school… the range of victims are so broad we can't make a solid profile out of it."

In previous case, the victims were obviously children around eight years old. This time it seemed anyone could be a victim as long as they go to this school.

"I understand what you mean... But, what do we do now?" Bou-san asked. "We're asked to investigate."

"We will, but first… we have to prevent the situation from getting worse." Naru decided, recalling how the operation of this school was almost on its last leg. "We have to perform exorcism to suppress activities in this school, at least to prevent casualties."

Bou-san beamed at that, "So we're calling more reinforcement! Are you calling Masako too?"

In an instant, Naru's expression became incomprehensible. Bou-san recognized that face very well, he saw it whenever Masako was mentioned. "Why do you hate Masako?"

Naru clamped his mouth shut.

"On second thought… keep it to yourself." Bou-san decided before once again he looked at twilight sky outside with faraway look. "Aah… did Mai-chan call when she will be back?"

"No, she did not." And it made him wonder why she didn't, hopefully it was nothing serious.

* * *

 **Vongola Manor, Palermo –Mai's POV**

"Hm…" I was reading the file on my lap while Hana was busy doing my hair, and I could be careless what she did as long as I didn't look like Mukuro or Chrome or Lussuria.

Hana, one of our ex-civilian friends we dragged to this world and also girlfriend of our sun sighing loudly to get my attention. "You know… I get it that you're the most desirable girl in mafia world because of your blood, so you don't care of how you looks to those Mafioso… " She snorted, probably recalling when I loudly complained that no one would mind I looked like a hobo back then. "But as a girl I think you should care a little and look at the mirror instead of… report on civilian casualties in Sicily."

There was no heat in her words, and like any other female friends I had that involved in mafia, Hana despised Mafioso who saw me as nothing more than a chance to bring Vongola's precious bloodline to their family. I didn't angst over it even though I was never proud of it. In this world where blood was almost everything, the blood of Vongola was a treasure my family guarded jealously themselves. It would be a hypocrite of me to get worked over that fact.

"Hm… but I just want to finish my job as soon as possible." I said to Hana. "After all my living arrangement in Japan in the first place is to avoid the heat of rivalry in Italy after our latest civil war… that and because I am in charge of Asia and Vongola's foreign affair in the first place." I flipped the file to the next page, which detailing the property damage. "I found something I'm interested in… and perhaps we can solve our current problem."

I just had to work harder!

Hana smiled at me, her rare smile she reserved only to her closest people. "Glad to hear that Hime…" While I didn't like to be referred as princess, for my closest peoples that was an affectionate nickname rather than a title. "I was… very worried when you lost the light in your eyes, but look-" She grabbed both side of my face and I didn't resist as she lifted my face to look at the mirror in front of me. "Those bright amber like eyes we're so proud of… they're back."

I smiled at her through my reflection, I didn't notice myself that my eyes were ever different though. However Hana was always honest and blunt, so I didn't doubt her at all. "Hee… is my eyes that pretty?"

"Don't get a big head." Hana snorted, "But yeah… they're so beautiful."

Only our family members said that, most people who knew what name was attached to us wouldn't even dare to look at our eyes. To them our eyes were not beautiful, they were judgement of mafia world.

"He he…" I giggled softly, and looked back at my reflection. Then I frowned when I noticed something was off. "Erm… Hana, who told you to put hair extension on me? And it's so long!" I was gaping in horror now at my reflection, because my hair now was almost as long as my body.

Hana rolled her eyes, "It's how you used to look before you _burned/cut_ your own hair in misguided attempt to go through an imaginary rite of passage." She scoffed, "As if you didn't get through enough of the legit ones."

I blushed a deep red at my recklessness after _that_ happened, to be fair I wasn't at my right mind back then. "Well… I still like it short! It's just going to be a bother during a fight!"

Hana opened her mouth to retort, most likely to remind me I was going to a party not a fight. "I thought back then you let your hair grow this long because your brother likes it and because Reborn said something about challenging yourself with using long hair as handicap?"

Came to think of it, even though I kept scolding my brother for his selflessness and naivety, I didn't fare any better myself in our younger days. We also had our own theatrics phase, it was all Reborn's fault!

I combed my hair that once again had become as long as before I cut it, tilting my head and wondering, why the almost nonexistent extra weight felt foreign to me now? This overly long and impractical hair was Reborn's idea, something about showing false image of me as groomed and frail mafia princess. How did he talk me to this?

 _"_ _Dear student of mine… surely you're up to take a challenge to kick ass even with impractical hair weighing you down. After all… Squalo could do it, are you telling me that precious little sister of the next Vongola boss couldn't do it?"_

His words were still ringing on my ears until today. That was my rivalry phase… of all people I picked Squalo because he was Xanxus right hand man. Not one of my proudest phase in life, especially since Kashi-kun got in to real rivalry with that loud guy.

Reborn in the end got what he wanted, and I proved myself. Well, a lot of those who mistook me as frail princess got their just desert. Thinking back again that was Reborn's way to tell me I could be a girl and a princess, I didn't have to force myself to be not-girly so I could get stronger. At least that might what was going on his head, or he was just messing with us again. With Reborn, hyper intuition or not you couldn't tell.

Now it got nothing to do on my self-image. I still didn't like weighing my head again with it, I will just cut it in Japan or as soon as Hana's back was turned. This was all that because of that damned party I didn't even want to attend if I could help it. Why I had to attend again, right…

It was Grandfather's birthday party, I couldn't avoid to not attend because the world would wonder if Vongola had lost their princess. Well, not the world maybe but close allies and his guardians would. I couldn't stand Coyote, his storm guardian. Uptight and too formal!

What he would say if I didn't attend Nonno's birthday while I was here? Damn, and here I thought I could sneak out. Or maybe I would just ask Chrome to help me.

"You're not allowed to ask Chrome's help." Hana told me in stern tone.

There goes the plan, this would be a loooong night.

* * *

 **Tuesday, 2** **nd** **Day of Investigation (3rd POV)  
**

Bou-san welcomed Ayako and Masako to their team, yep, even Ayako. After all they had to free this school from evil force, after a good night sleep he felt refreshed to start anew. Unknown to Bou-san, Lin who was another non-minor male in the team had his own concern. Mainly for his sleep deprived charge, who had spent the whole night trying to figure out how to solve this case as soon as possible. Lin had a suspicion Hara-san's presence was the incessant.

It didn't help the apartment next door was empty so no Sawada-san who had the gall to threaten Naru in the middle of the night if the boy didn't go to sleep on time, she would go over to next door, picking his lock and made him. Her reason? Simply because she didn't want to deal with sleep deprived boss, scaring off clients who unfortunate enough to come to their office in the morning.

Of course the main reason was of course, Naru's well-being, but it was more effective to point out work related reason. The threat was also not real at all because their apartment used card key, so there was no keyhole to pick in the first place.

His lesser concern was the fact both Matsuzaki and Hara-san were unaware of Sawada-san's absence when they came here. Takigawa had the same concern, although in their opinion the only one who should be warned was Matsuzaki who usually was on the receiving end of Naru's snide remark. As for Hara-san… Lin was not sure what to do about this girl who obviously was poking a sleeping lion with holding Naru's secret identity against him.

He and Takigawa could only hope another no-Sawada-san-day would be over with everyone's sanity and dignity intact.

"Considering the large number of incidents, it's decided to suppress them with exorcism for the time being to prevent casualties." Naru began to explain, "We're pressed for lack of time and equipment to properly investigate all of them, so we will consider alternative if exorcism fails."

Then he began handing out areas for each of them to handle, they would go in pair. While individual exorcism would cover more area, going alone in haunted building was never a wise move.

"And now, Hara-san." Naru began and was about to assign area to her and Matsuzaki-san.

She cut him off, "Please… just call me by my first name, Masako. I don't mind." She smiled at him, covering her smiling lips with kimono sleeve.

With practiced ignorance, because most likely this was not the first time he heard the same line. Their leader turned his attention to everyone in the room. "Please take a look around the school. Matsuzaki-san, please accompany her. If you encounter any spirits, please exorcise them."

Matsuzaki smirked at Naru, "Ara… you're not going to say anything to Masako? I remember if I said something like that… someone would have retort sharply at me."

Naru's cold gaze met with hers. "If you have the energy to joke around, then I would really rather see your exorcising abilities. How about gradually showing us your exorcism skills so we can respect you?"

The miko blushed a deep red, "Why you… "

"All of us including me would like to see you to display your skill _eventually."_ Naru stressed the last part sarcastically.

She groaned, "Mai! Say…" She whirled around, her eyes roaming the room before stopping back at Naru. "Erm… where is Mai?"

Naru fought his urge to say something he might regret and informed the clueless Miko of his assistant's whereabouts. "She is currently oversea for family matter."

"Eeh?!" The Miko was shocked, "So we have to deal with you without Mai?!" While Mai didn't actively defend her, the girl at least was very effective in curbing Naru's unpleasantness. This was the guy who interrogate an eight years old girls until she cried, after all! "Do we have victims already?"

Masako frowned, "What victim you're talking about?" She had a feeling it was not supernatural activity's victim that the Miko was talking about.

"There are." Bou-san answered. "Don't ask who… but now they can't endure looking at Naru-chan's handsome face."

"Gah!" Ayako could imagine poor girls like Ayami-chan who didn't have Mai around to help them from Naru. "In that case! Let's go Masako… I'm sure as hell has no wish to see the more crying kids myself!"

"What the…" Masako began to protest as Ayako dragged her forcefully out of the room.

"Okay, let's go too." Bou-san said to John.

"Yeah."

That left Naru and Lin in the base. Naru shook his head and reminded himself he still had two more subordinates. "Tojo-san, Shima-san." He called.

They appeared quickly and gave him a curt bow. "Osh, Shibuya-sachou."

 _That just the way they behave in their job, don't overthink it._ Or so Mai told him. "I guess I will leave you two on the base, so wait for anyone to contact you."

"Roger that."

"And just to be safe…" Naru trailed off, "Do introduce yourself the next time they notice your presence."

They looked confused for a moment, before shrugging as if saying, _if that's what you want._

* * *

 **Half an hour later…**

As the rest of spiritualist team members were out for investigation, Tojo and Shima were diligently organizing information they had collected yesterday. They were very efficient in administrative work, because their previous superior hated it with vengeance so it was not strange in random interval they got saddled with it.

While Kusakabe-san was out to ensure their leader didn't get in too much trouble, or to be exact making too much of havoc.

They were in the middle of putting the binders full of consultation file of Yuasa on portable shelf of SPR, when genki-girl known as Takahashi Yuuko and avid fan of Bou-san entered the room. Her eyes did a quick sweep around the room, and they held their breath out of reflex.

Shrugging, the girl commented to herself. "There is no one here… I guess they're busy investigating our school. I should just go back to class before a teacher come checking out self-study class." She grumbled the last part as she closed the door.

The two henchmen blinked owlishly and wondered if they had missed something.

* * *

 **For OMAKE that was Vongola related... some sort of how Neo-Vongola come to be. It would be in 3 parts. Well... like a story on its own.  
**

 **Omake: In summary, how Neo Vongola was born Part 01**

Being twins and identical in looks –which supposed to be impossible but this was Vongola line they were talking about- made people around them expecting the twin to be identical in personality. Their parents, Iemitsu and Nana were too happy to have a pair in one go to care. Then again, Iemitsu and Nana weren't the most observant parent. In spite of obvious difference in hair, in which Tsuna's untamed hair was nothing like Mai's tamed one from her mother, their parents mixed them up a lot when they were baby.

This was one of greatest mystery of their childhood, because their father who had hyper intuition _shouldn't_ be capable to mix them up even if he tried.

Iemitsu wanted his son to join his manly activities, while Nana wanted Mai to join her girly activity. There was nothing wrong with their plan to treat their children accordingly to their gender at tender age of nine months. However… soon both of them gave up separating or not getting the two mixed up. So when Mai played house with Nana, Tsuna was there. Mai was also with Iemitsu and Tsuna when they go fishing.

That was how their early years went, and even after their parents gave up on distinctive gender activity, Tsuna and Mai became inseparable. Which also made them out of touch with most kids their age, as they didn't believe in playing only with friends of the same gender or boy couldn't play house like girls couldn't play hero. So it was inevitable they were ostracized by kids their age for their strange upbringing, and clung on each other for support.

Reborn who was tasked as their tutor naturally was displeased by their borderline freaky dependency on each other. It was no wonder they were placed fifth and sixth in line respectively, the bottom line. If he was a lesser man he would write them off as lost cases, Primo's descendant and Young Lion's kids or not.

At first sight of them Reborn was reminded of disgusting sight from his almost long forgotten childhood, a ball of small candies stuck together because it was left under the heat of sun for too long, you couldn't even tell which was peppermint and milk flavored. After they were pass their initial shock at seeing him for the first time- which Reborn couldn't decide was product of Godly instinct of Vongola or his intimidating presence or both- they talked in the same time, holding hands and showing the same expression as if they were mirror image and in general being a pair of creepy Tweedledee-Tweedledum.

The aura of their power as Vongola though was not disappointing, even at this young age he could already feel them. Nonno had told him, the boss was forced to seal part of it in fear the twins would harm themselves. However… he couldn't tell which from which, the sensation of their power clung to each other and synching so closely like… sticky candies.

It got on Reborn's nerve pretty quick, and he proceeded to shoot them on the foot. Or to be exact, he opened fire around ten times and gave them a close call to see if they reacted differently. Apparently his gun worked to unstuck sticky candy-like twins of Iemitsu.

He saw Tsuna, who was the male and older twin cowered behind his younger and female twin. He was not biased against female boss, Daniela was an excellent boss after all. However he could tell Tsuna, the male twin was the one possessing stronger flame so naturally he got to be the boss not Mai.

It didn't mean Mai had no talent on her own, Reborn was sure she had her own strength. However in mafia power triumph everything, and a female with blood relation to the next boss always had a better place somewhere in the family.

Both of them however seemed to share equally strong intuition, or perhaps not since the girl did not notice he was dangerous but boy did. However looking at tightening hold on his sister, and unwavering eyes Tsuna shot at him, maybe the boy was not a coward lion.

It took quite long for Reborn to get them separated, at least enough for the two to survive without each other for extended period of time. He also got better look of their personality when they no longer attached like one entity.

Tsuna was a gentle soul, timid, caring and hiding his fangs.

Mai in the other hand bared her fang, more outgoing and bright but inside was very much a girl who in spite of her outgoing personality was more dependent on her brother than the other way around. Which was surprising because before Reborn came along, it was Mai who stood up against bullies for Tsuna.

Reborn was quite proud of himself because somehow- we were talking about Vongola here, it was always ' ** _somehow_** ' with them- because all he did was tossed them to danger, crossed his fingers, and let their intuition and blood did its work. The twins while still very close and adored each other almost creepily, they weren't so dependent on each other to the point being invalid when separated.

Tsuna became an admirable boy who could stand up against Xanxus, he hated fighting and still the gentlest soul Reborn had ever seen since Luce. He had a long way to go, but now he was the next boss Vongola could be proud of. Mai in the other hand grown to be the perfect complement for her older twin, warm and supportive but unafraid to go behind her brother's back to be the cynical twin to the ever optimist Tsuna.

Tsuna's or rather _their_ guardians had no trouble picking what differ the twins with each other once they graduated from Reborn's teaching. Also what they were so identical with each other too.

Obviously both of them cared for their family members very much and would go through any danger for them. They also shared the same attitude for their no good-father, who they claimed didn't hate but careless of because of his long absence made them unable to see Iemitsu as a father anymore. Their carelessness and lack of genuine hate was presented logically, you couldn't hate or care for a guy who was practically a stranger and just happened to be your biological father. To hate someone, you had to know them enough to develop hatred.

They also admitted with mix of shame and pride, if _that_ Reborn who shoot and kick them in daily basis was considered a better father figure to them, it left much to be desired from Iemitsu. Their position as boss-right hand woman- and external advisor didn't help.

What Iemitsu didn't know, the twin had 'tried' to give him a chance and waited when he showed up for Ring Battle. He failed spectacularly the moment he used his surrogate son and disciple as the bait to deliver the ring to their hands safely. Basil horrified them, and opened their eyes to what kind of man Iemitsu was. Their father had single-minded ruthlessness and seemed to be unaware or didn't care to show this trait to his subordinates and family.

For once Hyper Intuition worked against Iemitsu as his twins used it to peel Basil layer by layer to find what kind of man Iemitsu was.

He was manipulative and mischievous, and that was why Basil spoke like a samurai and eternally misunderstood Japan and its society. Most people thought Basil was hilarious like that, Tsuna and Mai were plainly horrified. Iemitsu was a teacher, and yet he crippled Basil without harming his battle potential just because he wanted to mess with Basil. Reborn strife to bring them as close as possible to perfection, he was manipulative but he didn't mess with their potential.

He got Basil and perhaps the rest of CEDEF wrapped around his finger, after all if your superior had just used you as bait and you showed no sign of sadness or indignity whatsoever… There must be something **wrong** with you. People called Basil loyal, Tsuna and Mai called him pitiful. They wished he at least _felt_ something about it, not showing up with proud smile of his sacrifice to help them training. Tsuna and Mai didn't feel _loved_ at all for all trouble CEDEF and especially Basil had to go through for them because Iemitsu said so.

Naturally this made Mai declined to be trained as the next head of CEDEF, and the problem was not 'independency' needed that would separate her from her twin. Mai let general population of Mafia World to misunderstand this, it worked to her favor. She despised CEDEF's current policy and felt they had failed spectacularly and fell from grace under Iemitsu's lead.

At least that was how CEDEF look in their new age as the next generation.

Both Tsuna and Mai were in agreement about her position, she should stay in the main family and it was non-negotiable. They also had all intention to dissolve current CEDEF and replaced it with Foundation. As soon as previous generation's back was turned to avoid a mess. Or perhaps as soon as they could convince their oldest guardian to relocate permanently to Italia, or they should just relocate to Japan all together. Whichever was more possible, and less painful for all of them.

Beside… Tsuna was not Vongola Decimo but Neo Vongola Primo, it was just natural for CEDEF to enter a new age too.

* * *

 **Sometimes... I wonder shits and giggles are why Reborn is so amusing as a troll. As shown above... Tsuna and Mai used to be so close and they got crippled when separated. Close but not constructive for each other. I want to give you a picture of how they used to be, that their ADORATION for each other is not always a good thing.  
**

 **The reason I make Mai's hair long is not because it's pretty, in fact look pretty is a layer on top of another layer LOL...**

 **NEXT TIME in SGH, let's say... Mai is SO disappointed with SPR team and Naru, they had a small taste of Vongola from long distance AND everyone got depressed because the lack of common sense didn't help their investigation.**


	10. Case 03, Part 02

**Case 03-Part 02**

 **Yuasa High School (2** **nd** **Day Investigation-ongoing)**

Naru was not really surprised they came back empty handed again today, and so far they had not seen anything supernatural in this school. Which was strange because towering pile of report meant their chance to see something was pretty high. However when he returned to their base they found two odd facts.

First, both other team got attacked. Bou-san and John had a spear thrown at them, and of all places to get hurt the priest was in the middle of getting his temple bandaged by their resident Miko.

"It's not a joke." Bou-san told him in grim tone. "I mean… no one was there and the spear was thrown at us! John was extremely lucky it just grazed him!" Everyone refrained to point out if he was lucky, he wouldn't have gotten a spear thrown at him in the first place.

Then their miko reported, "And in my case! I couldn't even got any exorcism done… not for the lack of trying! Mind you!" She huffed, "Try to finish your chant in the middle of objects flying all over the room, chant and dodge in the same time! I almost got a concussion when that desk almost hit me!" She began to ramble, "And Masako, she-"

Hara Masako of all people didn't see anything. "There is no spirit in this school."

Her face was colored with confidence. Which while admirable made Naru wonder how she could say _that_ when she was in the same room as Matsuzaki, who described the room as having a mini tornado inside when they were there. She even had small bruise on her left knee to prove it.

Being firm and confident was good, but stating there was no spirit and no effort at trying to explain the reason whatsoever? Not so professional of her, more like mere stubborn streak. Naru closed his eyes, and face-palmed. If it was Gene… he would look closer, and tried to find something instead throwing the verdict, there was nothing and that was the end of the story.

"...That can't be." Bou-san muttered in disbelief.

"But there aren't any…" She insisted sternly, "I've thoroughly looked all around the school, and there were also no spirits in other places."

And you took your sight for granted and didn't look further. Naru supposed it could be blamed to her celebrity status or pampered upbringing, he couldn't compare Hara-san to Gene who was raised by his side as a medium who assisted a scientist. The mindset was already different in the first place, so it was unfair to compare this girl to his twin.

Bou-san interjected, "At _least_ there should be one in that accursed desk! Four girls fell victim to it!"

"Then we're being deceived." Masako stated, unwavering in her conviction.

Did she even listen to what she said herself? She had just accused four peoples faking getting dragged by a train. All of them could present their medical record if asked. Naru, not for the first time since his twin was gone wished this girl while _not_ as good as Gene but at least had half of his open-mindedness as a medium.

What was the difference between trained police dog and medium then when spirit was concerned? Your task didn't end on sniffing out spirit.

 _'_ _The least you could do is_ not _coming up with an even more ridiculous conclusion. You may take pride in your ability and skill, but closing yourself to possibility outside of the box blinded you from the truth.'_ Naru thought to himself.

Bou-san shared Naru's sentiment, "Masako… I respect your ability, seriously I do! But do you listen to what you just said?!"

"It's a fact." She insisted stubbornly.

"Yeah… because pranking us is so worth getting dragged by a train." He muttered sarcastically. "Then there is that fox possessed girl, if it's not a proof… I don't know what is!"

She averted her eyes from the Monk and looked elsewhere, ignoring him. It was her silent way of telling him that she was not going to waste her effort in convincing him.

John looked uncomfortable as he informed us of his trip to hospital, "But that girl who was possessed can't be faking it. The exorcisms isn't effective. Takigawa-san and I alternated our exorcisms numerous times, but in the end we had to struggle to do it, and they came back anyway."

"I see..." The girl he recommended to go to see a doctor. Maybe he should've been more detailed when talking with her friends. Mai would have thrown a sarcastic remark at him by now, about how at last he regretted his lack of courtesy and sympathy.

"About that…" Naru began, "It's very likely my initial analysis of her situation is correct, that girl's condition fell under jurisdiction of a doctor not a spiritualist."

"Eh?"

He sighed and began to explain, "What seems to be an evil spirit could just be a neurotic disease. It's not uncommon to mistake hysteria as a case of possession and vice-versa… considering this girl has visited a temple and no apparent reaction, it's more likely it's hysteria."

"Ah..." Bou-san rubbed his head, "And that also explain why we didn't get any result either." He nodded sagely, "However… is it really a hysteria fit?"

"It can be easily confirmed later if we visit this girl again…" Naru sighed, "We can just get Hara-san to look at her to know." She looked pleased Naru was depending on her. "However… in other case, a more complicated possibility… Mai, who is unfortunately not here would be a better choice to confirm it."

"?"

Masako looked like she had swallowed something sour but Naru was too deep in thought to notice or care.

"Another possibility is, quasi combination of both." He explained, "The girl who played Kokkuri-san has already suffering from hysteria and it became a trigger to her bout of hysteria. The way she acted is because of the spirit… so it's like the shackle of reason that stopped her snapped and she behaved as if she was possessed."

Naru closed his eyes, "Of course real spirit could be responsible to make the girl, who already have inclination to hysteria to get worse… so even though John and Bou-san exorcise the spirit, the symptom persist."

Bou-san was nodding now, "Oh yes… then if it's Mai, she will be able to detect the shift of emotion. Spirit or no spirit… the girl has her own emotion."

Naru nodded, "Right…" He didn't want to corner Masako, but presenting possibility of spirit wasn't involved at all would be counter-productive to them all. They had to look at bigger _and_ smaller picture, and her single-minded insistence was not going to help this investigation or Yuasa High School population.

Masako frowned, "But what a Shaman like Mai-san could do? In the first place it's strange she could sense spirit but she can't see them at all… she is a half-baked shaman."

Silence…

"…Did you just call her a shaman?" Bou-san asked in disbelief. "Who told you that?"

Matsuzaki blinked at her, "Mai isn't one! She is… an ESP user right? A psychic!"

"Eh?" Masako blinked in confusion. "But… then what of the spirit she called forth to protect Ayami-chan back then?"

John chimed in, "But Mai-san said… what she called to protect Ayami-chan was not her familiar."

All of them looked at him as one, silently inquiring his input. Naru sighed, "Actually… even I have not conclude a solid analysis of 'what' Mai is… ESP seems to be her most obvious classification. But what she could do defy traditional classification so it could be something else entirely…"

Especially offensive ability she was still hiding, it made her extremely tired and the air of surrounding area warmer. Which mean it was more or less loosely related to PK because object affected by it would be warm. However… he who was a PK user only made the object he affected warm not the surrounding area. Even in PK category Mai defied traditional classification.

Maybe her lack of progress in researching herself was not because she was bad at it, but because she was 'new type' of psychic. It was _so_ Mai though…

"But…." Bou-san began in confused tone. "We thought she is an ESP user who is also studying onmyoudou under you?" He looked at Matsuzaki-san. "That's what we…"

Naru sighed, this was when lack of information worked against them. He and Mai gave away so little and these guys made their own ridiculous assumption. "I've not say anything about being an Onmyouji… beside what kind of Onmyouji-in training Mai was if she didn't really know about Devil Gate?"

Her lack of knowledge in that direction could be excused because so far they covered psychic side in their lesson, she made an effort to learn old mystical material but she spent more on psychic and new discovery.

"So you didn't teach her?"

They seemed to ignore the first statement on him in favor of second on Mai… this was why these ignorant peoples…

"I didn't teach her Onmyoudou…" Naru confirmed sternly. "She is learning parapsychology in SPR, not ancient art of yin-yang."

Bou-san looked sheepish, "Oh I see… so what did she do back then to protect Ayami-chan?" Then he paused, "Hey, there is one time you tell her to 'not do' something when we're in Morishita house? I was concentrating on my mantra so I forgot…"

Naru sighed, "Remember she keep sleeping after she saved Ayami-chan in the garden? I assumed she has offensive ability and it severely taking a toll on her stamina."

"You don't know what it is?" Matsuzaki pressed on.

Naru became irritated, "In case you forgot, how Mai reacted when you call her 'post-cognition' as convenient ability?"

Matsuzaki and Takigawa winced in unison. "Oh yeah…"

"That's it for today." Naru concluded, "We're not here to discuss Mai's ability." And he didn't want them to pry for idle curiosity. "Let's continue tomorrow."

* * *

 **The next day (Naru's POV)**

I was very close to throw all respect I had in Hara-san out of the window, and it was not for the lack of trying to respect her talent as one of the best medium in Japan. Which stemmed from my avoidance of bias against her skill as medium because of Gene. Which in the first place was a very unfair comparison if what I saw of her so far was to be believed.

Gene was a pure and perfect medium, Hara-san in the other hand fell to category of ESP user medium. They couldn't even be compared in the first place. Crude comparison would be like looking at genuine jewelry and an imitation, function wise it was the same, wearing either could fool people who had no eyes for jewelry. In the end the value was still different.

"Of course there wouldn't be any reading in your equipment that support spirit is exist in this building." Hara-san stated confidently. "Because there isn't any like in old school building back then either… as I didn't find any either."

How ironic that was then, because she seemed to forget just because my equipment didn't support presence of spirit I didn't stop looking for a solid analysis back then. In this building people were suffering because of spirit, there were too many of them to be ruled out as just product of their imagination. It wouldn't make sense to rule spirit out because both Hara-san and electronic equipment didn't present input that support their presence.

After all my job was investigating the _unknown_ in the first place.

"That didn't change the 'fact' something happen in this school and it involve spirit, and it's imperative for us to determine their cause."

And also… did she just say my equipment and her would came out with the same reading? Hara-san, then what good were you as a medium compared to machine then?

"We can't stop investigating until we find the cause." I stressed my point.

"It's no use no matter how you look at it."

And who were you to decide that?

"Naru." Lin warned me, sensing my darkening mood.

I inhaled deeply, "Let's go back to the base."

* * *

 **SPR's Base**

Of all people in this 'not quite a team' I have gathered surprisingly or perhaps not, the most open minded and creative was apparently Takigawa-san. Which was probably he got along well with Mai. In spite of his insistence a day ago on supernatural cause, today he pointed out a new possibility. Which also what I had in mind since yesterday. He was not as fast as me in analyzing phenomena, but better than other spiritualists in here. In fact I wouldn't be surprise if we rank spiritualist in Japan, he would rank pretty high.

"So when we talked about Mai yesterday it made me think… back in the case of her school, that Kuroda-girl was involved. I mean in the end the cause is half-natural cause and half-supernatural right?"

"What do you mean? Get to the point!" Matsuzaki-san demanded.

He huffed, "What I mean is… like Naru-chan said about the fox-possessed girl, it seems in this pile." He gestured towards the towering pile on our desk which was not decreasing at all much to our frustration.

"Out of all the complaints we've received, how many do you think actually happened?" I finished for him.

Bou-san grinned, nodding enthusiastically. "Yeah! There seems to be some misunderstandings," the monk waved his finger, "There are only a few of 'real' phenomena but it start a chain of reaction."

John who was the most understanding began to catch up, "Strange incidents continue to occur in this school. No one feels comfortable anymore, and everyone feels like prisoners," John said sadly, recalling the stressed face of general population of this school.

"Since everyone feels so uneasy and frightened, they might experience hallucinations. This could be the reason why the girl possessed by a fox spirit became such a wreck. I know this sounds vague, but something similar to a curse must be causing this―At least, that's what I think. If this situation continues, the uneasiness will increase, and people will believe the school is haunted or that there's a curse. And then the more sensitive people may panic."

In short their hallucination was genuine in a sense because they were affected by 'bad' aura of the curse. They were unfortunate victims who happened to be close.

Matsuzaki winced, "Like… passive smoker then? They got affected even if they didn't smoke."

"Right," I agreed with Bou-san and the Miko, more to the first who brought a semblance of logical conclusion back to discussion after the disaster the day before.

"We can't determine whether or not these incidents are due to spiritual phenomena because of all the possible exceptions and the sheer amount of incidents that has occurred." I offered my input, there were too many incomplete puzzle. "Moreover...even if that's true, the amount is still abnormal. There must be a reason behind all this despite the fact that incidents only occur to those related to the school."

Bou-san groaned, "Still, we haven't the slightest idea what those reasons could be...right?"

All of us fell to deep thought, contemplating what we just analyzed so far. I glanced briefly at Hara-san whoa apparently was the sole exception, she just stared blankly at my direction. "Now the only one we can rely on is Hara-san..." I muttered in hope she could try to rectify her opinion.

Hara-san raised an eyebrow before responding, "...There are no spirits in this school."

I let out a sigh upon hearing her stubborn answer. "...So that's your conclusion. Have we reached a dead end this soon?" She was hopeless.

"Maybe Masako is right?" asked the Miko.

Hara-san turned towards her. "Matsuzaki-san is undoubtedly correct."

I was not Mai but I knew Matsuzaki had zero intention to be her ally. "Exactly. However you think about it, if the ghosts aren't there, then there's no way they are the cause." Her remark was thickly coated in sarcasm.

Surprisingly perhaps in spite of her repeated claim for earth spirit she was more open minded for broader possibility and she was annoyed Hara-san keep claiming no spirit with zero input of what else could be the cause. Or maybe it was because Hara-san just watched her got attacked the day before and still claim she was not attacked by a spirit.

She turned toward me. "Kazuya-san believes me, right?"

What do you expect me to say to that? I had nothing to believe aside you present me a fact you couldn't see the spirit that causing the incidents in this school. "Spirit frequently lies… and in our previous case I believe Mai called the spirit of children are playing hide and seek with us." That was her intuition talking.

 _'_ _It's like… the children is playing a game a hide and seek.'_

"Then!" She covered her lips with her kimono sleeve, "Why we don't ask Mai-san's opinion then if she is better than me!"

Matsuzaki-san nodded, "Yeah. That's a good idea… at least Mai will listen to what people say. She also won't ignore if someone got attacked in front of her eyes and still saying there is no spirit!"

Hara-san glared at her.

"Come on you two!" Bou-san chided them, "Keep it cool, we're helping people here! So put the fighting aside for when general population of this school is not on the verge of going crazy."

"Hmph!" They turned their face away from each other petulantly.

"At any rate…" Bou-san sighed, "Naru-bou, I feel bad for Jou-chan but this is emergency. Can we at least call her to get some insight? Knowing Mai-chan she won't mind since we're helping people here…"

I sighed at him, "Unfortunately since she is in Italy right now, I don't…" I had no idea how to contact her and considering how fluent her Italian, indicating she spent years living there so most likely she was using different phone number.

"Then Shibuya-sachou… we will set the phone here for you..."

Tojo-san who appeared out of nowhere put an iridium satellite phone on the table, the conference phone version I swore I just saw released last month. It was shaped like a black Frisbee, and using touch screen like smart phone nowadays. It also ran using solar battery and apparently for no reason whatsoever could stand a bomb exploded on it. Which was why the price was ridiculously high rather than the technology behind it.

We stared at the phone and then to the two borderline invisible men who for some reason still dressed in gakuran even though they had graduated high school. Tojo and Shima in return, waited for us expectantly.

"Erm…" Bou-san stammered, "Who are you guys?"

"Tojo Koshiro." He introduced himself, "And my coworker here is Shima Renzou." The other man nodded and both of them gave us a curt bow. "Nice to meet you!"

Then all eyes turned to me and I resigned myself. "Our new employees, or to be exact they're Mai's. They're the one who moved our equipment with Lin and standing guard in our base when we're out." I informed them, "It baffles me how ignorant all of you to not notice their presence or how strange it is for me to leave our base empty."

"But we didn't see them!" Bou-san protested.

"It's our pride to move unseen and as unobtrusive as possible to ensure your comfort." Tojo said proudly.

"Since when did you hire Ninja?" Matsuzaki asked in shock.

"We're not Ninja though." Tojo waved his hand in negative. "And instead of concerning yourself about us, we thought you need to contact Hime?"

"Hime?" Bou-san blinked owlishly, "You mean Jou-chan?"

"Hai." They nodded in unison. "Then without delay, please use this phone Shibuya-sachou…" Tojo gestured at the phone.

I stared at them, then asked. "Why didn't Mai tell me how to contact her?" Why I sounded like a petulant child when I said this?

"Because she assume you would ask us how if you need her?" They supplied. "To be honest Hime herself tend to forget what she refer as… 'Pesky details' because communication line back home change system constantly. Since she knew we have a phone that set on speed dial to her number in Italy… she figure it will work out… and yes, hime herself _didn't_ know how to contact her own number."

As ridiculous as it was sounded, it was _so_ Mai.

In short it never occurred to her that Tojo and Shima would fall so far under my notice, I didn't expect them to know how to contact her. Then again for someone with intuition like her, these two were no different than normal people. Again… it astound me how that girl _kept_ forgetting I was not as sensitive as her.

I do have sixth sense, but in comparison to hers I fell short in detecting presence.

"You guys aren't ghost, right?" Bou-san asked, still in a daze. Then again he had just been informed two broad shouldered guys had been around for a few days in this room and he didn't notice them at all. It must hurt his pride.

"No, they're not." Hara-san said in sharp tone. "You'll not able to see him if that is the case. So, what are you waiting for Kazuya-san?" Hara-san asked me. "Call Mai-san."

I suppressed my urge to sigh, and wondered why did I even bother calling her over. "Tojo, if you please."

"Hai." He nodded and began to dial, he called it speed dial but he had dialed ten numbers before it was connected. "Please don't make a sound, since there would be a voice check later."

Voice check? What for?

It took one ring, and someone picked it up but there was no hello or greeting whatsoever. Tojo cleared his throat and with practiced ease recite something that sounded like a group name, his name and an ID number. "Divizione Nuvola, Tojo Koshiro-027-018-643…"

Then there was a typing sound so quick it didn't sound like human's doing, then followed by a robotic voice. _"Sì, Signor Tojo. Al quale io collegare questo invito?"_ It asked, and I presumed was about who Tojo wanted this call to be connected with.

"E 'disponibile la nostra principessa?" Tojo answered, he was speaking very quickly and it was a wonder how he didn't bite his tongue. I felt illogical discomfort that Mai's name was not said as an answer.

 _"Sicurezza codice di liquidazione, per favore."_ From its tone, it was requesting something.

Tojo cleared his throat, closing his eyes as he recited very quickly. "033-59-L-80-6996-02772." Obviously a security code and somehow had one alphabet among numbers. What was ridiculous was Tojo spoke it in different language, half of the numbers were said in Japanese, one in Chinese and the rest in Italian. Who the heck could come up with such code?

I had a feeling if I asked Mai about this, she would laugh and said it was just how her family and their company rolls. Sometimes I wished she could _just_ lie instead of resorting to being uninformative, misleading, vague and twisting truth no one could tell the head and tail of.

 _"All clear..."_ Suddenly it switched to English. _"Please wait, we're connecting your call..."_

Then a cheerful music that didn't fit the atmosphere at all started to play and the tension popped like a balloon.

Bou-san was the first to comment, "What was that?"

"Please don't concern yourself about it." Tojo told him curtly.

"How can't I? Was that security system?" He questioned, "I heard uno and other... like in Uno? Number in Italian."

"Hai."

Beeeep...

"Ah, it's already connected."

"Click." She picked it up already _? "Se è_ _ancora il nostro foschia traumatizzare qualcuno, seguire la procedura nella sezione sessantanove."_

"..." It was Mai's voice but the clipped tone and different language made it sounded alien. "Hai?" John let out on reflex.

I strained my ears, there was a lot of scribbling sound in the background, paper flipping and stamping.

 _"_ _Giapponese? Che cosa ha detto?"_ Mai asked something in confusion and John who had blurted it out repeated it again. It seemed the priest who undoubtedly knew Latin could guess what Mai said. _"Scusi. parla Giapponese?_

"Hai! Parla Giapponese!" John replied nervously, it seemed because he already spoke he went along with it.

Mai cleared her throat in the other line, and we heard someone else asked her. _"C'è un problema, Mai?"_

 _"_ _Yes."_ Mai switched to Japanese at last, _"I thought we already tell all of our Japanese members to speak Italian when calling us?"_

 _"_ _Yeah~ but like we have time to scold our guys now."_ The voice was crisp and monotone. _"Get on with it!"_

 _"_ _Alright, in Japanese then... If it's Mukuro traumatizing someone again, just follow procedure number 69 in your Neo-V.G book... and speak Italian next time, only Kyo-san get away with it. Understood?"_

Then someone, a girl with solemn voice said. _"Uhm, I'm on the phone for that Hime..." Then there was the sound of rustling. "It's done, I will head over there later."_

 _"_ _Send a fruit basket while you're at it."_

This phone was undoubtedly had high quality if all voices and sounds from the other end could be heard so clearly. I didn't know why it didn't occur to me to speak out so Mai would recognize she was on the phone with who. It was mostly her fault, she didn't give us much room or none to talk after John answered her in broken Italian that I was sure he botchered from Latin.

Mai groaned, _"Alright, if this is Lambo's school complaining about candy on lunch set again..."_ Mai said in a long suffering voice.

 _"_ _Hahi! Haru is talking to Lambo's school principle now, Mai-chan!"_ Overly cheerful and cutesy voice said over the phone.

 _"_ _Ah, if this is about Ryouhei-nii's patient having hearing problem... please follow procedure under section 33, the same if he bulldoze something by accident and..."_ Mai said in patronizing tone but she was cut off again.

 _"_ _I am on the phone on that, Mai-chan!"_ A cheerful, upbeat voice said _. "Onii-chan is really..."_

Mai's voice turned grim, _"Please don't tell me Kyo-san stumbled upon Mukuro..."_ She sounded like she wanted to cry _, "And I've been working hard for days so they won't..."_

Ring! _"Ah... Not that one either Hime, I'm on that one."_ The one with solemn and soft voice said. _"I will head over there to make sure nothing bad will happen."_ Then sound of door opening and closing followed.

 _"_ _It will happen!"_ Mai snapped, _"It's those two! I swear... if!"_

 _"_ _The phone, Mai!"_

 _"_ _If Xanxus complaining about his meat again_..." She trailed off. _"Just suggest to Squalo to feed Xanxus to shark. It would be a poetic justice..." Mai said wistfully. "Wait, why did Varia's complain got here? Did someone mess up the line again?"_

What was Varia?

 _"_ _I'm on that one… and yeah someone mess up the line! Che!"_ The stern voice cut her off. _"Mai, you're still on the phone and it's on speaker because you hate repeatedly lifting the receiver when you're working on paperwork."_ The one with stern voice reminded her. _"And... I think for once you should confirm why you get that call instead of guessing it with your intuition."_

She did what?

" _This is the first time you missed since... Saturday? Are you slipping?"_ A snort and then followed by a laughter and giggling from different girls. _"You guessed correctly for all the phone calls we're holding for you... so the one you're on is from who?"_ She wondered out loud.

 _"_ _Uhm... Moshi-moshi, who is this?"_ Mai asked in cautious tone.

Bou-san was about to open his mouth but I beat him to it. "You seems **very** busy, Mai."

 _"_ _...Naru?!"_ She squeaked _. "You... you heard everything just now? Wait! Never mind! Don't answer that!"_ I could tell she was flailing in the other end. " _Hold on!"_ Then there was a sound of hushed whisper, door opening and something exploding and crashing that quickly deafened down together by sound of door closing.

"Mai...just now." I began, what was that?! When the door opened, I swear wherever she was, it sounded like a warzone.

 _"_ _Don't ask."_ Mai growled threateningly, " _Is there something I can help you with?"_ She asked in overly cheerful voice as if she never talked to us in clipped and business like voice, or even growling like just now.

"Mai-chan!" Bou-san interrupted before I could speak. "I'm so happy to hear your voice! We have a problem!"

 _"_ _Bou-san?"_ Mai exclaimed, _"Hm... oh, everyone is there."_ And just like that she knew right away all of us were in the other end? Then she laughed, _"Okay... what do you need then? I'm stuck here for a while so is it something can be done over the phone?"_

"Erm..." Bou-san looked at me pleadingly.

I sighed, "We have a case now... students and faculty members of a highschool is terrorized by a string of supernatural incidents. The amount and frequency are abnormal. However... Hara-san can't find any spirit in the school premise, and reading from our equipment come up with negative responds..."

"I got attacked by poltergeist!" Matsuzaki-san interrupted, "And poor John got a spear thrown at him! And Masako has the gall to say there is nothing in this school! AND the whole school is deceiving us!"

I would have said something to her interruption, but she did deliver a report I would have trouble to phrase without offending Hara-san. Not that I cared about her feeling, it just didn't worth the following trouble.

 _"_ _Hum... that's strange and dangerous, did anyone got hurt?"_ She asked worriedly. _"Is everyone alright over there?"_

Matsuzaki looked like she was close to tears, "And that's what you should say to someone who was attacked!" She growled at Hara-san who turned her face away from the Miko.

 _"_ _Erm... I get the picture, but what do you guys want me to do for you?"_ She asked in confusion. _"Naru? What can I help you with?"_

I cleared my throat, "I need you to use your intuition to sort complains we received so far."

"EH?!" Much to my annoyance that was not coming from Mai but our team, except Lin of course.

 _"_ _Hm... you mean there might be fake complain mixed?"_ Mai drawled, _"The school must be a very stressful environment now, everyone is so tense..."_

Matsuzaki blinked owlishly,"Erm... how do you know that?"

 _"_ _Your voice... you're tired and tense."_ She answered as if that was the most obvious thing in the world. _"The one who spoke with me in Latin is Father John, right? Sorry... I was on a trance so I didn't pay attention... is the exorcism not working either? It must be mentally exhausting."_

"How do you know we have tried exorcism?" It was Bou-san this time who asked.

 _"_ _Your voice."_ Mai answered with the same reply. " _I've made you bring heavy equipment for me, so I can tell... your exhaustion after physical work and exorcism are different... and it shows in your voice."_

His eyes widened in awe, "Amazing... you can tell just from our voice."

 _"_ _Hai, if it's just your physical condition it's very easy."_ Mai told him. _"Doctor also can use voice as indication, not just me."_

"Mai." I interrupted her before she could get off topic. "So can you do it?"

She laughed, obviously she heard impatience in my voice. _"What do you have with you then? Like I told you in our experiment... no matter how good the quality of voice or image transmitted by electronic device it can't beat face to face communication. It's like listening to a phone with bad reception..."_

"I didn't need you to guess what they're thinking exactly." I corrected her and I could almost hear her usual protest. "Yes, you're no mind reader... you told me." I sighed, "However… Since you can tell our physical condition from our voice, that means you can tell whether they're lying or not right?"

"Yes." Her tone was clear with no hesitation whatsoever. _"I will have no problem if it's just differing lie and truth... however, like I said before people who hallucinate will_ believe _what they see as the truth so they're not lying..."_

"So it won't be different at all like what you sensed from Kuroda-san?"

 _"_ _There will be slight difference."_ Mai informed me. _"Hallucination and spiritual phenomena affected their victim to different degree... it's like seasick and people who got ill after a roller coaster ride."_

Only Mai would come up with that kind of comparison. How did she tell the difference between motion sickness because of swaying vehicle and roller coaster anyway? "So, can you do it?"

 _"_ _I will try my best."_ She assured me. _"But still... you have not tell me what you've got, a video or voice recording?"_

"After the first day I asked several witnesses I've chosen to recite their complain on the second day." I informed Mai, I had done this when everyone was out exorcising. The teachers were strangely uncooperative when asked. "I have videos... ten of it, each with duration less than five minutes each... and I'm sending it to your mail address now. I also included a brief summary."

She sighed, _"I don't mind but... It will take around an hour for me to finish it. Or do you have specific order you want me to watch it with?"_

"I don't mind waiting, we have been on this for three days... one hour is nothing." I assured her.

There was a long pause before she said, _"Hm... I may have a better idea so you don't have to wait that long."_ She sounded like she was grinning _. "I will tell our receptionist so your next call don't have to go through the long line."_

She had no idea how relieved I was about that, their security was ridiculously tight just for a phone call. "Alright... I will be waiting."

Click.

* * *

 **Palermo, Vongola HQ (Mai's POV)**

That was one exhausting call but everyone in Japan sounded very tired, it looks like they have another goose chase like our first case in old school building. I better not made them waiting too long. "Ah... Haru-chan!" I called the ponytailed girl.

"Hahi! Mai-chan, what can I do for you?" She asked me cheerfully.

"I'm using our theater room for a bit." I informed her, holding my open laptop in one hand which was in the middle of downloading video from Naru. "Please hold all my calls unless it's an emergency!"

"Hai~" She saluted.

The room I wanted to use was just next door so it didn't take long for me to reach, after all it was also used for video call with our branch all over the world. "Ah it's done downloading..." I quickly connect my laptop to the screen and chose thumbnail display so the screen would be divided to ten so I could watch all of them at once. I muted the voice and got ready to make myself dizzy a little.

"Yosh!" I played the video.

I cupped my chin as I looked at the ten faces on screen, three of them were middle aged men and the rest were high school girls. So this school was an all -girl school? All of them looked tired and stressed in various degrees. However... it was strange to see the old guys I presumed as their teachers were more tired than their students, and I doubted youth was the reason. In fact from what I have watched from video of investigation and our own, girls their age would be frailer than these guys to spiritual phenomena.

The girl from track club didn't seem to be affected much, rather than tired she was annoyed. The girl whose friend got possessed and the other with ulcer because spirit touch were worse off. Strangely the girl who got dragged by train and suffered one of the worst case of injury was mostly fine... How to say it, she got over the incident and only got scar on her body but mentally she was one of the better ones.  
However... from what I watched here, what Naru asked of me wasn't important at all. It didn't matter which was a case of hallucination or real phenomenon. It was trivial in comparison of what I saw here... what my intuition sensed strongly from them.

"Naru wrote... they're suspecting a case of mass curse and hysteria, ne?" I mumbled to myself. "Then... it's this guy I have to watch closer."

The teacher by the name Yoshino-sensei. The one who looked ready to keel over. Hopefully by the time I was done watching his consultation with sound, he was still alive.

* * *

 **Twenty minutes Later~ Japan (3rd POV)**

As soon the satellite phone rang they quickly picked it up, eager to hear what Mai would say. It was much faster than they thought, not even half an hour had passed. They expected to hear Mai's cheerful greeting but no, she open the call with a question.

 _"_ _Is the teacher by the name Yoshino still alive?"_

"..."

"...Mai-chan." Bou-san began, "Of all things to ask... the guy looks ready to keel over but you shouldn't ask something like that."

 _"_ _Doesn't matter!"_ She huffed, _"By now class is already over in Japan right? Is that teacher already went back home?"_

They looked at each other, confused why Mai was so hung over the guy. "Most likely... he is one with worse health and still around in school after all. I always saw him going home early with his car." Bou-san offered.

 _"_ _Argh... the recording is from yesterday?"_

"Yes." Naru answered. "What's wrong with Yoshino-sensei?"

 _"_ _Naru... I don't care how you do it, but drag that guy back to school! Like... NOW!"_ Mai ordered which surprised them because Mai had just made an order to Naru.

Naru frowned, he was not offended because Mai sounded like she had a justified reason to make an order. _"Why? Is he in danger?"_

 _"_ _He is already in danger from that supernatural disturbance."_ Mai said, _"Yesterday or today wouldn't be much difference... he should be in hospital by now instead of working."_ Mai stated matter-of-factually.

"Mai-san..." John sweat-dropped. "Even though that's true... you don't have to say it like that."

Naru could almost see in the other end Mai was rolling her eyes, _"Okay, you can drag him to base tomorrow_ if _he is still alive."_

She ignored Bou-san's chiding her, unknown to Mai she was still in 'mafia princess mindset' to her, life was fleeting so she had no problem talking about it lightly.

 _"_ _The problem is... that teacher has not been very honest with you, he is hiding something…"_

"...What could that be?" Naru asked, his curiosity piqued. "And what make you think so?"

Mai sighed, " _You said... there is a possibility of a curse right? I can't say I'm one hundred percent sure... but you're most likely correct on that one. Someone cursed the faculty members and students of this school."_ Then her sigh got longer, _"The problem is... most if not all, they all know why they got cursed and they didn't tell you."_

As expected an uproar broke at her statement. "Nani?" Bou-san paled, " _All_ of them?"

"That's ridiculous." Masako who had been quiet for quite some time protested sharply. "Mai-san... if they suffer so much they shouldn't keep secret from us."

And this coming from the girl who had accused all of them had lied to SPR team.

"Are you agreeing with Masako that the whole school lied to us?" Ayako asked in disbelief.

She snorted, and Naru was surprised her voice got very cold. _"You would be surprised of how much pride can cloud judgement and they wouldn't even notice that... their damn pride could **kill** them." _

Masako froze on her spot, stunned by the coldness in Mai's voice.

 _"_ _And Ayako-san... Not lying, they just didn't tell... there is a world of difference between those."_ She paused _, "Especially we're talking about teachers here..."_ She sounded oddly nostalgic when she said this. _"From what I see they get it worse than most of their students." She stated with confidence. "To be honest I wouldn't have noticed this if the three teachers didn't give me the same readings... "_

"Mai." Naru was getting impatient. "Elaborate."

Mai cleared his throat, sighing again. " _I get it, I get it! Geeze... Teachers in general are proud adults, you will be surprised that they could have pride as big as a director of a company. This is because... they have means to exercise their authority to a large number of students in daily basis..."_

Bou-san raised his hand, as if Mai could see it. _"_ Question! Is it really alright to generalize all teachers who had come with complain to us so far?"

It was Naru who answered him, "Unobservant." He stated plainly, "Didn't you notice all teachers who have come forward share _one_ similarity?"

"Erm… they look like they lost a lot of sleep?"

"That apply to general population that affected by the supernatural activity of this school." Naru corrected coolly, "All these teachers came _after_ they confirmed none of their students could see them coming to complain. Considering the stream of complain we received, have it occur to you why not even once they come in the same time as their students?"

John laughed sheepishly at that, "I guess they're embarrassed to come for help in front of their students."

Mai sing-song voice then added, _"And here comes a group of spiritualist lead by Naru who is the same age as their students~ it's no wonder they're in so much pain just to tell you their problem, exposing their weakness... their pride hurts."_ She giggled a little at that.

"Hmph." Naru scoffed. "We're here on their request... my age shouldn't matter to them. And Mai... you're stalling."

 _"_ _No, I did not."_ Mai objected his accusation. _"I'm explaining in a way so everyone can understand like you always do... if I get to the point the one who can follow me would just be you!"_ She coughed, _"Anyone follow me so far?"_

Bou-san nodded, inwardly he was crying. "Yep... you just implied we're not as smart as Naru, as if he didn't remind us constantly about that."

Naru called them idiots was just a slap on the wrist at this point, but coming from Mai it was very painful. Especially because Naru called them _that_ because he was much smarter than them and his arrogance, Mai though… she was plainly honest.

 _"_ _You said that to yourself."_ Mai said pointedly, _"Anyway back to the topic, the situation give me a profile of the possible culprit... or rather the people they believe has a reason to curse them."_

Their eyes widened at that, "ALREADY? Just like that?!"

 _"_ _Bou-san! Miko-san!"_ Mai hissed, " _The speaker is very sensitive, are you trying to make me deaf? That's why I told you to let me explain slowly... don't interrupt me!"_

Bou-san and the Miko looked guilty, "Hai... continue, Jou-chan."

 _"_ _And I said... it's a 'profile' so it's only to narrow down the suspect."_ Mai reminded them sternly _, "It's my intuition talking... these three teachers you show me on video know someone or a group of people has grudge against them, and it brings me to 'why' this suspect have grudge against them... since we're talking about teacher most likely this person challenge their authority. Which is the greatest pride of a teacher in general."_

Naru nodded at that, "So... a student most likely?"

 _"_ _Hai... only a student is in a position to make three teachers feel their authority is defied in the same time_." Mai concurred.

Bou-san fought his urge to clap, "It makes so much sense..."

Miko-san nodded in agreement. "I got it!"

"Congrats." Naru said sarcastically, "Mai, next time I will leave it to you to explain to these fools. You're much better than I am at explaining thing to idiots..."

Ayako snarled, "In one hand... he just admit Mai is better at something than him! But he insulted our intelligence too!" She was torn between gleeful and enraged.

" _Naru... this is so not the time for sarcasm."_ Mai huffed, _"Back to the topic, I checked the school... Yuasa High ne? One of my senpai in middle school used to go there... so I know a little. They're neither new nor old, an all-girl private school and very lax with grades... what's strange is... they're strict with rules."_

True, a strict school like Yuasa was strangely lax with grade and infamous for it. That was a strange policy Yuasa was running with.

Mai's voice drifted off and they could hear sound of typing. _"Which is nice... because while not accurate we can cut down in how this suspect offended the teachers... most likely it's not because of bad grades or other common rebellious behavior. In fact how the school run is why this school is pretty popular even though it's not ranked high in academic or anything... they has a very low number in delinquency if not nonexistent because of their strictness. Pretty much a perfect school for girls to have a happy and bully free high school life..."_

They could imagine that.

 _"_ _As long as you didn't get in trouble with their rules..."_ Mai added. " _Or so she said..."_

"Huwaah..." John's eyes widened. "So it used to be a pretty good school for both students and teachers?"

Bou-san nodded, "Who would have guessed looking at its current situation?"

Ayako shook her head, "Not me for sure."

Naru's frown deepened, Mai never implied this school was a good school in fact it was the opposite. "I see... I understand what you're getting at, high school girl's network is pretty amazing." He snorted, "I wouldn't have known..."

 _"_ _Naru, seriously... if you want to compliment someone stick to it, and don't add sarcasm in."_ Mai scowled, _"So... Anyone follow me so far?"_

"Erm..." Bou-san rubbed th back of his head, "We got the school is for good girls... I can see Taka fit in nicely, but... what are you getting at Jou-chan?"

Naru sighed, "After everything we've said, you didn't get it? Hopeless…"

Bou-san and Ayako clenched their fist, "Well... sorry, we're idiots!" They hollered in unison while John helplessly tried to placate them.

 _"_ _No, you guys are just a little slow... it didn't mean you're idiots!"_ Mai said cheerfully.

"Jou-chan... if you're trying to comfort us, that's a too Naru-like line." Bou-san pointed out. "Anyway... can't one of you just tell us already?"

Naru crossed his arms, "Let me take it from here then... considering the school's reputation for being lax in academic, disciplined, and nonexistent delinquency... it's mean _if_ one or several students acted out of the norm, they'll get infamous overnight... in fact it will not surprise me at all if what cause of suspects were deemed challenging teacher's authority is ridiculously menial and unfair... and in fact, it would be ignored in most schools..." He shook his head, "And you want us to question Yoshino-sensei most likely because..."

 _"_ _He looks like to be the most guilty of all... he paused a lot, and averted his eyes from you... in fact I'm not surprised he spent the whole day avoiding eye contact with students nowadays..."_

"I did find his behavior strange even for someone who lost a lot of sleep..." Naru grumbled to himself. "But anyone is fine right?"

 _"_ _Right.. So any question?"_

"...Erm... we kinda get it but..." Bou-san trailed off, "I feel there is a lack of conclusion here and we lost you two somewhere, so who is the suspect?"

Mai was the one answering, _"Forget conclusion... judging from your current situation I am really surprised. Naru, I'm SO disappointed..."_ She said with a huff.

Naru looked like he was holding a grimace, "Mai... I know, you don't have to rub it in..." His voice was tense too.

"Nani-nani?" Bou-san groaned, "Don't have an inside conversation we don't get! Mai-chan please! I can't stand the tension!"

Naru grumbled to himself, "You'd regret asking that to her..." He looked somber even more than usual for some reason. "Here is the profile Mai has in mind, a student, presumably alone or in small number, avoided by general population of this school... in short, the black sheep of this herd like school population."

"Herd?"

Naru sighed, "This school most likely have more herd mentality than usual because of their strict rules... plenty of fresh grass for all of them but they have to stay in confinement and watched closely by their shepherds." He droned on, "A teacher... their job is to teach and quality of that is reflected to their student grades and yet... this school is 'infamous' for their lax academic policy. But in the same... teachers in this school constantly enforce their authority in discipline..."

In short it didn't paint a pretty picture, these teachers slacked off in their main duty but keep their student in line like law enforcement.

Mai let out a long sigh, _"In short… teachers there are more interested in disciplining their student rather than teaching them…"_

"Thus… exercising authority granted by their teacher status." Naru added.

 _"_ _As Naru said, they're not teachers but shepherd."_

He snorted, _"_ Or even lower, mere sheepdog… and from there it's not hard to find the suspect at all considering the environment of this case."

"Heh?" Did they just finish each other sentence? Wait did she just imply…

 _"_ _We mean... if you want to know this suspect I'm talking about, there would be no serious detective work involved."_ She droned on, _"You can just grab any random students of Yuasa High and ask, did anyone piss off your teachers in the last three months? Presumably... in public?"_

"..."

 _"_ _...In fact, you could have gotten a name since day one if you just ask."_ She sounded exasperated _. "You didn't even have to know what we just told you first… I mean how hard it is? Curse most of the time is because of grudge, if you already arrive to possibility of a curse why no one ask, who have grudge against those who got cursed?"_

Off course asking about who had a grudge on them to a bunch of proud authority figures would be denied. It was why they hid it in the first place. No one liked to expose they were getting their just dessert. However Mai was not going to enlighten them on that tiny detail, because it didn't excuse the fact that no one and not even Naru noticed. Which surprised Mai more than anything. They were all spiritualists, shouldn't grudge and curse something common in their profession? It kinda go hand in hand in her unprofessional opinion.

Silence...

"It can't be that easy!" Ayako hollered. "You said we would have already get a suspect with just asking?!"

Mai snorted, " _I'm sure by now there are still students around, staying for club activity_... **_try it_**." She said the last part as if she was offering a minor to drink alcoholic drink, crisp with dark promise.

SLAM!

In that very moment an enthusiastic genki girl known as Takahashi Yuuko slammed the door open, "Hi! Norio... how is the investigation?" She asked cheerfully as skipping towards him. "Aiyaah... for the last two days it's hard to approach you since you guys are all in full armor." She laughed at her own joke at their religious costume. "So... what's up?"

"..."

"...Taka." Bou-san began, holding the girl's shoulder, his eyes were like that of a dead fish. Which scared her a little. "This might be a _strange_ question, but is there any student pissed off more than one teacher in this school lately? In public?"

Taka didn't even take more than a second to give an answer and began to ramble, her whole face lighted up like a Christmas tree. "Oh, you mean Kasai Chiaki-senpai? Boy... it was awful when she got hauled in front of the whole school during morning assembly to prove her psychic power! Yoshino-sensei is especially awful! He is a teacher but he led half of the faculty to attack Kasai-san mentally in public!" She huffed and continued her rambling. "I mean... if he disagree with psychic power he didn't have to make a commotion out of it... I mean, sure we got pretty noisy and excited over spoon bending... but it's no excuse to bully his student!"

Then the cheerful girl froze, "Oh... Kasai-san snapped on stage because of that and say things like she will curse them to death too." She cupped her chin, looking thoughtful. "Hey... that's also when all these strange incidents started..." She said to herself. "It's really awful now _everyone_ in school is saying, maybe it's because of Kasai-san's curse."

It was quite a talent Takahashi Yuuko could say all that in two breaths, but no one marveled in her rambling skill.

"..."

"..."

"Erm... did I say something wrong?" Taka asked in confusion, shuddering at attention she just received from all spiritualists plus psychics in the room.

Her idol, Norio looked ready to burst to tears. "Three days... and the answer is just laying around for us to pick..." His jaw fell open and something white like ghost hung over his lips.

The woman who dressed like a miko and wearing thick make-up was looking absentmindedly at nothing. "So... three days of tiring exorcism is for what...?"

The cute blond priest was trying and failing to console the miko and monk. "Erm... I'm sure our effort is not in vain! God watch over us who work hard for His children... so..."

Hara Masako was red on her face, and looked like she was swallowing something very sour.

Then the two guys dressed in gakuran with buzz cut she never knew existed. "As expected of our Hime..." They nodded sagely.

The handsome guy who led SPR looked very solemn, and for some reason Taka felt the guy was even darker than the first time she saw him. And was that a cloud of gloom she saw hanging over him?

"I'm really sorry if I made you guys upset!" Taka bowed, she didn't know why but it seemed she had said something that upset them greatly. "Are you guys alright?!"

Then she heard a voice coming from frisbee looking device on the table, which most likely was a phone. _"Guys... snap out of it, and answer her question... If that's all you need from me, I will end the call here."_

"Nya?"

 _"_ _And Naru?"_

"Yes." He responded crisply.

 _"_ _I'll be back by tomorrow night... or earlier, you guys makes me_ _really_ _worried."_ The feminine and caring voice said. _"In fact... I think you guys should call it a day now."_

Naru didn't even look at the phone and continued to stare at his reflection on the window. "I think so too..."

She cleared her throat, _"And one more thing, as for Yoshino-sensei, I'm afraid..."_

RING RING!

Taka picked her phone and checked her mail. "Whoaa! My friend just send an email that Yoshino-sensei got to a car accident and now he is in hospital!" She announced in panicked voice.

 _"_ _Never mind... I will see you tomorrow…"_

Click.

Beeeeeeeeep..

And that was how their third day of investigation ended, it took all Naru's self-control to not give in to his urge to blow the whole school and people involved up and got done with it. At least now he _knew_ why their investigation was stalling, it would be just what Yuasa High deserved.

* * *

 **EXPLANATION: in short SPR team is not hopeless without Mai, not really... it's circumstances LOL**

 **To be fair to SPR team...they are in** **unfavorable position compared to canon, this is an all-girl school... rumor circulated much faster than co-ed for sure XDDD so I presume Naru already have a reputation as... erm... cold hearted bastard, never mind how good he looks. They also think the whole school is honest to them, and 'come' to them not the other way around... in canon they knew Kasai 'after' Mai inadvertently made Taka spill about Kasai so yeah... that was WHAT the two buzz cut ex-prefect missed in last chapter.**  
 **This is their downfall... they busied themselves with suppressing the problem they didn't figure out yet and missed the obvious. Naru is not wrong though to prioritize safety of people in school because Yuasa is already on their last leg. They who is in location is in hurry... Mai isn't so she can think calmly about it... in a way Mai is much better than anyone in their team in dealing with stressful situation. It's like duck meet water to her.**

 **Naru is a genius but as shown in canon, this guy blatantly shown has not much patience and could be fed up. It's a canon he suggested to blow up the school on DAY ONE so yeah... even in canon a lot of his guest would have run away if not for Mai ha ha ha...**  
 **It baffled me too, they already think there might be a curse... the first concern is a cursed desk... why no one think it involves a grudge? It's a simple reasoning Mai could get in less than one hour... well, lack of social skill and common sense here LOL**

* * *

 **The most tiring part of this ARC, GRRRR... how did it end like this? Oh well Gene would be in next chapter...btw THIS ARC IS 6 PART SO... 4 more to go and we will enter original KHR arc.  
**

NEXT: In which Gene need a reminder, and they have heart to heart talk, twins, idiot brother and psychic link

He smiled sheepishly at me, "He he… Noll always scolded me for not paying attention too."

"And call you an idiot?" I guessed.

"Wow… you really know Noll very well." He said in awe and I had a feeling he was going to clap.

I waved my hand in negative, "No no… that's what younger sibling in general feel when their older brother did something stupid… especially when they looks like you, the irritation double because it's like looking at yourself doing something you wouldn't do." I was sympathizing with Naru of all people, wonderful!

He blinked at that, "Older brother?" He echoed.

"Twin." I corrected, "I have an older twin brother, we're supposedly fraternal because of our different gender but we looks very similar."

"heh?"

* * *

 **REVIEW PLEASE!**


	11. Case 03, Part 03

**Something happen so maybe this case is 5 parts instead of 6, let's see how it goes~ At any rate this fast update would go on at least until the end of this arc or next... Please note, I update WHAT I WANT and WHAT I CAN~ I am a whimsical author... there is a reason why I am not looking to get paid for writing aside... well my less than decent grammar.**

* * *

 **Case 03-Part 03**

 **Palermo, Night**

 **Astral World (Mai's POV)**

I was in an amusement park, and not just any other park but Kokuyo Land we used to visit. Why was I in an amusement park, and Kokuyo Land of all I ever visited?

...Of course, this was dream.

Kokuyo Land was a familiar place for me and my family. We even still could see the shadow of its former glory overlapping with the ruin it had become when Mukuro used it as his base of operation. I didn't know since when but I was standing in the front of a mirror house. In the middle was a glass mirror, and around it was a maze.

It was my favorite place in Kokuyo Land, seeing funny looking reflection of mine. There was always this sense of mystic in house of mirror, something that draw me in. Onii-chan hated the place the most, next to roller coaster ride I equally loved. He still followed me inside, holding my hand as tight as possible as he braced himself to look at scary reflection he disliked so much.

Driven by a sense of nostalgia I walked inside, and my reflections were everywhere. Sometimes I saw one or two looked overlapped with my brother's, and I rammed to one of it in a moment of stupidity, it was hurt!

I felt like I had been tricked! This was not fun at all!

It didn't help I knew who was messing with me, and after months of looking for the guy I was not in a happy mood to see him. "GENE! If you didn't show your face this instance, I swear! You will regret it!"

I waited for a response, and was about to damn the consequence and destroyed the mirrors with brute strength when he answered.

"But this is NOT my fault!" Someone called out from somewhere, it was Gene's voice. It took me a while to differ his voice and Naru, but I managed. The most frustrating thing was, what was different was their tone when speaking but everything else was the same. Damn identical twins… never mind how hypocrite I sounded.

I crossed my arms, "Then whose?! Don't alter someone's world as you please!" I yelled as I walked to the source of his voice.

"I didn't do it!" He denied and as soon as I walked out of the accursed mirror house –which no longer my favorite- I marched toward the unmoving figure in the darkness I recognize as his.

I had to applaud Gene's guts to not run away, some Mafioso would flee on the face of my fury back home.

"So?" I inhaled deeply, "How do you explain…" I gestured to our monochrome surroundings. "This?! Last time I checked my astral world is not in white and black like..." I eyed his clothes in distaste. "Just so you know my family hates boring clothes and boring color, and as much as I hate tradition to splurge on high quality suits… I have come to value good taste in fashion."

Gene pouted at me, which once again weirded me out a little because he looked like Naru. "Well… it's not like I could choose something nicer looking the day I died…"

"That's exactly our point." I said proudly before I could stop myself. "As my home tutor said, you always have to dress your best because you never know when you're going to die so it's a must to be always be aware of your fashion."

Naru's older twin blinked owlishly at me, "What kind of home tutor you have?"

"An awesome one." I returned in dry tone. Gene looked down at his all black clothes, "Actually… perhaps I won't get hit by a car if I didn't dress like this in the first place." I stared at him unblinkingly and noticed he didn't look depressed enough for a guy who had been hit by a car and drowned. How to say this… for someone who supposed to die a horrible death, he was too… sane. Considering the other guy I knew who was in the same situation as he was… not the sanest guy I knew, never mind sanity in my world had questionable standard.

Then again… "Gene, I don't know what happened back then but you _completely forgot_ what I told you."

At my tone Gene took one step back, "Erm…don't coming to your place without permission?"

"No."

"Someone can show me hell if I come his place?"

Did he just made coming to someone else's astral world sounded like friend coming to visit? "Not that…" I closed my eyes, and reminded myself this was Naru's older twin. Surprisingly Gene didn't test my patience the same way Naru did, but he still test it anyway. "Try again." His carefree behavior was like Kashi-kun a little, and hopefully this forgetfullness was temporary not chronic like Ryou-nii's.

He looked to the side, and I noticed since who-knows-when a large complex of school in black and white had appeared. "But… I need to."

I glanced at the image of school and it didn't take me long to understand what the hell Gene wanted to explain with this image. "Done! I can see those foxfire are evil! The curse right?! Like fruits growing from suffering and fear and then as they fully ripped, they'd do something drastic to their intended victim!" Gene nodded enthusiastically, and looked like he was about to leave but I grabbed a hold on him. "Gene! Get a hold of yourself… we need to talk! So don't go disappear on me now!"

"But time is…"

"Gene… you're an astral walker, do you _not_ know time works differently here than the real world?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow, and at his curious look that made him so Naru-like I gave up. "You didn't pay attention…whatever, you have plenty of time"

"How?"

I began to explain, if he was anything like Naru, Gene would be too curious to listen to anything else. "It depends on our will… As long as _I_ as the master of my world will it, we can have all the time in the world here… it will only tire me mentally a little if I spend more than a few days not in synch with real world time. It's like a jetlag…"

Then I did just that, willing my world to detach its time flow from real world. This skill was one of many reasons why my brother and I was mentally older than our body.

"Wow, so we can do that…" Gene looked impressed.

"You have no idea even though from what I see you have a lot of control?" Unlike Naru. Gene obviously had much better control. That was strange because while Gene had his own strength, Naru was the one I sensed who had brute force. Even though it was theorized, Onii-chan possess his immense strength because he was my older twin. It was in reverse on their case it seemed. So maybe our power had nothing to do with the order of our birth.

He smiled sheepishly at me, "He he… Noll always scolded me for not paying attention too."

"And call you an idiot?" I guessed.

"Wow… you really know Noll very well." He said in awe and I had a feeling he was going to clap.

I waved my hand in negative, "No-no… that's what younger sibling in general feel when their older brother did something stupid… especially when they looks like you, the irritation double because it's like looking at yourself doing something you wouldn't do." I was sympathizing with Naru of all people, wonderful!

He blinked at that, "Older brother?" He echoed.

"Twin." I corrected, "I have an older twin brother, we're supposedly fraternal because of our different gender but we looks very similar." There was no point hiding it from Gene. "Though not as identical as you and Naru."

"Heh?"

"That's what I felt when I found you guys are twin." I rolled my eyes. "It's like soap opera…" I said the last part to myself.

He cupped his chin thoughtfully and for a moment I almost thought he switched place with Naru. "Then perhaps that is why…" He murmured to himself. "Do you guys have a hotline? You and your twin?"

"Erm… if you mean by that some sort of mental link, yes we do." He and Naru called theirs hotline? "Hmph! Who came up with the term hotline?"

"We did." He looked a little sheepish about it.

So they shared the same horrible sense in fashion, immense curiosity and terrible naming sense. "I'd rather not using something that sound like for emergency…" I grumbled.

"I heard that." He scoffed.

I rolled my eyes, "Well… hotline is a terrible name, seriously when did you guys come up with it? Eight?"

"Then tell me what did you call yours?" He challenged, reminding me that different personality or not he was Naru's brother.

I rolled my eyes, "L'asse di cielo..." I told him and refrained from telling him that we didn't come up with it. Reborn did. His expression became blank and I translated. "Roughly translated as Sky Axis…" He opened his mouth, most likely wondering why it was named like that. "Back to our previous topic… so how does that explain _you_ trespassing my world?" My tone was accusing but I couldn't help myself, no girl liked their privacy to be compromised by a guy.

He looked uncomfortable and hesitant before he began to explain, "Erm… Mai." Never mind the overly familiar address, I gave up about it. "I don't know how to ask this, but… did something… happen to your twin?"

I clenched my fist, willing myself to keep my power under tight control. Gene didn't do anything wrong, he was just asking. I closed my eyes. "Yes… something did."

"Does this something…" From his tone obviously Gene took it the 'something' was death, but I was not going to correct him now. He wouldn't understand anyway. "Sever… the link somehow?"

"Yes…" I gritted out. "It did."

He inhaled sharply, "Alright… I think I have a theory." He pointed at something to his side. His pale fingers left a white trail in the darkness. He was writing my name inside a circle and then his and Naru's. He was drawing a diagram, "Erm… your twin's name?"

"Tsunayoshi... but you can shorten it to Tsu or Tsuna." I answered, noticing he was struggling to write my name in kanji and was about to resort to katakana I stopped him. "Just write it in alphabet…" You two were Japanese by blood and yet illiterate?

He nodded and then wrote Tsuna's name, in alphabet. Tsuna==X==Mai==?==Eugene-?-Oliver

"Erm…why did you put question mark there?" I pointed at between our name and Naru's. So… Noll was a nickname for Oliver? Well, I didn't get how Dick was a nickname for Richard either.

Gene cleared his throat and assumed the same teaching pose Naru made when explaining to me, chin held high and arms crossed. I almost couldn't decide Gene was too alike or not with Naru.

"When the first time my link and Noll was severed I tried to contact him through astral projection, in hope somehow I can get to reconnect it to him." He began, his eyes shifted to the side, his voice drifted off. A telltale sign of someone recalling a faint memory. "To be honest I didn't really have high hope it will work… because for some reason as we get older our link get weaker."

I frowned at him, "I have a comment on that but I will save it… then, how did you get connected to me instead?"

"Erm… I think rather than get connected, somehow you _caught_ my signal." He corrected me. "I was just stumbled upon your world… like… something draw me in. Maybe because you're an astral projector yourself."

I resisted my urge to correct him but it made so much sense. He didn't get all wrong, mostly correct but not exactly. "Then… why do you draw (?) in between you and Naru instead of X?"

"Hm… how to say this, for some reason our link supposed to be two sided but now it's one sided from him." He explained to me, which explain the single line. "I can get his signal but he can't get mine, if I want I can show you what he sees through his power."

"See? Power?" Somehow I didn't like where this was going.

He shook his head, and it was very odd to sense nervousness from someone who looked like Naru. Why did my senses keep feeling Naru and Gene as overlapping existence? "Erm… never mind! Noll will tell you!"

He didn't want me to know? Did he also tossed an unpleasant task to Naru too?

"At any rate… severed from someone so close." His tone was hesitant again. "Naturally we instinctively searching for our half… so when both you and I sent our link out I think because your close proximity with Noll. Our link got tangled together…"

That made sense but, "Then… why it took a case ongoing around Naru for you to contact me? I don't know with other twin, but it never take an emergency for me to be connected with my brother. I feel like an idiot waiting for you for months!" Then I paused, "That couldn't be why you guys call your link hotline…"

"Erm no… sorry! I was asleep!" He said in apologetic tone. "It didn't take an emergency situation for me to be awake… but it gets easier to do so when there is something supernatural going around Noll. I don't really get it myself…"

"I see… then what about this line?" I asked as I draw another, connecting my name with Naru/Oliver.

He stared at it in confusion, "Hm… do you even have one with him? I thought you have to go through me first." He pointed at himself.

My left eye twitched, "My life would be sooooo much easier if that's the case, actually lately I think I read him much easier… like he is an open book to me."

Gene looked confused, "Isn't that because you're with him almost all the time? Oh, thank you once again for taking care of Noll."

"My… does Naru have any privacy left from you?" I wondered out loud and he was about to answer me cheerfully but I cut him off. "I'd rather not knowing." I shook my head, "The problem is… it's inevitable but my intuition shouldn't be attuned to him so quickly. At current level it should have taken… over two years. I met him less than half a year ago."

The older twin of Naru frowned at me, "Erm… should have?"

So it was about time I corrected his theory, well… some of misconception. "My turn then, I believe you wondered why my brother and I call our link… Sky Axis?" He nodded, he was curious why. "What is an axis?"

"Erm…" He looked up, "Which axis you're talking about? The imaginary line around which an object rotates? Or WWII alliance?"

I stared at him, this was Naru's brother alright. "No… well, it's like this… imaginary line is correct way to put it, in common perception how is sky looks like to us? Enveloping earth and so on…"

"A sphere?"

"Yes… so the axis, imaginary line that serving to orient a space or a geometric object… dividing it symmetrically." Damn Reborn for giving us a complicated name. "It just represent how we see our link though… Like this."

Then I draw a 3D sphere in the air, drawing lines in mesh in vertical and horizontal lines. It looked like a very complicated network, rather than a link. Then I draw something else, two circles with their name and two lines with arrow two both sides.

Gene looked very confused, which was understandable. I would be confused too with I had presumption link between twins only worked both ways. "First of all I want to dispel your misunderstanding about my brother and I…"

"Misunderstanding?"

I nodded, "First of all, our link aren't like yours." I pointed at the simple two circle and two sided arrows. "It's like this." I gestured towards the sphere. "To be honest… what is the same between us and you two in terms of psychic links is… we can both share information with each other, and I presume… it extend to helping each other to control our power?"

Gene nodded at the last part. "Yes… Noll is blessed with strong power he can't control by himself… it can endanger himself and people around him."

"Ah… I understand." I couldn't help but say.

"Is it you?" He asked curiously, "The stronger twin?"

He must had seen my condition when I exhausted myself. "No… if you want to compare control VS power, I'm the twin with control between Tsu-nii and I… he is the power."

"Oh… what did he do?" He asked, and he sounded excited for some reason.

"Blow up half of a mountain that didn't deserve it." I told him dryly and he gaped at me. "Don't ask me why or how that happened… that mountain would still exist as one if I was around my brother when it happened."

Until today it was one of few things my brother kept to himself, although… I had a feeling it somehow involved our carnivore cloud, not-so-sane mist and… pineapple. The last one was the biggest mystery, how that fruit was involved, then again it was Mafia Land. My brother's reputation shot up through the roof because of that mishap he called _accident_ fervently though. He also left a nice full body print somewhere on the landscape, last time I heard Mafia Land enshrined it.

He nodded sagely, "Noll turned our old orphanage upside down, the inside at least… I wasn't sure how that happened myself~ " His eyes shifted as he recalled the incident, "I was knocked out for some reason that time, I think a bully was being rough with me because I said… a ghost is looking at him… "He beamed at me, "Not as impressive as your brother though!"

There was nothing impressive with changing the landscape by accident or turning interior upside down, it was called _disaster_ with capital D. "Please don't joke about it… my brother when out of control is like a natural disaster. Calling a natural disaster impressive is not funny." I rolled my eyes, "And also…"

"Yes, Mai?"

I pointed an accusing finger at him. "If it's _your_ job to keep your brother in line, don't look for trouble yourself! It won't happen if you didn't get yourself knocked out! Worse of all you land yourself on it with telling people things you should keep to yourself!"

I couldn't help but scolded him, how the hell someone who was in a very similar position like me was this reckless?! I didn't go around telling people what was running inside their head because I knew no one liked to be seen through, or getting told a ghost stared at them. You didn't get yourself in trouble if you could help it, especially if your twin could turn to a living personification of disaster when you were not around.

Gene shrugged, "Uhm… I don't know how, Noll and I somehow end up doing something potentially homicidal or/and stupid. Noll will blame it to me but I'm sure half of things we run into was _totally_ his fault for being an idiot scientist."

Half of ours was also because my brother being a sympathetic idiot but mostly because our unfortunate status as trouble magnet. "Alright… never mind then, so how this power sharing of yours work?"

"I thought we're discussing about our link?"

"It's related…" When it came to this kind of discussion Naru was more cooperative, then again he was a researcher Gene was not.

He beamed, "Uhm… you see… it's like we're playing a catch ball with our power, Noll who is the power will be the one who make the ball, the PK seed… then we will amplified it in turn and send it back and forth. It's like snowball effect…"

I cupped my chin, thinking deeply of what I just heard. "Ah… I see no wonder your link is this simple." I gestured towards the diagram I drew. "So your power synchronization works like this…" I draw a small circle on top of Naru's name then tilted the diagram so the ball tipped to Gene, got bigger like snow ball and then tilted it to another side again.

Gene nodded, "Like that! Yep… easy to understand."

"How nice it's _this_ simple for you…" I felt like I was tempted to laugh hysterically because theirs was so simple and I suspect we could do it too this way.

"Then Mai… how is yours? Why your link looks so complicated?" Gene asked curiously.

Because it involved ancient system of vertical space-time axis, in which our link was connected to our ancestors, two other space-time axis system and our guardians. In which we kept steady flow of life force to keep the planet and its living inhabitant to continue existing… who wanted to explain this to someone who had no idea what Trinisette and dying will flame was?

"Our way to synch has nothing to do with it though… and I think if I have to explain this, it would take _all_ day. While I can give us all the time in the world practically… It's tiring. Beside… if I tell you _first_ do you think that twin of yours will _ever_ forgive you?" I asked rhetorically.

"Erm… no, so?" Gene was wise enough to not touch that territory, he was a brother but competitive brotherhood was something he would never try with Noll.

"The easiest comparison would be… you and Naru fish with a pole, my brother and I in the other hand use a net…"

Gene predictably gave me a blank stare I normally associated with Naru when my allegory went over his pretty little head. "Erm…" Not because he or Gene were stupid, my logic just didn't match theirs.

"In short… our link is at its strongest between us, but we also catch other people with it…" I explained bluntly, smirking at him. "You and Naru are one of the latest additions…"

His eyes widened the size of dinner plate and I was tempted to laugh. "So…" He pointed himself then at me, "It's not by accident?"

"Why do you think it baffles me you can slip through?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

"But your brother…"

I couldn't stop myself from snarling, "He is _not_ dead… yes our link weakened to the point of almost nonexistent but he _isn't_ dead!" I stressed, my voice raised. "As for why my so called net like psychic line still draw people like you and Naru in… simply because my brother is not the only one holding the other end of the net, seven of our closest friends acted as some sort of corner stone and keep it running in my brother's absence…"

Gene was not Naru obviously they didn't even share the same mindset, because after I said it Gene had no idea what I just implied. The horrible implication of my power as a sky, he didn't get or notice.

"Hm… it's a shame I didn't share Noll's brain, I'm pretty confused over here." He admitted honestly.

I closed my eyes and sighed, "Maybe you better of that way…" At least until Naru found out about this and enlightened his brother of the terrifying implication. "At any rate… as you said, it gets difficult to consult this without Naru." I looked to the side. "Correct me if I'm wrong but… when you got called to your last case, did your client strangely omitted a lot of things?"

He seemed confused by abrupt change of topic, "…More like they didn't know anything but they insisted something have to be done to that old school building…"

"It's a rural place no one is interested in and dying as in…. no one want to live there anymore?" My voice was detached and Gene was too focused in recalling things to answer me to notice my change of tone.

"Yes… they're dying out, the ratio of old and young there are unbalanced… from what I saw?"

By trinisette… this guy was like my brother! He was not an idiot but when someone in need of his help he came running without looking left or right! "Then Gene… how did they _even_ know someone like you was nearby and called you…"

"Eh?"

"Gene…" My voice lowered, "How… did they contact you?"

Gene stopped on his track, "I got a phone call…"

"And… who called you and did they tell you how they get your number?" I pressed on.

Suddenly his eyes became blank, and he placed a hand on his temple. "Hey… how did they get my number? I…"

"Someone like _you_ is not easily contactable just by anyone Gene… how a villager in such a rural place even get the information of your whereabouts? Much less contacting you?" I murmured softly, watching the swirl of emotion on his face. "You… don't remember at all how did you get there? Don't you?"

He fell on his knees but he was not in pain, he was confused and pretty upset. "How did that happen again?" He was cradling his head now, his mind went haywire as he realized he _didn't_ understand his death as well as he thought. "Am I already dead?"

I rubbed my temple, I was not faring better either than Gene. The circumstances of how he supposedly ended up dead was too familiar to me, Gene believed he was dead and that was because he was going to an investigation. One that he didn't even recall why the _hell_ he accepted. He was not Naru, he was not as picky about cases for sure but Gene was not an idiot who jumped to an investigation he couldn't recall given any details at all.

"I was dreading it would be hard to convince you on that." I heaved a sigh, "Because the last person in condition similar to yours is not the sanest persona I've been dealing with…"

"Who?" Gene asked in a daze.

"His name would mean nothing to you… but still… as you have been caught." I sat down in front of him and smiled, he was still very confused.

His eyes widened as he felt my forefinger touching his forehead, "Mai?"

I smiled at him warmly, "I'm so sorry, but for all of us… it's better if you didn't run off again. Welcome to my sky… Gene."

"To where-"

Whoosh!

Gene almost stumbled when I called my flame forth on his forehead. "Flame… of spirit, but you're…" Then his eyes slowly fluttered close and he fell on the ground.

I gazed at the still form of Gene and the burning flame on his forehead that slowly abated to nothing, intertwining to his very soul. "It's official… ha ha…" I couldn't stop the tears that started to gather on my eyes, and it started to fall down my cheeks. "Never mind why I did this… I would never be forgiven by the end of this… Naru and Gene wouldn't…"

I wanted to laugh as the monochrome world shifted, returning to its original state and I did… I laughed at the sky above and felt like I had repeated our mistake all over again in spite of our vow back then. How was I different than my accursed ancestors? The sky that enveloped all and trapped everything in its harmony?

* * *

 **Yuasa High (Day 4)**

It was inevitable that after three days of wasted spiritual energy, both mind and body were also exhausted, most of them especially Ayako was ready to jump this Kasai girl, and put a stop to her terrorism. However they were stopped by Mai's email, which contain a number of instruction they had to follow to the letter or they would suffer the consequence. Naru who didn't get the email somehow managed to say the same instruction, and was shaking his head when he heard Mai had beat him to it.

Then again Mai was probably more concerned their coworkers were going to corner a poor girl, rather than finding the culprit.

Kasai Chiaki was a 'suspect' not the culprit yet, she was innocent until proven otherwise. So do not approach Kasai Chiaki until Mai returned, scaring the girl was just going to make their investigation harder. So follow Naru's instruction as usual, and don't do anything rash.  
Then she wrote in bold to remind them how expertly they handle Ayami-chan and Kuroda-san in previous case. If there was anything she couldn't trust _any_ of them, it was questioning poor troubled soul.

So don't bother trying, seriously **don't**.

Ayako of course protested loudly, "Why not?! If we just catch this Kasai girl, the case will be solved."

Bou-san looked up from his phone, "Mai's instruction number one, she is a suspect not the culprit. Get your fact straight… beside, even if this girl have a motif it's not like she will spill just because we ask her…" Like how the rest of school general population clamped up about this Kasai Panic.

It was amazing how they missed such a vital information for three days.

John nodded in agreement, "Beside… we don't know for sure she is the culprit, not to mention confronting this girl could be bad for us."

Ayako grimaced, "She could run away and continue cursing people when she is out of our reach… or we will be her next victim."

Slide-

"Yo, Naru-bou!" Bou-san saluted, "So… how is Yoshino-sensei?"

Naru sighed, "Looking at his condition it's indeed a wonder why he continued working until yesterday…" He informed them as he took a seat. "When he consulted us about the knocking sound… he manage to stay pretty composed considering his circumstances but just now when we visited him… "

 _"_ _She stared at me with eyes full of disdain!  
She is really trying to curse me to death! Aaaah!"_

"And then he broke to hysterical tears and hid under his blanket." Naru finished relaying the current condition of Yoshino-sensei. "Very pathetic…"

Bou-san sweat-dropped, "It's no wonder Mai-chan said he should be in hospital sooner or later." She was not jinxing him, it was an honest fact.

Naru sighed at that then craned his neck towards the empty air, or rather the two phantom members of SPR. "So…what did you get on Kasai Chiaki?"

"Aaaaaah!"

Tojo ignored their yelp in shock because he appeared out of nowhere. "Hai! Shibuya-sachou. Currently… Kasai Chiaki is locking herself up in Biology Lab, a couple of girls tried to corner her about Yoshino-sensei's accident this morning but… they backed off, in fear they would be her next victims."

"Apparently nowadays Kasai Chiaki didn't attend any of her class anymore, she is already public enemy number one in this school…" Shima continued. "Like Tojo said, she holed herself up in Biology Lab, with the only teacher who is still standing up for her…"

Naru frowned at that, "Who is this teacher?" An odd one out of all teachers in this school?

He would have gone to investigate himself but drawing attention to himself was counter-productive. He was not the most conspicuous person, no matter how much he wanted to. Tojo and Shima were better at staying in the shadow and gathering information silently just with eavesdropping from students and faculty members. Interrogating people of this school directly was proven pointless, aside from Taka and few exceptions they clamped up about this Kasai Panic incident or giving useless information instead.

"Biology teacher, by the name Ubusuna Kei." Tojo read from his report.

"That's an unusual name." Naru couldn't help but commented.

He nodded, "We checked her history, apparently she is from Fukushima…"

"And according to a number of students who believe in Kasai Chiaki's power, she is very knowledgeable about Psychic power… and she often teach them to curious students when the spoon bending was on the rage few months ago." Tojo continued in business like tone.

Bou-san sighed, "So… this girl's only ally is this Ubusuna-sensei."

Masako huffed, "What a poor girl she is then… but I still didn't see any spirit that could cause all of this incident."

Ayako rolled her eyes, "Yes Masako, we're not deaf… we hear you. Although I wonder about you, after all you didn't see anything even though I got attacked right in front of you."

"Hmph."

The guys of their team learned to practice selective hearing whenever their female members started arguing. "But still… getting hauled over spoon bending in morning assembly, isn't it too much?" Bou-san couldn't help but commented, "I mean, sure the girls got over-excited over it but they didn't have to make a big deal out of it."

Naru nodded in agreement, "Regardless whether her power is real or not."

He wanted to confirm it himself but refrained because Mai's late email to his personal mail address, telling him it's alright for him to go to see the poor girl. As long as he had confidence in his ability to interrogate girls. Lin who received the same email convinced him to not even try, when it came to questioning sensitive and emotional suspect that was Sawada-san's expertise, not his.

It wasn't like he didn't try, maybe he could relate because he was a psychic. The least he could say was telling the girl how to deal with disbeliever. What really stopped him was, what they overheard in front of Biology Lab with Lin. They could hear voice of distressed girl crying inside. They would definitely facing something out of their league if they dared to enter the only sanctuary Kasai Chiaki had left in her school. Pride or not, Naru had to concede there were things he should leave to Mai's capable hands.

John looked thoughtful, "Let's put aside whether Kasai-san is the culprit or not, but… I still don't understand why the teachers have to go as far as cornering this girl?" He wondered, "I get what Mai-san said yesterday about teachers have great pride in their authority over student… and it's especially true in this school… but, I don't get which part of spoon bending constituted as defying their authority…"

"Yeah." Bou-san agreed, "How is bending spoon translate to offending the teachers? Did you ask Yoshino-sensei?" He asked, turning towards Naru.

Naru scoffed, "Do you think… A teacher who is hysteric enough to hide under a blanket because he is scared of a teenage girl's glare is sound enough to be questioned about the very thing that landed him in hospital in the first place?" Naru asked back. "I don't think other affected teacher in this school will react well at all if we try them."

Bou-san waved his hand in negative, "Ah about other affected teachers… you know, those who seeing things? Taka just told me this morning, they quit from their job as soon as they heard Yoshino-sensei is hospitalized."

Ping!

"And she just sent me an email… seriously she is still in class, this sounds interesting. Headmaster who requested our investigation, he just collapsed because of severe gastric problem." Bou-san added with a sigh.

"He got cursed too?" John asked worriedly.

The Monk was very tempted to laugh, the situation was pretty hilarious if one forgot this was a real life incident. "Nope, he is old and in a lot of stress…" In fact that old man did a good job to hold on so far.

Tojo interrupted, startling them again because after a long silence from him they forgot he was still in the room. "And also… he is not even involved in Kasai Panic. According to our investigation, their headmaster went on a business trip when it happened…"

"So." Naru crossed his arms, "Back in Kasai Panic incident the highest authority is faculty members…" He looked up, "Actually we didn't have to ask anyone on 'why' this spoon bending was blown up out of proportion."

Bou-san raised an eyebrow at him skeptically, "Erm… unless you're Mai, I am not sure…"

Naru snorted, "I don't need Mai's intuition to know… it's just a simple reasoning." He craned his neck towards them. "After what Mai told us yesterday, I think it's pretty obvious we shouldn't give teachers in this school too much credit. At least those who are affected by the curse… who cornered one of their students unfairly over spoon bending."

Ayako who got tired of Masako's silent treatment cleared her throat, "It's hard to feel sorry for them once we know how they got themselves to this situation."

"Regardless…" Naru intoned, "Takahashi-san informed us that teacher who saw ghost and vomited blood is infamous for not believing in supernatural power." He recalled what the cheerful girl said back then, she was like a fountain of information in this school. "Thus it's not much a stretch of imagination… he and other teachers who has the same standing taught their student to not believe in supernatural or psychic power."

Bou-san winced as he followed Naru's line of reasoning, "Then… Kasai came forward with her psychic power… she showed them a shred of proof that what their teachers taught them is not always right."

"So the girl who is just showing off her ability has unknowingly stepped on her teachers' pride and seen as black sheep who has challenged their authority." Naru finished his analysis. "How closed minded of them…"

Ayako scowled, "But still, whether their cursed status now is justified or not, we can't just leave it as it is. Maybe we can try to convince this Kasai to stop, everyone has suffer enough and so on?"

Naru shook his head at that, "She is still just a 'suspect' and for all we know she could be innocent." He stated as a matter-of-fact, "Beside… when Lin and I tried to go to Biology Lab, we heard voice of a girl crying from inside…"

"Gah…"

"If there is anyone in this room is up to confront an emotionally distraught girl who might have enough power to terrorize so many peoples in this school, go ahead…" Naru said, as he opened the file on his lap and began to read.

Bou-san shook his head, "Uhm… not that I'm afraid of this girl but… an emotionally distraught girl I don't know and suspect…" He trailed off. "No, not going to touch that area even with ten feet pole."

"Uhm... Maybe…" John raised his hand.

"John." Ayako stopped him, "Sending you, who is a priest may give her the wrong idea…"

Shima chimed in, "Kasai-san is apparently a Buddhist, maybe Bou-san is up for the task."

"No, I said _no_ already…" Bou-san waved his hands frantically. "At the time like this we usually should depend on girls but…" He eyed the two female members of their team skeptically, who returned his stare with disdain. "Let's just wait for Mai… there are things we better keep our hands off and let Jou-chan to handle it."

Exorcism, charm-crafting, and investigation were no problem. Handling delicate and emotional teenager however, that one was definitely out of their field.

"So what are we going to do now?" Bou-san asked, "Continue exorcising, and hit all reported location?"

"I'm all ears to suggestion you can come up with." Naru allowed generously. "I have something in mind to investigate already, so feel free to do as you wish."

"But Naru-bou!" Bou-san groaned, "We did that for three days already."

"Against nonexistent spirits you insist exist and I can't see." Masako added snidely.

"Keep saying that." Ayako egged her on, "Go on, maybe something will show up and say hi just to change your mind."

"Hmph!"

"That's it! Let's just go already, Ayako! Save your strength for exorcism! Not that I hope much from you but."

"Apostate monk!"

"OWW!"

"Maa… ma…"

"I'm leaving."

"Kazuya-san, wait…"

They continued bantering with each other as they left the base, leaving the room to Lin and their two new members. Lin looked troubled for some reason. They didn't know this distant man well but they felt some sort of comradeship with him as fellow bodyguards.

"Lin-san, what's wrong?" Tojo asked.

Lin craned his neck at Tojo who sat beside him, overseeing their equipment. "Well… there is something your master said that's been bugging my mind."

* * *

 **Schoolyard (With John and Ayako)**

"But still…" Ayako trailed off, waiting for John who was finishing his last touch on the locker room of Track Team. The small separated building she and John warded using charm and holy salt. "For an Onmyouji like Naru, he should come up by something by now…"

John poked his head up, "Hm… I know what Onmyouji is, but… are they generally is good at curse breaking? So Shibuya-san could solve this case if he know what the curse is?"

Ayako snorted, "I wonder why you're the only one left among us who still call him with his real name?"

"Erm… I think someone should still remember Shibuya-san's real name is Shibuya Kazuya." John supplied with a smile. "No matter how fitting the nickname Mai-san came up with."

"Yeah." Ayako laughed softly, "Back to the topic! Hm… let's see, Monk like Bou-san in general is good at banishing spirit. Medium like Masako of course is good at Kuchiyose… summoning spirit, and I as Miko… to be honest I'm not strong myself, but I'm good at charm crafting like Monk… but I am sure at purifying spirit I'm better than him…" She listed on.

"Oh… and for exorcist like me, I specialize on dispelling possession." John supplied, "And I think protection from evil spirit also one of my specialties…"

Ayako nodded in agreement, "In short you and I are better on defense unlike Monk… As for Onmyouji like Naru… they're rare nowadays, I myself only met one before…" She shuddered. "He reminds me a lot of Naru come to think of it." She cupped her chin. "You know… very young, good looking, mysterious and talented."

"Is he someone famous?" John asked curiously.

Ayako waved her hand in negative, "Nay… I'll be unsurprised if someone who ever met him face to face have no idea that he is an Onmyouji, unless you saw him in action. I guess he is like a Monk… as much as I hate to admit it… there are spiritualist who works in other profession but still very good at what they're doing."

"So they're talented…" John finished his last touch, politely ignoring his urge to remind Matsuzaki-san who was a doctor but still work as a Miko. "What kind of person is this Onmyouji-san?"

Ayako snorted, suppressing her laughter at John's weird use of honorifics. "Well…while he reminds me a lot of Naru.. he didn't really like to flaunt his skill or intelligence. He is a very quiet boy with this hard to approach aura... so more like he and Naru has similar aura."

"How did you meet him then?" John asked curiously.

"On a case like how I met you all." Ayako explained, talking idly was stress reliever after so much exorcising. They would think she was useless, but she did use plenty of energy when she had no help from tree spirits. "Not really a case… he was requested to come to my family's hospital back then." John opened his mouth, probably wondering why the daughter of a hospital owner became a miko. "Yeah… we don't run a temple, never mind…" Ayako rolled her eyes.

"Uh…"

"So you see… because I am a Shintoist and a Miko, I have affinity for tree…" Ayako explained.

John nodded, "Oh yes… Shintoism is derived from Buddhism but affiliated closely with nature."

"So they tell me a lot of things." If it was John, Ayako didn't mind telling him because the priest was too nice to think she was just being a wet blanket if she failed exorcising something.

Mai would know whether she gave them legit reason or not though, she was nice but Ayako had a feeling Mai hated excuses when someone's safety was concerned. She could still feel the cold from recalling how stormy Mai looked when she found out she and John fell asleep when guarding Ayami-chan. Yeah, Ayako and John bonded over that, he was like a cute little brother to her.

She cleared her throat, "This boy came to my guardian tree… that is just next to our hospital, and apparently he also has spiritual sight like Masako… he saw my tree and asked a number of questions."

"Question, what an Onmyouji would want to know from a tree spirit?" John asked.

She shrugged, "Saa… I was pretty afraid of him for a good reason."

"Afraid?" John echoed, there was no mocking in his voice. It was natural to feel fear in their profession, if someone stopped to fear, that was when they should go to a therapy as soon as possible.

"My tree said that boy have around twelve shikis following him around… or more like he has that many but only a couple is always around." She shuddered. "I know Monk is powerful, but he will looks like a kid next to that boy… spiritual power wise." Ayako recalled the dark haired boy she met over a year ago.

"Wow." John was awed, "How come someone like that is not famous at all?"

Ayako crossed her arms, "Like I said before… he is not active as a spiritualists, well… quite active but I wouldn't know because he moves in limited circle." She cleared her throat. "Do you know why I look down on Masako?"

John paused at that, "Erm…" He realized Ayako-san was constantly irritated with the medium.

"How to say this… I acknowledge those who is stronger than me like you and Monk in exorcism." Ayako began to explain, "In the other hand I who borrow power from tree spirit is not always reliable but I do what I can when needed." That was why she was never tired, trying to help when others had their hands full.

John smiled at her, recalling how the Miko kept trying to protect Ayami-chan in previous case even though she kept failing. She talked big but she did try her best. She always talked about running away but until today she never did that.

She coughed, "Hm… I believe Masako knew this Onmyouji boy too, he mention talking to a medium once that fit Masako's description." She shook her head, "No… definitely Masako, well known medium girl, brimming with confidence and very stubborn." She laughed as she recalled what the Onmyouji told her.

"Erm… that couldn't be anyone else." John had to agree.

"Right~" Ayako drawled on, "You see… he was called by one of our patients who got cursed. In fact… I asked the tree spirit and told him he wasn't ill, he was cursed. That's why he requested for this boy… apparently the patient is a big-shot and distantly related to royal family."

John's eyes widened at that, "You mean… this Onmouji, his service is limited to royalty?"

Ayako nodded, "Yeah… Abe no Seimei was one of the most famous, but since those nobles of Japan nowadays move in close tight circle I am not surprised they still keep a couple of Onmyouji for themselves...whether the Onmyouji liked it or not."

"I see… but how is this case of cursed patient related to Hara-san?"

The Miko sighed loudly, "Because this big-shot at first thought his home was haunted, he just moved to retirement house…" She began to explain. "So he called Masako and got the _same_ answer that girl gave us… she didn't see a ghost, so it can't be supernatural. That's why the poor old man landed himself in our hospital, in a sense he is very lucky my guardian tree noticed and told me…"

"Oh."

"Now do you understand why I am skeptical of Masako?" Ayako shook her head, "I'm maybe not as smart as Naru or as sensitive as Mai, but I believe those who is in trouble… patient didn't spout their problem lightly, so I want to believe they're not just 'imagining' their problem… in fact hallucination Naru said, it's a medical problem and real, not something troubled people lied to us about…"

Oh right, Matsuzaki-san was also a doctor. Maybe that was also why every time they began a case she pulled earth spirit card just so she had legit reason to try exorcising something, whichever it was, so no one got hurt. Clumsy, but she had the best intention in mind.

She sighed, "That girl didn't change… she especially piss me off when she still said there is nothing when I was attacked so blatantly in front of her." She took a deep breathe. "I don't ask her to be sorry or anything like that… I just want her to open her eyes and admit she has a weakness, sometimes her sight is not enough…she has limit so she can't see everything."

"I see…" John didn't say anything but he also appalled how Hara-san could be so stubborn, she even told Shibuya-san off that their investigation was pointless.

She cleared her throat, "At any rate… this boy got in a big argument with Masako."

"Heh?"

She took a deep breathe, "The old man who got cursed…" She closed her eyes, recalling the pain of dying man who slowly wasted away before her eyes. "When the Onmyouji was called, it's already too late…"

John could feel sadness in Matsuzaki-san's voice, a genuine sadness. "It's not Hara-san's fault."

She shook her head, "No… it's unfair to blame a fourteen years old girl who was just honestly telling her client she didn't see anything. " That much was the truth. "The boy… well by now. He is around Mai-chan's age so he is one year younger than Naru. I am an adult so I can say it's unfair to blame someone's death on a girl who just did what she was told… look for the spirit that was killing that old man… and it didn't exist."

"Oh, I see…" John could see where this was going.

"In the eyes of young Onmyouji boy who is Masako's age, the girl has done a terrible mistake as a spiritualist." Ayako said, recalling the incident from one year ago. "Because Masako didn't notice the curse… when the boy got to the patient, he manage to lift the curse but… the old man didn't have that much strength left and he passed away." She shook her head, smiling sadly. "Well, at least he didn't die in pain… and in peace."

She almost thought she had to perform purification if the old man died a painful dead and became bound spirit.

The priest smiled at that, "Yes… at least he had a peaceful death."

Ayako snorted, "Well… but you know, no matter how mature a boy is a boy… he blew his temper up at Masako."

"Eh? You saw?"

She shook her head, "No… my guardian tree did, apparently after the poor old man passed away. I was busy because in his last will he wanted me to prepare his funeral…" She pointed at herself. "So I was not in hospital the day after… he called Masako to the hospital and question whether she felt regret at all for letting a man to die, old or not no one deserved to spend their last days in so much pain…"

John winced, "Ah… I imagine it's not a peaceful talk."

"It's peaceful by WWII's standard." Ayako snorted, "In Masako's defense she was asked to look for a spirit terrorizing the man, there is none… it's a curse. I don't expect a fourteen years old girl to know much outside of her field of expertise either… a Medium like Masako of course know very little about it."

That was understandable, she couldn't exorcise spirit either. Though John suspected it was not because she was lazy but because to Hara-san it was like learning an art of murder. Even though she would be much safer if she learned how, Hara-san didn't want to be tempted to commit something she saw as murder even at the cost of her own safety. Deep down, she was a good girl, stubborn but not bad.

"Well… in professional outlook, it remains that Masako who was asked to help the old man failed…" Ayako continued, "It also baffled me that since she is spiritually sensitive, at least she would notice something supernatural was going on but she did not."

John's eyes widened at that, "Like now?"

"Yeah." Ayako crossed her arms. "If she did back then, perhaps Fujiwara-kun could have saved him."

"Fujiwara-kun?"

"Ah… " Ayako grimaced, "I didn't say his name until now for classified reason. Keep it a secret." John nodded, smiling at her. "If Masako heard his name, I can't imagine how she will react." Ayako suddenly froze. "Oh my… now I get why Masako likes Naru so much…" John blinked owlishly at that, "Uhm… what do you mean?"

The Miko groaned in pain. "Seriously… keep this as a secret John." The priest nodded frantically. "I told you right? Fujiwara-kun reminded me a lot of Naru… well the part he is young, talented, mysterious, confident and good looking…" Ayako listed on. "According to my guardian tree, he snapped at her because she was careless… and he said a lot of painful things to Masako."

"But it's not her fault!" John protested.

"No it's not… but I understand where he is coming from." Ayako looked up, "John… how do you feel if you could've help someone's life but because of someone else's ignorance… you failed?"

John looked down, "Added… we are talking about a mini adult here, acting like a grown up but deep down is still an emotional brats. So of course he was _very_ upset with Masako… so he told her to quit being a medium and spiritualist if all she wanted was just attention, and just sell her looks so she could stop selling her half-baked skill."

John grimaced at that, "Uuh… that's… cruel."

"Yeah… if that's not bad enough, Masako… has… maybe had a crush on Fujiwara-kun too."

"Eeeh?!"

"I told you… he is a lot like Naru, superficially too… pale skin, dark hair and striking eye color." Ayako recalled the boy with vivid green eyes who meticulously working on counter-curse in hospital to the point he lost a lot of sleep. "He is very powerful too… for a young medium like Masako, it's not odd at all for her to idolize him… I suspect she knew him for quite some time. Both had their range of clients overlapped a lot."

John was never the best at romance, beside he was a priest anyway but even him could tell what Ayako-san was getting at. "So you mean?"

The Miko sighed very loudly, and she sounded like in pain. "Our first case together… all of us got skeptical of her skill but Naru paid her proper respect and believed in her sight. So to Masako whose heart got broken once… it's like a second chance came true…"

"… second chance came true, but Shibuya-san…" John recalled the sour faced ghost hunter who almost acted out of character, just because he didn't want Masako to join their investigation. Not until Mai-san who he cared a lot was exhausted to guard their client.

She nodded grimly, "Love makes people blind indeed… I can foresee her second love is going to end in disaster too." She closed her eyes, her expression set in pain. "It explain a lot why she always want to confirm Naru believe in her skill and insist he has to agree with her…"

"Aah… I don't know who I should feel more sympathy for now, Hara-san or Shibuya-san?"

"Neither." Ayako answered firmly, "I myself was just playing around to annoy Masako… but like hell I'm going to get involved."

John fidgeted then asked in a whisper, "Erm… I have a hunch but, Shibuya-san… likes Mai-san right?"

Ayako closed her eyes, "Well… I believe, when you've not arrived yet in Morishitas case, she did something cute in front of him and he looked dumbstruck, and Bou-san said he forgot to breathe… it _supposed_ to be funny." Until now Ayako was still lamenting the moment she could have laughed for legitimate reason at Naru, she didn't. "But it gets depressing when both Bou-san and I realized Naru is…"

"In denial?" John had heard people was often in denial when it came to romance.

The Miko rolled her eyes, "Denial… hmph! That would require _something_ to be denied… and someone to _know_ what he deny…" She droned on. "Naru-chan didn't even understand what he feels for Mai…"

"Ah…"

"Mai called him idiot scientist for a reason after all…" She laughed, but there was no mirth in her voice. "Turns out his wonderful brain can't help him to understand love… his good looks also didn't help because he most likely used to be chased but never get to be on the other end. And we all know what Mai think of his good looks and personality…"

She never said it out loud in front of them but even though they didn't have her intuition, they could tell. Mai was _never_ subtle in how she behaved around Naru anyway. She scolded him openly, and laughed at him. She even outright calling him an idiot on his face.

Naru could be the Adonis of modern age and Mai _wouldn't_ care, she acknowledged he was handsome but she took it as a matter-of-fact like the weather. As for his personality, Mai let him loose but she would put her foot down and draw a firm and thick line when he got overboard like making a little cry because he wanted information.

In short she acted more like a guardian than a girl around him, or worse a mother.

"Uhm… what will happen then?" John asked with creeping feeling of trepidation of this twisted love triangle. It wasn't even a triangle actually, considering not all the line was connected properly.

Ayako swallowed grimly, "Who knows… but I will stay faaaaaaaaaaar away when it blows up."

John shared her sentiment.

In their moment of dread thinking about teenage love, angst and drama of their team neither John nor Ayako noticed someone was eavesdropping their conversation from the start and leave mid-way after they got what they needed.

* * *

 **SPR's base (Meanwhile)**

It took a while for Shima and Tojo to translate what was Lin talking about. "Hime?" Shima chimed in, "What did she say?"

Lin coughed, "Does random things she said more often than not hold significance?" He asked curiously, a little hesitant to say this to two boys he barely knew. "Even though she didn't notice it herself?"

They looked at each other and recalled. "Erm… this is not our place to say, but if it's important for investigation…" They trailed off unsurely, "I guess Hime wouldn't mind if you or Shibuya-sachou to know…"

"It's only a matter of time anyway." Shima sighed. "You see… Hime's intuition is not limited to detecting danger, emotion, or physical condition. Sometimes… Hime pull information out of nowhere. More often than not she didn't notice this…"

"I think to be more exact…" Tojo tried to correct, "She didn't notice where she got it, because she is so sensitive to her surroundings. Sometimes information she doesn't want or need to know got caught by her intuition…"

Lin frowned at that, "That sounds like clairvoyance or telepathy but not quite either…" Which meant, if sometimes she had no idea where she got her reading, she didn't always have full control of her own ability.

"And since we already in this topic," Tojo began hesitantly. "We more or less already aware between Sachou and Hime there is an unspoken agreement to keep their secret to themselves as they please."

The Chinese man sighed at that, "Well… it's pretty obvious."

"The problem is… I think, since she has been around Shibuya-sachou for eight months it's inevitable she noticed things she didn't want to know." Shima explained in weary tone. "To be honest maybe it's a relief she get a break… away from Sachou for a few days."

Lin raised an eyebrow at that. "…from the phone call yesterday, I don't think she is on a break at all."

They sighed, for Vongola what so called a 'break' was relative. "Didn't you hear how she so leisurely made seemingly random guess? Using her intuition for menial things carelessly?"

"Hime can't do that here… she feels she has to justify her intuition somehow because all this time she thinks she take her ability for granted." Tojo shook his head, "Whenever she is troubled we told her just to use her intuition… it saves her a lot of trouble but in SPR, she hesitate to do so… she feels like she is cheating."

How did she get that idea? Naru had no such reservation to use his psychometry.

"So she is always trying her best to keep it in control, Hime herself said so." Shima explained with a smile. "Hime seems to be a very open and easy to read, but actually it's hard to guess what she is thinking most of the time… because the way she sees the world is different than normal people."

Lin let out a breath, "Are you saying… Sawada-san is afraid she unintentionally found something about Naru, she didn't mean to know?"

Tojo coughed, "Actually… I would be surprised if she didn't know one or two after close proximity with someone like Sachou for eight months… she already know."

About his power… so she was testing the water back then, subtly giving up secrets she kept because she unknowingly pried on his. So it was like both Sawada and Naru emitted strong signals, and the girl caught things she didn't even want to know?

"Hime would be angry if she know we told you Lin-san." Shima said uneasily, "But… we just want to confirm one thing… are you and Shibuya-sachou looking for someone?"

Something like alarm bell rang on Lin's mind and before he could stop himself his voice hardened. "That's none of your business."

They smiled and Lin had a feeling his ki rolling off of them harmlessly, these two were no ordinary people either. "It's not… and according to her wish, we shall not however…"

"No matter how much she wanted to keep herself in shackle, Hime will see through both of you… Sachou especially." Tojo murmured in solemn voice. "A month ago you and Sachou went on a trip…"

Lin recalled that was when they went to Kyoto.

"We just wondered where do you guys go and what for." Shima said in almost cheerful voice. "We didn't mean to look for answer, we just said it…"

A normal thing to say when someone with dominant presence like Naru suddenly went missing from their radar.

"She didn't mean to say anything either, she was reading a book when she answered us in trance like voice." Tojo recalled the event bemusedly. "He is going to look for someone, it seems the treasure hunt will take a while since he didn't know where to look." He recited what their princess said.

Lin knew his face was discoloring, he was openly showing his shock but he didn't care.

"She went home without a word the moment she realized she said something she shouldn't to us." Tojo closed his eyes. "She let her guard down the moment Sachou is not in the office… when only us, her trusted subordinates were around."

She was… scared Naru would hate her for something she couldn't control.

Lin sighed, rubbing his temple. "That's not her fault… Naru wouldn't blame her for something beyond her control."

The girl who was forced to see horrible vision that even knock his charge out cold, still smiling and caring in spite she had seen things even Oliver couldn't stomach. Who seemed to understand Oliver like Gene and offer him comfort no one could.

Tojo nodded, both he and Shima looked relieved. "Once again forgive us if we step out of our boundary but." Tojo inhaled slowly. "The reason Hime is cautious is because she wants to help but feel… Sachou, someone so proud wouldn't want her help."

Lin winced at that, _'It was amazing how well she knew him.'_

"Which is why… one of these days if she sensed you and Sachou return in distress from your trip again, we're scared because of her caring nature she will blurt it out on reflex…" Shima explained, shaking his head. "She may ask whether you want her help…"

Knowing his charge, Lin himself couldn't tell how he would react if what these boys feared to happen happened. "I see… once this case is over I will try to bring this up to Naru, after all Sawada-san is a valuable member of our SPR. I would hate to see her go because of something that's not her fault at all…"

"Thank you very much!" Shima and Tojo bowed deeply in unison.

"Don't mention it." Lin said in slightly relaxed voice, relieved they were in common ground now. "We owe your princess a lot…"

And just last month…

* * *

 _Flashback_

 _Clack, the sound of medicine case opening with a pop drew the attention of Chinese yin-yang master who was on his way back to his room from their pantry. Lin didn't pay attention much to Sawada-san, in fact he avoided her for their own good, because he felt sorry for Sawada-san who had endured his shiki's frantic behavior whenever she entered their sight. Nothing to do with her nationality, not when she was such an important part of their team and a lifesaver in taking care and keeping Naru in line._

 _So since he failed to convince his shiki to at least act civil around the girl, the least he could do was keeping his shiki out of her senses. Any other day he would just go straight to his office and ignored what Sawada-san was doing but he was interested in what she popped to her mouth like a candy._

 _It was the medicine she carried around and run out fairly quickly, then Tojo and Shima would always ready to supply more for her from somewhere. He vaguely recalled overhearing Tojo reminding their princess to not forget to have two cases of it ready in hand, as she had forgotten them when she ran off with SPR for Morishita's case. In which Sawada-san replied, she learned her lesson and hibernating like a bear was not fun._

 _It didn't take a genius to figure out that medicine was for over-use of psychic power, not for asthma or other common illness._

 _"_ _Lin-san, do you want something?" Sawada-san asked before she covered her mouth, most likely she read him and afraid he would be offended._

 _Lin was not offended, in fact he was contemplating recklessness, the safety of his charge and… never mind the rest… the safety of the boy, the parents who entrusted their only son to him, it worth taking the risk and his pride._

 _"_ _If I may ask." He swallowed heavily, "Is that medicine… to control damage to one's body caused by overuse of psychic power?" He knew he was risking Naru's identity but this was Sawada-san, she knew Naru's power and she had expressed worry on his lack of control_

 _'_ _ **Uncontrolled power brings nothing but pain… '**_

 _Sawada-san's eyes widened, and it ga`ve him a shred of hope. "Erm… yes, it is. Something like that…" She answered hesitantly._

 _Lin inhaled sharply, at the time like this he regretted he was such a loner and not much of a talker. "I wonder… since you know Naru possess immense power, is it possible to use the same medicine?"_

 _Sawada-san smiled sadly at him, her eyes downcast. "I am sorry but no, this medicine is concocted specifically for me. My ability and Naru are different… our body too, so it won't work for him and may be a poison instead"._

 _It was just a faint hope after all… He clenched his fist._

 _"_ _Lin-san… don't show such a face, would you mind telling me what you want?" Sawada-san walked towards him, and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. For some reason his shiki didn't react, as if they know Sawada-san didn't mean harm. "Even though my medicine is not what you're looking for didn't mean… we don't have what you want."_

 _The Chinese man wondered if Sawada-san was giving him a false hope or she was being honest, no… she was honest, Naru himself said Sawada-san was a very bad liar. What she said just now was straightforward, it couldn't be half-truth or vague answer. If this young woman could be trusted and Naru could be safer in spite of his occasional recklessness that could cost him his life…_

 _"_ _How?"_

 _Sawada-san smiled in assuring way at him, "Keep it a secret from Naru now, his curiosity while endearing, I'm afraid it will land him in trouble." Lin nodded, he would keep whatever Sawada-san going to say a secret, beside he knew as well how curious his charge was and that always landed him in trouble._

 _"_ _Alright… my lips is sealed." Lin promised, "I will even take a vow if that's what you need."_

 _Sawada-san shook her head, "I believe Lin-san is a man of his word, a promise is enough," She looked around, most likely checking if his charge was near. Naru was still out buying new books for himself. Then she began, "My family… perhaps in Parapsychology is left far behind… it didn't mean we didn't dabble on it at all. In fact… we adopted quite a number of psychic children to our family… "_

 _What kind of family did that even though they didn't focusing on Parapsychology? What for?_

 _"_ _Erm… I assure you, all of them are treated with respect… in fact because we didn't do much of Parapsychology research… we're stuck on how to keep it in line with medicine and technology but we don't know the depth like… how things get warm because of poltergeist even… "_

 _Lin's eyes narrowed, "So… your family is more concerned in keeping the power controlled but not learning what it is? So you guys approach Parapsychology only in one direction?"_

 _"_ _Right… in fact, most of the time we just keep them safe. It's not rare with age their power either stabilize on their own or disappear altogether…" Sawada-san shrugged, "Ma~ because they grow in our family it's not rare they forget about their power and focus on something related to family's business."_

 _All of that wasted potential… Professor Martin would cry if he knew._

 _"_ _Our concern is just keeping them safe." Sawada-san stressed firmly, "Power is the last thing in our mind… the reason we adopt psychic children is because… we have power to protect them, no more no less." She smiled at him sadly, "Maybe it sounds… idealistic and naïve, but that's what we do…"_

 _"_ _I see… so can you help Naru then?" Lin asked. "You're not a doctor Sawada-san… how do you know?" He couldn't help but skeptical._

 _Her eyes softened, "One of our children… from what I sensed he and Naru shared the same kind of power…"_

 _"_ _PK?" He guessed._

 _She nodded, "According to traditional classification… this boy, Stella has both PK-ST and clairvoyance." Sawada-san informed him._

 _Lin's eyes widened at that, a psychic who had both PK and ESP! Just like Oliver! "So… your family already have a base for concocting a specific medicine for Naru?"_

 _"_ _Lin-san…" Sawada-san began hesitantly, "I have faith in technology we have in pharmaceutical department… however, the problem is… Stella the boy I told you is much weaker than Naru and he is nine…"_

 _In short in comparison the boy was much younger and the power was incomparable to Naru. Lin coughed, he didn't want to let go of this hope yet. "To what extent this boy could display his power? I would like to know how many similarities Naru and this boy shares…"_

 _Sawada-san recalled, cupping her cheek. "Hm… he cause a lot of poltergeist since he was younger."_

 _Lin couldn't stop himself from interjecting, "So did Naru…" More common variables, the bigger the chance._

 _"_ _And also…" Sawada-san trailed off, "He couldn't use one of his abilities at a time when we just adopted him… both turn on in the same time, like they have the same switch... he can use PK without clairvoyance now but he can't use clairvoyance without making objects around him floating."_

 _Lin hesitated, that was an odd quirk. "Uhm… same lack of control but Naru didn't have any problem on which ability to use." Naru's secrecy on his power be damned. This was his life they were talking about._

 _"_ _Both of them manifested their ability since young…" Sawada-san added thoughtfully, "They shares a lot of similarity so the chance is big in my unprofessional opinion."_

 _Unprofessional or not, a chance was a chance. "So… will you do us this favor?"_

 _Sawada-san's face became serious, "We will try, but it's not me who will make the medicine so I can't make promise on their behalf… We will need Naru's medical record, blood sample and DNA sample…" She listed on._

 _Lin hesitated a little because that meant Naru's privacy was forfeit. "Lin-san… I am not going to read those, our doctors will." Lin stammered an apology, of course she could tell what he was thinking. "The problem is… can you get his blood sample? I am sure for DNA it would be easy just to steal his toothbrush or hair~ but blood?"_

 _As usual she knew how to be sneaky, but so did he when it suited him. "You don't have to worry about that. I will take care of those…"_

 _By the next day Lin made Naru go to a doctor for medical check-up, lying through his teeth that his parents wanted to know about his health. It was not really a lie, and Naru wouldn't know because he was not the type who would ask his parent about this kind of thing and risked more parent's lecture thrown his way. Naru begrudgingly took the blood test and didn't miss his toothbrush and few strands of missing hair from his comb._

 _Lin felt a little guilty Sawada-san looked determined but guilty on his behalf as she sent the manila folder to her family_ _to_ _Italy._

* * *

"We owe her a lot."

Tojo smiled at that, "Ah… then about what you ask before we get off topic…" He trailed off, "Yes, sometimes she said something that sounds like precognition. Most of the time she didn't notice _at all_ so…"

"There was one time she was visiting our previous superior…" Shima trailed off. "He is also a very prideful person, in fact Shibuya-sachou reminds us a little of him…" Quite a lot but they weren't going to say that out loud.

"A friend of Sawada-san?" Lin asked, getting curious what they were getting at here.

"The details will take too long and perhaps we're going to risk our neck and get bitten." Tojo said in a dazed voice as rubbing his throat, and Lin blinked at the word 'bitten' and wondered if it was another Japanese idiom of being fired. "So let's just say, he said something that get on Hime's nerve and then she said something along the line 'keep it up' and some sort of ironic justice will be served."

"…And it happened?"

"A week later… it happened." Tojo and Shima leaned in conspiratorially. "Hime didn't know though, either it's her intuition talking or she is making random guess and it was all coincidence." Shima finished. "Although…"

Tojo swallowed, "It's just rumor but… we overheard our superior, second in command saying something like Hime did it _again_."

"It seems it's not just once or twice… and by unspoken agreement everyone who knows decide to keep it a secret from her." Shima said in pained voice. "I mean… those who know of her intuition could tell she has no intention to jinx anyone."

Most of things she said was bound to happen anyway, irony and havoc seemed to follow Vongola everywhere.

Lin nodded, his face was getting pale. "So… no matter how random sometimes it happens?"

"Unfortunately..."

Their conversation ended on that note, an ominous one that sent Lin to worried guardian mode.  
Naru was unhappy Lin decided to follow him around that day closer than usual and didn't receive any explanation for this overprotective behavior. Lin was very grateful he was _listening_ to Tojo and Shima, because not even five minutes after Naru returned to their base for a break and tea an evil spirit taking shape of a woman poked her head out of the ceiling, grinning an evil looking smile at his charge.

He was about to order his shiki to get rid of it when Bou-san made a dramatic entry and scared the evil spirit off with his mantra. "Naumaku sa manda bazaradan kan!"

It vanished quickly, a testament to the chanter's spiritual power. "Oi, are you guys alright?" Bou-san asked, "They're popping up one after another suddenly."

"They are?" Naru inquired. "Everywhere?"

Bou-san shrugged, "On reported places… but not here, this room is not one of reported ones ne?"

Lin suddenly became very still, "Ah, so it's true."

"What is true?" Naru asked curiously. "You behaves strangely today, Lin."

"Lin-san… erm, it can't be…" Tojo and Shima who were on base-duty popped up from monitor room, both of them were holding charms to ward evil.

Lin took a deep breath. "I think I figure out how the curse works and what it is…"

His charge looked displeased he figured it out faster, "And? How is following me the whole day make you arrive to that conclusion?" He wondered in annoyed voice.

The Chinese man sighed, "Actually Sawada-san gave me a hint." Naru's frown deepened and Lin amended, "No, she didn't sneak in clues to me or anything… I don't think she even realize she gave me one."

"…That sounds like Mai, but I don't recall you _ever_ had a private conversation with her when I'm not around." In short the boy was sulking _, how did you figure it out but I didn't?_

Sometimes Lin forgot introverted genius or not, he was still very much an arrogant seventeen years old boy who didn't like to get bested even if it was by Lin. "Actually… you were there with me when she said it, but you were _distracted_ so maybe that's why."

"When did this happen?" Naru pressed, getting impatient. "I was _distracted,_ you said…"

Lin sighed again, and in the background he heard Bou-san mumbling about _jealous Naru-chan_ under his breath right behind Lin. It dawned on Lin very quickly, and it made him wonder how did Bou-san noticed earlier than he did. So… that was _why_ this boy behaved like a petulant child now? This was getting troublesome.

Well, it wasn't like he didn't see this coming at all. Luella and Madoka would be overjoyed.

The guardian inhaled slowly, "Well… it's when she left us on Saturday, remember her long list?"

"Is it about her key and locking the door properly?" He queried.

"No…"

"Eating proper meal?"

"No." Lin suppressed his urge to hit the Monk behind him who was having difficulty to breath as suppressing his laughter.

"Taking care of her subordinates?"

Lin shook his head, it seemed the boy was not _that_ distracted if he remembered everything Sawada-san said. "No, it's not that… the last one."

Naru glared at him. "My tone when talking to our client?"

"Ha ha…" The Monk couldn't control himself anymore. "Mai-chan… you mothers him like that?! Ha ha ha… poor Naru-bou."

Lin was ticked, "Takigawa-san _please_ be quiet." And the monk quickly snapped his mouth shut. "And Naru… close, but while that is the last on her list… there is one more thing she said." Lin closed his eyes, as if he was in pain to say it. "I believe she meant it as a _joke_."

Naru tried to recall the very _last_ part of rambling Mai spouted before she left for Italy.

 _"…_ _put some effort to not make them hate you and lose faith in humanity. Or I won't be surprised by the time I'm back I will be using my intuition to search for your_ _ **voodoo doll**_ _."_

Naru blinked owlishly, recalling how Mai was giggling at her own unfunny joke before she bid them a good bye. "Ah…" It didn't take long for him to figure it out either.

"And also…" Lin's jaw was clenching, "Takigawa-san just now said… evil spirits appeared in reported location except this place, so most likely… you're targeted because you are our leader. In the same fashion as Yoshino-sensei as it's not bound by specific location most likely…"

There was a possibility someone just hated his charge because of his attitude though, Naru did make a couple of girls from this school to hate him. But Lin was not going to make it sounded like Naru would have avoided all the trouble if he just listened to Sawada-san. That would get on the boy's nerve.

"Nani-nani?!" Bou-san sounded impatient, "What did Jou-chan say that become a clue? And it's not strange Naru-bou got targeted right?"

Naru glared at him, and he quickly shut his mouth up. **"Mai…"** He hissed her name in annoyance.

"She was joking." Lin stated matter-of-factly. "She wouldn't know it turns to reality."

The young ghost hunter threw one last glare at his guardian before marching to monitor area and made a call for all of his team members to return to the base. They had a new information. After receiving confirmation they were on their way, Naru turned around and said to Lin.

"Don't let Mai know…"

Lin closed his lone eyes and sighed, "I thought by now you _already_ learned she _will_ know somehow, especially since she would arrive in Japan by tonight." The bodyguard pointed out. "In fact I won't be surprised if the first thing she ask once she returned would be something along the line… did you get someone to hate you enough to curse you when she was away…"

And whether she should look for voodoo doll for him, which… was going to happen by tomorrow.

* * *

 **Once again No omake... but well...Maybe in the next one I will POST the what if omake... in which Tsuna is OK and Mai is just pushed away to Japan for her safety...  
**

 **Promise for omake aside... the conversation of John and Ayako is a foreshadowing ^^ aside from giving Masako's more depth instead of a girl who fell in love with Naru out of nowhere =_=' Hm... the onmyouji is actually Fujiwara Hikaru from my other account fic. No, he is not going to be a vital character joining SPR... or be Masako's partner in love. I love John but not when he is paired with Masako because well... I am seriously not going to write emotional stuff on him and Masako, it's pair the spare in my head.**

 **The meds in my head is a confrontational concern... more drama, this thing is not going to allow Naru freely use his PK. It's just going to reduce risk and stopped him from going to worse condition... and to introduce more KHR characters to this story... Both Lin and Mai is hesitate about it because it seems like something that will give Naru ideas... ho ho ho**

 **As for Gene... well he will stick around for Mai to do as she please for now, at least he is not a stray kite anymore~ the Sky Axis is totally an idea that give me a headache making head and tails of it myself.**

 **Funny I just realized main characters from Yuasa's side Kasai had not made any appearance yet LOL**


	12. Case 03, Part 04

**Case 03-Part 04**

 **Palermo, Vongola HQ**

Mai eyed the medicine case the doctor of Vongola Famiglia had handed her, "This will work right?"

Shamal nodded, bringing his cigarette to his mouth but stopped when the princess glared at him. It was an unspoken rule to not inhale the cancer stick anywhere near her. "Right… we, the team doctor of Vongola had worked for a month on that Hime… have some faith in us."

"I do." Mai assured the mentor of their storm, "But the medical record of this person… and other sample might be not enough to concoct a proper medicine."

Shamal sighed, "Well… this is a unique case, and we based it on petite prince's medication. Fuuta de la Stella was a nine years old boy, and the person we're making this for… is a teenager. We tried to adjust the dose and everything but if the person himself is not here…"

Mai smiled at that, gazing at the medicine again. The result of their hard work… and Lin-san who had reach out to her for this… one month ago. This medicine was one of reasons why she had to go home, to see it herself this medicine was finished by their expert hands. Too bad they couldn't bring Naru here, for a proper check-up.

"Well" Mai hesitated, her eyes rolled to the side. "It's impossible to drag the guy here."

"Unfortunately…" Shamal snorted, "Hime, this guy should be in proper medication since… he was eight from what we read from his medical file. He has a lot of luck if he survived this long."

Mai swallowed at that, "Is it that... bad?"

Shamal nodded, "I will be honest with you… Parapsychology is a field we mostly ignored, well… who knows what's on the mind of your ancestors."

"Most likely to preserve the balance of power." Mai answered, her eyes closed. "If we gain power through knowledge… digging deeper to our blood, we also risked our secrecy…."

"Hmph, who knows they're wise or not considering what happened to your brother…" The mosquito user shrugged, wincing when he noticed Mai's lowered gaze. "At any rate… I will say this bluntly now, and tell his guardian too." Mai tensed, "He deserves to know… this guy, Shibuya… from the chart even though we didn't check him first hand… it seems his power is growing rapidly. At this point his body already couldn't handle it… and then..."

"Is it because of he didn't train?" Mai asked hesitantly, "From what I sensed of him… Lin-san taught him a technique to control his power to an extent…"

Shamal snorted, "Not good enough!" He stated firmly, "If this Shibuya boy is still having difficulties controlling his power and dying from using even a fraction, that means… whatever taught to him is not good enough." Shamal looked at her in the eye, dispelling her misconception. "Your brother is not a good comparison… well, they shares both immense power and lack of control but it's different… your brother's power lies in high-density form of energy that is refined from one's own life-force…"

"Our dying will flame…" Mai murmured softly. "Erm, Shamal-sensei… from your opinion what differs PK that is power of will and our power?"

Shamal scratched the back of his head, "Hm… this kind of question should be addressed to Verde not me ya know~" He groaned when he saw Mai crossed her arms, glaring at him. "Erm… I am sure you will get a better answer from Verde, but we all know he wouldn't deign to answer Reborn's students."

"He hates us on principle." Mai scoffed, wondering why that mad scientist who tried to kill them before was even mentioned if Shamal already knew. "So… my answer?" She tapped her foot impatiently.

"Yes Hime…" Shamal sighed loudly, eyeing Mai's boots warily because of his unpleasant experience with it. "While both could be categorized as supernatural power… from the after-effect obviously it's already different… PK Psychic just move stuff and affecting objects or living beings around them… what they use is wave energy, it's a rawer from of dying will flame… supposedly."

Mai gave him a long stare, "Shamal… you're a doctor, please give an explanation that inspire _some_ faith."

"I usually didn't spend time explaining ya know, Hime-sama…" Shamal droned on. "So yeah… basically dying will flame is like a cocktail that consist of wave energy psychic used plus spiritual energy plus… power of will~ in your brother's case… what immense on him was spiritual energy and will, life force wise… he has it in immense amount too but not in abnormal amount this Shibuya-kid have."

"…Even though they both have difficulties in controlling it and seems similar?" Mai pressed.

"The problem is… your brother store most of his power in spiritual vessel, his astral world… and his intuition will stop him most of the time from drawing more than he could handle." Shamal scoffed, "Even though… how much he could handle is apparently enough to blow up half a mountain ha ha ha~"

In short it was very relative on Tsuna, especially since the aftermath of his power left devastation akin to natural disaster and he would come out of it relatively fine after leaving a perfect imprint of himself somewhere in the landscape after blasting himself off when Mai was not around to help him controlling his power.

Mai blushed a deep red, recalling that blunder. "Don't remind me!" It was going forever be in their name, Vongola Neo Primo blasting himself and half a mountain of Mafia Land off.

The doctor rolled his eyes, "So yeah… in Shibuya-kid's case, he has no such brake… he is both a danger to himself and his surroundings."

Mai swallowed heavily at that, "Currently it seems… they're opting to stop using it."

"Pff!" Shamal smirked, "A kid with this much power can't afford not using them at all! It's like asking a lion to not use his claw and teeth just because his keeper feed him! His instinct wouldn't make him forget… and one way or another he _will_ use them."

Considering his pride… giving up his PK was indeed impossible for Naru after all. He was working a dangerous job to boot, it was like throwing an armed man in the middle of battlefield and hoped he won't use his gun. In short... an exercise in futility.

Mai sighed, "So… what's going to happen to him?"

"Popped like a balloon?" Shamal offered.

Mai smiled at him, a murderous smile. "A better answer please~"

Shamal gulped, closing his eyes in resignation. He wanted to avoid the details, and spared their princess. She seemed very fond of this guy after all. "Hh… his body slowly but gradually will break down…his heart will get weaker, his lungs would be next so he will have difficulty in breathing. If he didn't find some way of output…" Shamal cracked one eye open and shocked to see the strong princess he knew was tearing up and fat drops of tears was flowing from her eyes. "Uwaaa! Hime-sama! Please don't cry… if someone sees I _will_ get killed!" Hayato would be first followed by the rest of the guardians.

"So…" Mai didn't know why but she couldn't stop her tears, wiping then roughly. "Will this medicine help him?"

"We did our best." Shama assured her, "Expect side-effect like yours though… but still, I can't guarantee it's a permanent solution…" He cupped his chin. "Hm… actually there is one solution."

Mai grabbed him by his collar, "YOU DO?!"

"Hime! You're suffocating me! Gah!" Shamal gasped out and the princess let go of him. "Cough! Actually it's simple… just teach him how to use dying will flame."

"…"

"…"

"…You're kidding right?"

"Nope… I'm serious, very much so. As serious as I could be with a beautiful woman." Shamal crossed his fingers.

Mai scowled, "I am so assured to hear that Shamal-sensei… if what I heard of 62 women you called sister in front of Hayato alone is true!"

"Hey! I am serious with all women I have ever had in my arms!" Shamal tried to defend himself.

Mai groaned, "Wait! Why am I talking about your women anyway?!" She wondered out loud, "With you no less?! Gah! I had enough convincing Women Right Organization all over the world that you're not a dangerous lecher! I should have let them to take you away!"

"Hime! How cruel!" Shamal shouted at Mai who stomped off of Shamal's medical lab in a huff.

* * *

 **Yuasa High School (5th Day)**

Coming back to the Base to find their leader in a foul mood was never a surprise, in fact they almost suspected it was his default mode. Whatever… they didn't really care as long as they were not on the receiving end of it. They were tired and not in the mood to argue with Naru who was deprived of Mai's tea and in a mood.

"So…?" John, always the brave soul volunteered to speak with demon in human skin that was Naru in a mood. "What did you find Shibuya-san?"

Naru was very tempted to answer with something along the line, _'Apparently it was all Mai's fault and somehow I know she will blame_ _ **me**_ _for getting myself cursed instead of the hexer. As if I ask to get one, but she would say I was asking for it with being myself.'_

He took a deep breathe, "We find out what is the most likely curse operating in this school." He began his explanation, then pulled out a hitogata made of wood, with a mantra written on it. "This is the doll used for the curse."

Masako frowned, "But doll didn't summon spirit."

Ayako crossed her arms, "Hitogata and not straw dolls? Hm… where did you get it?"

"No, they don't…" Naru agreed, "I got this from the cursed desk… and it was addressed to anyone who sit on that desk. We're dealing with a Zuzhou." Looking at their confused face Naru refrained from insulting them for their s, because the Monk would be tempted to spill how Mai mothered him with her list of not-to-do-when-I'm-gone.

He cleared his throat, "I will explain." He ignored Ayako's shocked look and her mouthed 'No insult or sarcastic remark' and continued. "Zuzhou is an extremely powerful curse that calls supernatural entities to carry on the deed for the caster, it could be gods or spirits… even demon…in this case I think the one they used is Enmi curse."

Enmi?

"Originally this art is derived from the yin-yang tao. They used either a hitogata or a possession of the one being cursed, and driving a nail into the straw ethigy doll is one of the enmi arts. The doll's function is to simply convey the level of hatred of the person driving the nail. The doll themselves can do no real harm. But when the hexer, the one preforming the curse, drives the nail into the hitogata, they call upon gods or spirits to deliver a death curse…"

Bou-san crossed his arms, "Hm… even though you said so, imagining a high school girls doing such thing every night…"

Naru didn't care about the image, "Someone has cast multiple enmi spells against people in this school, and evil spirits are appearing to those who have been cursed. The spirits aren't powerful enough to kill their targets immediately, so they torment and lead them to their deaths. It's a very indirect form of murder," Naru concluded.

 _Murder_ , a word that sent chill to their spine.

"And if these attacks were to happen frequently, as they have at Yuasa, it would definitely have a negative effect on those people who are easily influenced," John added, he looked worried.

"Yes," said Naru, "An extreme example would be the girl who believes she was possessed by a fox. This explains both the incidents themselves and why the entire school was thrown into such a panic."

"So who performed the curses?" Bou-san asked, cupping his chin.

"All the evidence would seem to suggest the hexer is Kasai," Masako replied.

Naru narrowed his eyes at that, "That would be the easiest conclusion we could come out with…"

John looked at Naru, "You mean… it's possible she didn't do it?"

"I consider everything could be possible at this point, especially since we have not talk or interact with Kasai at all…" Naru concluded. "Beside… in our previous case we're misdirected by presence of Minnie and Tachibana Yukiko who possessed the doll but turned out…"

Bou-san and the rest of spiritualist team winced, as they recalled how it turned out. "She was nothing but a tool and we spent most of our time to deal with her… when the main culprit lay low deep inside that well." Naru finished grimly.

"But still… it's not like we have other suspect." Masako pointed out.

Ayako nodded, "Well… she has the motif and everything."

"Not another we know of." Naru corrected. "Remember… this school, from teachers to student are not very cooperative in general with us. I'm not surprised if we missed something again…"

Bou-san nodded, "I agree with Naru-bou, beside…" He raised a finger to raise his point, his expression was deadly serious "I can almost imagine what Jou-chan would say if she finds out we fell to another trick because we leap before we think." Then he added, "By the way… this is especially true to Ayako and me."

Ayako opened her mouth to protest before she stopped herself. "Alright… you're right…"

Naru couldn't help but wonder since when these two developed healthy amount of fear for Mai.

John laughed nervously, "But still… how did you find out about this Suzhou, Shibuya-san?"

Then John noticed, as one Lin and the two phantom members –since when they were so in tune? - turned their face away and resumed doing whatever they were doing in monitor area. Their de facto leader clamped his mouth shut, and refused to answer. Something was fishy and they had a feeling their absent Mai had something to do with it.

He cleared his throat, directing the discussion away from the _how_ he found out about the curse. "We have to act. We can't leave the zuhzou out there. I'd like you all to search for the hitogata… after all, it's just about time someone would get killed from this curse."

"Uh, we're looking for dolls?" The Monk asked curiously, eyeing the one Naru presented to them warily. Lin said it was very well made, which part of it was well they would never know.

It pissed them off to know Naru wasn't an onmyouji but well… they had a feeling if they protested his authority he would point out he was superior to them in intelligence and they could protest once they got a little smarter. As the last two cases and the current one indicated, brain playing a large part in successful investigation, and Mai's intuition…

"There are two ways to break an enmi spell. Turn the curse back on the hexer or burn the hitogata being used," Naru explained. "The doll is usually buried near the target. That means if the hexer is a student or school faculty member, it's most likely around here somewhere."

"Somewhere?! Oh great, that helps a lot. What do you want us to do, dig up the whole school?" The monk slash musician questioned incredulously.

"Well the hexer must have buried my hitogata sometime after Monday when we started investigating, so that one should still be fresh and easier to spot," Naru said, presenting a logical point no one in his team considered helpful. Freshly buried or not, a school was still too big to be covered by their team.

The haired Monk rolled his eyes, "Right… easy to you to say! Can't this wait until Mai-chan returned? Something like this would be much easier with her help." He pointed our reasonably.

"If you're telling me you have to rely on Mai for everything you can just leave." Naru told him in coldest tone he could muster and the Monk winced in guilt. "We're racing with time here… for all we know, one day delaying our search by next day someone could turn up dead."

They looked at each other dubiously and then Bou-san threw his arms to the air, "Alright! We will try to look to the best of our ability!"

And so, SPR team ran off to search for the hitogata. They did find some but for three hours search until sunset, four hitogata were just too little. Much to Naru's ire they didn't find his hitogata, he was not scared of the curse but he didn't want Mai to know that he did get cursed when she was away. Mai wouldn't lord it over him, but she'd give him a resigned look he hated so much.

Sensing his darkening mood when Lin insisted to stay over at his place tonight, Ayako and Bou-san quickly handed him some charms to ward his place with. Lin was still skeptical but he took comfort that Sawada-san would be back by tonight, and perhaps nothing would happen just because she was around.

* * *

 **Palermo, Vongola's private hangar**

"I'm off guys!" Mai bid them a good bye.

"Wait! Hime!" A blond boy with lollipop hanging on his mouth came running to the hangar, stopping the Vongola princess from stepping into the private jet. "Hime!"

Mai smiled at the mechanic, "Yes, Spanner?"

He handed her a long black box and a smaller one, both marked with gold Vongola's coat of arms. "I finish it." He gasped out, panting like he had ran a long distance. Most likely he did, his workshop was pretty far from the hangar after all.

"I told you that you can take your time and send it to me later." Mai pointed out, accepting the two box with a frown and a smile. "You didn't sleep for days since I asked you to make it." She murmured, eyeing the bag under his eyes.

"It's not your fault." Spanner pouted, "It's an interesting stuff to make, so I can't stop myself… so Hime! Don't forget to use it and send me the data! I want to know how it turns out!"

"Spanner!" Growled the silver haired boy who was standing by the frame door of their private jet. "Quit your talk! You're holding Hime up! We have to get going!" He said as he went down the escalator to the jet and took both box that occupied Mai's arm off of her. "At least you should have helped Hime to put these with her luggage!"

The blond rolled his eyes, "Che, short fuse…"

"I heard that!"

Mai laughed at them, "Let's get going now…" She turned to the silver haired boy who was the right hand man of her brother. "Come on Hayato-kun… it's been a while since you return to Japan. It will be a short stay for you but… there is someone you want to meet right?"

Gokudera Hayato nodded, tucking both of the black boxes under his arm. "Yeah… I want to see for myself if this Shibuya Kazuya guy could be the key to solve it."

"Ha ha ha…" Mai laughed, imagining how it would turned out. "Let's go back, to Japan." The meeting had to wait until the current case was over though, since it would be too distracting. After all Hayato was their storm, not someone you would want to meet in the middle of a case.

* * *

 **Naru's apartment (Naru's POV)**

I was just entering my apartment after a long day in Yuasa High School, and it must be one of the worse investigation I had ever had. My cases in Japan were always interesting, I knew how to pick them wisely and my sixth sense and intelligence never stirred me wrong. I should have listened when after receiving request from the same place three times in a row, which mean something was obviously wrong and yet I didn't feel like doing this case.

In fact I went out my way to avoid it.

Turned out it was a wise move to avoid Yuasa High School, it was one of the worse investigations ever. It was not because the lack of mystery or research potential, but because we got the worse client and school. Frustrating case was never a problem to me, but then the frustrating factor was coming from the very client-human- we wanted to help, uncooperative, ignorant and foolish herd of students and teacher.

As if adding to the insult, I received the first class honor to be one of the victims. It felt like I had been on the receiving end of a ridiculous irony. I finished my dinner begrudgingly, I had no appetite but if Mai asked about my meal schedule in her absence I couldn't even lie to her. Lin would be unhappy if he was on receiving end of Mai's disappointed look. I didn't know since when but Lin started to feel guilty if he somehow failed Mai in his watch duty. It was baffling how lately Lin was starting to get social with Tojo and Shima, then again… perhaps he sensed some sort of illogical comradeship with those two. Then he should learned something from Tojo and Shima that people he guarded loved their privacy and needed breathing room.

He didn't have to follow me around all the time, I was not some helpless little boy. I eyed the innocent stack of charm in distaste, wondering since when Matsuzaki and Bou-san cared of my safety?

 _Because Mai somehow made them._

Did they expect _me_ to go around my apartment and warding myself? I should do it but I felt illogically displeased that I was indirectly protected by those two of all peoples.

I looked to the side, sensing a presence, and the lights blinked on and off. Then a not so familiar guest came, poking her head upside down outside of my window. Which made me wonder why it wasn't in the same room as me anymore… it had no problem before so why?

"…Lin…"

He warded my room without my knowledge, so that was why he gave up following me home! He _knew_ this creature won't be able to enter! I couldn't stop myself from sitting on living room sofa and glared at the evil spirit. It returned my glare with unsettling smile on her lips.

Somehow… I got a feeling I shouldn't avert my eyes so I continued to stare at her back. My eyes began to water so I closed one eye then closed another in turn, just so I could observe what this spirit was going to do. I didn't know how long I had been staring at the spirit, more than two or three hours.

Tick

Tick

This was getting boring but I couldn't avert my eyes, it was a childish but I had no desire to lose this stupid staring contest. Especially against the evil spirit that designed to haunt me.

BAM! Something was slammed open and then the evil spirit shrieked in fear before it disappeared. I wondered why, it was not morning yet. I got my answer very quickly as I saw a feminine figure jumped to my veranda, long hair reaching all the way to her knees and the moonlight outlining her petite figure that seemed to be smaller than usual because of the long hair framing her whole body.

Bam!

The glass silding door that connected to my veranda was slammed open to the side, and I realized it was not another spirit coming inside. A spirit had no shadow and it couldn't open a door to a warded place.

"Care to enlighten me, why there is a spirit holding a staring contest with you, Naru-chan?" She asked testily.

I blinked and rubbed my sore eyes. "So you're back…"

"I asked a question." She reminded me, "So my answer?"

"So the first thing you did after you returned is asking questions, what a wonderful student you are…" I retorted sarcastically.

"I aim to please, Shibuya-sensei.~" She droned on. "Or you want me to make a guess? I am sure I can pull something out~"

Refusing to show my panic, I calmly answered. "As you can see... it's one of many evil spirits employed by Yuasa High hexer, apparently I am a target now."

She raised an eyebrow at me. "I see… so at last someone curse you, I was surprised it didn't happen sooner…" Her eyes shifted to the side, "So what kind of method is employed to curse the school?"

"Hitogata…" I answered her curtly.

"Hm… so the reverse of what Lin-san did in Morishita case…" She nodded to herself. "Well, you guys figure it out… but still." She pulled her pocket watch out and almost shoved it to my face, it took almost all my self-control to stay still in front of illogical yet legitimate fear I developed for her watch. She smiled and took a deep breathe, while I wisely covered my ears.

"WHAT TIME DO YOU THINK IS NOW?! 4 AM IN THE MORNING YOU IDIOT! YOU ALMOST SPEND THE WHOLE NIGHT STARING AT IT FOR NOTHING BUT YOUR IDLE CURIOSITY! IDIOT SCIENTIST, USE YOUR BRAIN SOMETIMES TO LEARN WHAT'S GOOD FOR YOURSELF AND NOT JUST FOR YOUR RESEARCH!"

For some reason, getting my ears half-deaf as Mai went on and on about single-minded curiosity she swore was a disease I had, I felt the same unexplainable warm in my chest region. Which quickly vanished, drowned in cold darkness of my heart when Mai bodily dragged me to my bedroom and tossed me to my bed like a rag doll.

The only reason I was not tempted to fire her as a student and assistant was she returned to my bedroom with a cup of black tea. She waited for me to finish it and sat on the edge of my bed until she made sure I was asleep. I couldn't complain, too tired to make one after a long day.

I didn't even care why Mai's hair was so long, that was just going to be another thing I mentally filed under 'Mai, just another mystery in need for further research.'

* * *

 **Yuasa High School (3rd POV)**

It was not every day when you open the door of the base the sight that greeted you was not Lin and his two new phantom comrades, or Naru the slave driver… not in Yuasa anyway. However on their fifth day what greeted Bou-san and John was a petite girl with hair so long it reached pass her knees, and because she was facing the sun that was not too high up the sky yet her silhouette was lighted up, giving her an ethereal air.

One moment Bou-san and John wondered if they saw this spirit yesterday, and how come they missed it.

Then Bou-san recalled the spirit here should be an upside down woman.

John then realized it was not a spirit but a human.

Then both of them realized this petite girl with ethereal feel was glaring at Naru and she was pouring Naru a cup of black beverage and scolding him. "I'm not going to give someone who is still tired because of lack of sleep some tea! I can't have you collapse in a haunted school Naru!"

"Mai…" Naru eyed the dark liquid in distaste.

"Just drink your coffee! When you're awake enough I will make you tea! And eat your breakfast, l made something light! You should be able to stomach it even though you're tired!" She huffed, crossing her arms over her bosom. She turned around and in time with the door sliding open again to reveal Masako and Ayako.

"Ah… Ohayou, everyone." She beamed her usual sunny and friendly smile at them before as quickly she turned her attention back to Naru who was eyeing the potted plant on the corner of the room. "Just drink the soup at least!"

Naru glared at her but it was not very effective with tired red eyes because he hardly get any sleep. "This is too early to start an argument with you."

"Then drink your soup! Na-ru-chan… do I look like I'm on the mood to start one either, after seven hours flight from Italy?!"

"Wait, it should take longer than that… most flight from Europe should go through Moscow or…" On the background Lin nursed his temple, feeling the headache that the lack of sleep made Naru revealing something he shouldn't keep in mind if he was not from Europe.

"Not when you take private plane~" Mai supplied smoothly, "Just eat your breakfast and drink your coffee, then I will look those pesky hitogata for you with my intuition." Then Mai paused, "Wait, did I ever said this before? It feels _eerily_ familiar."

Lin who was watching from the background felt some sort of ironic justice was served when his charge forced himself to eat breakfast and drink the caffeine liquid as ordered. Mai looked like she was trying hard to recall why the line was familiar and Naru quickly distracted her with asking for tea, he was very wide awake now.

It seemed because she was _really_ joking back then, Mai didn't really remember what she said. Lin flashed the other two phantom members a small sympathetic smile, they were sighing in relief. Sometimes Lin wondered why he, Tojo and Shima ever bother signing themselves up for guarding troublesome and powerful teenagers? Right, because _someone_ had to do it.

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

That was close, I was tired and I didn't think I could survive today if I had to deal with Mai in insufferable mood. She mothered me enough this morning, and I didn't need her to recall she had warned me about curse. Majority of my mind filed in that strong intuition of hers could make prediction by accident, while the other part urged me to cross my fingers so Mai never noticed this.

"Wow… look at you!" Matsuzaki-san was gushing on Mai's overly long hair that reached pass her knees. "Is this hair extension? It looks very nice on you… a bit too long but it gives you this air! It emphasize your petite build, your face looks smaller and accentuate your big doe eyes!" Then she eyed the fingerless gloves Mai wore in distaste, "Erm... that one is kinda off on your formal-casual fashion though."

Mai rolled her so called big doe eyes, "Is that so?"

"Hmph!" Hara-san looked annoyed, "That hair looks impractical, especially on a tomboy like you… Mai-san."

She nodded in agreement, "I think so too, most of my family members disagree…"

Matsuzaki-san scowled, "You just hate competition! Never mind her, Mai! You can look cute and kick ass in the same time anyway… unlike certain someone." She smiled smugly, "But still… the extension looks very real and natural on you."

"Because it _is_ my natural hair." She deadpanned, ignoring Matsuzaki-san's shocked face that mirrored by the rest of our co-workers. "I bur- I mean cut it over a year ago for image change, before I came to Japan. I have no idea they save it! Then again both my grandfather and father were very upset about it." She rolled her eyes, "However since few days ago was grandfather's birthday… I indulge him a little, getting this extra weight back on my head seems to be a very cheap price to make him happy on his special day."

"I see…" Matsuzaki said, but I was sure she didn't really _get_ Mai's bizarre circumstances with her hair.

Then Mai's eyes swept around the room. "I wish I have time to cut it, anyone here have scissor I can borrow?" She asked out loud. "Tojo-san, would you mind if…"

"MAI!" The miko scowled, "Girls can't just cut their hair like that! Beside it looks good on you!"

Bou-san nodded in agreement, "You looks very cute!"

"Hai!" John agreed too.

Why all of them acted like this the moment Mai was back? Just yesterday they were still in disarray, now everyone but Hara-san seemed to agree with each other.

"It's heavy… it's not like I'm going to make myself bald…" Mai deadpanned as the Miko glared at Tojo and dared the buzz cut haired guy to hand Mai a scissor. "I just want to cut it to manageable length, I am sure even if I do it myself I will not mess it up that badly."

Miko glared at Tojo who returned it with a raised eyebrow, "Keep that thing to yourself! Mai, sit down! I will tie it for you, at least it won't drag on when you walk."

"It's still heavy…" Mai complained, most likely just because she wanted too. All that hair couldn't be heavier than our equipment. "And I'm stand out like crazy with this hair! Please let me cut it!"

"Jou-chan!" Bou-san moaned.

"After this case!" Matsuzaki growled as she combed the overly long hair up, tying it to a high ponytail, folded the length in two so it was half of its original length. "There!" She used the red cord she had on her, the same one she used to tie her hair.

"Better but…"

This was getting nowhere, "Mai, tea."

Mai quickly stood up and skipped to the tea sets. She took one quick glance at me and decided. "Assam, an extra strong one?"

"Right, and then you can go look for the hitogata. You will come with me."

"Hai~"

For some reason I felt a strange feeling of satisfaction that I got Mai distracted from them. However Bou-san for no reason was shaking his head in exasperated gesture, Matsuzaki sighed and shared a discreet glance with John who smiled sheepishly in return while Hara-san bristled, and glaring at Mai for who knows why.

* * *

 **Track Team locker room**

I was not sure if it was alright to get used to feel defeated by Mai's intuition, then again between my own sixth sense and her intuition it was an unfair race in the first place. This place was one of many we knew had hitogata hidden somewhere, but we couldn't find it. Tojo and Shima had climbed up the ceiling and dug around this place but the cursed doll was nowhere to be find.

What did Mai do? She didn't even _look_ at all, she marched in straight line to one corner of the room, flipped a cracked part of the concrete floor and after a bit of digging she pulled out a hitogata targeting the Track Club. She turned around and tossed the hitogata to bewildered Lin, then asked where else we wanted her to look.

She found ten more in less than one hour, and she took that long for the travel time between places. She only needed to be in the same room or close enough to detect the hitogata.

The other coworkers of ours seemed to share the same sentiment, it felt pretty annoying how easy Mai made a treasure hunt like this.

In the end Mai didn't find my hitogata, or Yoshino-sensei… My theory was, because the hitogata was targeting specific person so… "As long as it's hidden here… the curse still got through…" I murmured to myself.

Mai frowned, "Hm… how did the hexer make it specific?"

"Like any other curse, either by using object belongs to intended victim as catalysis or in this case… our name." Which was a little odd, because my name was an alias, So perhaps it didn't have to be real name, but one the hexer see as the name to target specific target. That was interesting, I would ask Lin about it later.

Mai however didn't care of my discovery, she turned and blocked my path. "Name? Only a name?"

I nodded, "Yes… why?"

She paled, "We have to get Hara-san out of here!"

Why did… How could I miss this?! Hara-san was famous, her name was well known, an easy target. When Mai and I ran to warn Hara-san, it was already too late, she was pushed down by a phantom hand and fell from a flight of stairs. Her life was not in danger, she was unconscious because she hit her head pretty hard. John volunteered to accompany her to hospital and the rest of us continued our investigation.

Now none of us was safe, a mere name could be our downfall.

* * *

 **SPR's base (Mai's POV)**

Ayako-san groaned, "So… now our name is not safe…" That was an odd feeling for these people for sure, their name became a dangerous thing.

To me, a name carried the weight of my life in every single step I took. I felt oddly familiar in this case. This was bad… I couldn't help but tell myself. I knew it was going to be difficult for me to shift back to normal mindset, but current investigation… the enemy was human.

Badump!

I rubbed the spot above my heart, it was getting painful and made me restless. No good… my blood was screaming to me to eliminate the threat. Please… stay calm, use your head and don't give in to your intuition. This was an investigation not a battlefield!

"But still…" I inhaled sharply. "I am not surprised Hara-san is targeted, her name is well known so maybe that's why." I turned to Naru. "But I don't understand how you got targeted, Naru."

"Because he is our leader?" Bou-san offered.

I shook my head, "What I mean is not _why_ but **_how_** …"

"With enmi right?" Ayako-san said pointedly, "What are you getting at Mai?"

I crossed my arms, sighing. "I mean… Naru is not someone who will throw his name around." A wise thing to do in this profession. "Naru, did you tell anyone in this school? Aside from the headmaster, who is the main client?"

Naru's eyes widened at that, "No, of course not."

My eyes swept over the room and everyone looked as confused, "All of us here call Naru… Naru, except…" My eyes were locked on shadow of John, the priest went to accompany Hara-san. "Oh… most likely they overheard John perhaps?"

Naru sighed, "John is the only one who call me Shibuya after all…"

Ayako's eyes widened in shock, "Gah! Damn it… I had this kind of conversation with John just yesterday! We accidentally say your full name, I swear it's an accident!"

Naru sighed again, "Calm down Matsuzaki-san… the point is now, where did you have this conversation?"

"When we're in the middle of warding Track Club room… we're on the last touch when we did! There was no one there!" She informed us.

"No one you're aware of." Naru corrected her. "Because how this school operate nowadays, anyone could be a suspect… well, we can go on trouble to sort it to see which class has self-study session, and not under supervision, but… it didn't seem worth it."

I turned to Naru, "Then… class would be over soon? May I talk to Takahashi Yuuko and Kasai Chiaki then?"

"Why do you want to talk to Taka?" Bou-san asked me, "Why don't you go talk to Kasai, the sooner we can determine her status, the better!"

I crossed my arms, annoyance rolled off of me. "Because! From what you told me about this Kasai girl the possibility she is the one responsible is not getting bigger! In fact most likely… she is a scapegoat."

Ayako and Bou-san looked confused, then Ayako raised a question. "But… the people who got cursed all of them had wronged her one way or another!"

"Yeah! Even the cursed desk… apparently one of the girls sitting there ever got angry at her for the spoon bending!" Bou-san added. "In fact she is the one who start the fiasco and ended to that Kasai Panic.

These peoples…

Slam! "Excuse me! But do you guys really believe Kasai-senpai is guilty?!" A brunette girl with short hair coming in, she looked a little panicked for some reason.

"Taka? What's wrong?" Bou-san asked.

Taka as the girl was called by Bou-san, so this was Takahashi Yuuko they referred as the most cooperative student. "Hello there…"

She blinked owlishly at me, "Whoaa! I have never see you before here, my! Are you for real, you looks like you stepped out of fairytale book!" She gushed at me.

"Erm… thank you." Was that a compliment? "Takahashi Yuu-ko-san, ne? I am Mai… an assistant of SPR, nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you! Thank you for helping our investigation." I beamed at her.

She beamed back, her eyes were wide with excitement for some reason because of my name. "Just call me Taka! Everyone calls me that." She was excitable and cheerful, reminding me a lot of a certain ponytailed girl. My… we're so lucky someone like this was here. "So you're Mai-chan! Jou-chan, Norio told me about!"

"Norio?" Who was that?

"Erm, that's me!" Bou-san raised his hand, "You see… my real name is Hoshou so…"

"Mai… ignore that, your job." Naru reminded me testily.

I turned towards them, a smile bloomed on my lips. "Both of you be quiet…" My attention was back with Taka, I asked. "My, what did he say?"

"You're an ESP user… so if you talk to Kasai-senpai, you can tell whether she is guilty or not!" She beamed at me. "And about that! I think she is innocent… I mean… I dragged Kasai-san many times to our class to show off her ability. She was not stuck up about it at all and…"

I cupped my cheek, this was getting better and better. "I see… then let's talk." I stepped backward so I was in line with Bou-san and stepped hard on his foot.

"AWW!"

"Bou-san, next time… keep your mouth shut." He winced as nursing his throbbing foot. "Now then Taka-san…"

"Yep?"

I turned my attention towards the girl who was oblivious I was eyeing her like a predator would their prey, "Let's have a chat over there." I pointed at a secluded corner where Tojo-san had prepared a table and two chairs. Then I turned to the rest of dumbfounded coworkers of mine and annoyed boss. "You guys be quiet when we talk! If you made even a peep I will make you regret it~" I said in sing-song voice, barely aware I was acting like a mafia princess again.

Taka however was as oblivious as ever she was dragged to metaphorical surgery table, "Nani-nani?"

I took a seat and gestured to her to take another, "We're just going to talk, girls talk." I giggled softly and Taka innocently returned it to me. "So… are you a good friend of Kasai-san?"

"Not really! But you see… she is very nice, not in a sense she will say hi to anyone she met in corridor like me! I mean… my friends call me too nice and excitable, but it's me!"

I nodded sagely at her, gazing at her body language and willing my body to mimics hers. "Everyone have their own version of nice!" My calmer tone changed, matching hers gradually. "So, is Kasai-san is the shy type of nice? You know… those quiet girls you think is gloomy but actually very considerate and kind but shy?"

She nodded enthusiastically, "Yep! That's Kasai-senpai~ Not really shy but she is awkward with people… the reason spoon bending was so famous is because Kasai-san while reserved can't refuse anyone dragging her around to see her spoon bending."

"Eeh? So she didn't like the attention actually?" I leaned in.

Taka shrugged, "Who knows, but I'm sure she is secretly happy about it… now I think of it again." She pointed at herself, "I once dragged her to my class too… that's when the victim of cursed desk snapped at her." She huffed, "Sorry we're noisy but it's not Kasai-san who was at fault, and yet the one she insulted the most is Kasai-san."

"Hm… from what I see a lot of people seems to blame the wrong person!" I huffed in the same fashion Taka did just now. "Speaking of the wrong person, Yoshino-sensei from what I heard is a very mean teacher! Really… dragging a poor girl in front of the whole school like that!"

Taka nodded sagely, an exaggerated looking gesture of one at least. "That guy is always like that, stubborn and easily offended… he wants everyone to think like him! That's why the whole team of Track Club didn't believe Kasai-senpai's ability either."

"I bet he change his mind now…" I giggled at her, giving her one side glance conspiratorially.

"Of course he did~ Some of us thinks he get his just desert!"

"Did Kasai-san think so too?" I probed, sensing an opening.

Taka nodded, "She said 'serve him right' to me the last time I talked to her…"

I could sense my coworkers were getting very tempted to interrupt but I stopped them, throwing a murderous glare. "She is right though! Serve him right." I quoted, and like Taka I imitate the tone I presume Taka unconsciously used, matching Kasai-san's.

"But then it gets weird… I mean, Kasai-san didn't seem to be the type who punish people who didn't wrong her… you know only one girl is mean with you guys, the one who sit on that cursed seat."

Taka's nod became enthusiastic, "You're SO right! That's exactly why I think it's not Kasai-senpai who is responsible! I mean… she cried a lot in biology lab, she even cried on my shoulder yesterday… she said, she is scared why so many people related to her incident got hurt."

"What is she afraid of then? I mean… it's strange you get back at people and then feel scared…"

"You see…" Taka drawled on, "Kasai-san think what's happening lately is going overboard, she was upset because what half of our school did to her but… Kasai-san herself would rather nothing ever happened, she just want everything to go away… she didn't want her power anymore."

"Even though it's amazing?" In naïve people's perspective it was, but sometimes we'd better off without it.

Taka nodded, "Well… she is afraid maybe she unconsciously cause harm to them, and maybe that's also why her power is unstable lately."

"Unstable?" That was Naru, but fortunately he was wise enough to not say anymore.

I tilted my head to the side, showing slight vulnerability that I was not probing for a weakness. "Unstable as in… she can't use it?"

"Uhm… more like before she can do it ten out of ten, now… around three out of ten?" Taka said, her eyes looked up in recollection. "So you see… it makes Kasai-san wonders where is the other seven goes?" She cupped her cheek, "It make sense too you see, if the other seven goes to curse people~ But does psychic power works like that?"

I was sure Naru was very _tempted_ to jump in to our conversation now, especially with how tightly he was clutching his tea cup. "Hum… not supposedly, hm… do you think you can convince Kasai-san to talk to me?"

"Hm… maybe if Ubusuna-sensei is around." Taka murmured softly. "She is attacked by the whole school verbally, and just this morning Ubusuna-sensei rescued her from them."

"That would be no problem, she can take Ubusuna-sensei with her…" I glanced at Naru who looked very interested to those who know him. "Then… is there a place aside from Biology lab we can talk with her too?"

"Why not here?" Taka asked curiously.

I shook my head, "Uhm… from what I heard from you, she seems to be a very reserved and wary person… at this situation I don't want her to feel trapped if we bring her to our base. So… but Biology Lab seems… hm, not a very nice place to have a girls talk?" I said as if I couldn't come up with a better answer, "You know… with all the frogs and snake swimming in formalin watching us~"

"So true!" Taka grinned at me, "I feel so too, I'm almost afraid Kasai-san would get even more depressed because of the atmosphere of the lab!" She pointed at herself with her thumb. "Leave it to me Mai-chan! I will bring Kasai-san to my secret spot on the rooftop of old school building, it's a little dangerous but secretive… the view is nice and perfect for girls talk!"

I raised my hand for a high-five and she accepted it enthusiastically, "Then I will leave it to you, Taka-chan!"

"Hey, should I tell Kasai-senpai you're a psychic too? I mean… it would be better if she know you can relate to her!" Taka asked, her tone was pleading.

I nodded, "It's fine… but please tell her too, I won't accuse her of anything before I can talk to her properly… Kasai-san seems to be a pretty nice girl from what you said."

"She is!" Taka said, her tone was defensive. "Then I'm off! Class will start again soon, so I will bring her and Ubusuna-sensei with me after school! OH… we will take pretty long, you know… avoiding those meanies!"

She was pretty sharp, oblivious but not ignorant of other's feeling. "That's fine! Take your time, Taka-chan!"

"See you later then!" Taka waved her hands enthusiastically, her mood improved drastically compared to when she just entered SPR's base for who knows why.

BLAM!

As soon as Taka was out of the room silence fell back but quickly broken by Naru's clapping hands. I grinned at him, while I never fished for compliment from him, Naru's acknowledgement always made me happy. People who was hard to impress like Naru and Reborn were always honest with theirs and it never failed to make me happy.

"I kind of hoping for a bravo, Naru." I told him, chuckling at flabbergasted look I received from our coworkers. Lin and my subordinates had return to their monitor duty so I suppose nothing I did while impressed them too, wasn't going to distract them from their job.

Naru snorted, "I guess you earn it, bravo. Mai."

Bou-san and Ayako were still very confused. "Erm… what did Mai do just now? I mean… she was just talking to Taka about Kasai Chiaki but… if Kasai-girl said Yoshino-sensei deserve what's coming for him, isn't that mean she did it?"

"Idiot." Naru said.

"For once… Bou-san…" I sighed, putting my sad look for greater effect. "I agree with Naru, you're an idiot… the day you take emotional teenager's word as the truth I lost my respect to you." I sighed again and louder, "You of all people must have said 'I hate you' to your parents when you're in your rebellious phase… and yet…"

He blushed a deep red, most likely because it was spot on. He clutched his chest in dramatic fashion. "When Mai-chan agrees with Naru-bou about that… the pain is tenfold!"

Naru cleared his throat, "Let me explain so Bou-san and Matsuzaki-san can follow." Earning him a glare from both. "What Mai and I were getting at before Takahashi-san came is that… even though all clues seems to point at Kasai-san, don't you think it's too convenient?"

"I won't call it convenient…" I chimed in, "But well… you see Bou-san, Ayako-san, if Kasai-san is really the culprit… she is too obvious."

Ayako cupped her chin, "You mean… she didn't cover her track at all? But in the first place… it's a curse, unless spiritualist is the one who track it down. It can't be proven… she didn't need to cover her own track."

"Ignorant."

"Hey!"

"Naru, can the insult wait until we're done explaining?" I requested, seriously… how did Naru ever finish explaining if he kept insulting people. The only saving grace was, he never lied about it, and most of the time was more of a statement than an insult.

I sighed, "At any rate… it's not the matter whether she can't be traced with legal means, please remember she is a student… thus she fall under jurisdiction of school population… so what if she can't be punished by legal law? If people who had wronged her fall one after another because of unnatural reason, and added by her threat back then… even an idiot would know she was the most likely responsible."

I waited until what I said sank upon them. "Oh!"

"And it happened… the whole school punished her for it." Naru continued, "It gets to the point she can't even go to her class, and her only place in this school is biology lab with only Ubusuna-sensei and Takahashi-san as her allies. Thus… if she is the culprit she should've done something to help herself out of this but all she did is locking herself up…"

Bou-san raised his hand, did he think this was a classroom or something? "But sensei! You know girls, I mean… she has been wronged by almost everyone here so I don't think logic applies."

"Most of the time not." Naru agreed, "In fact it didn't eliminate her name from our list of suspect, she is still our number one suspect…. However, it didn't fit her personality."

Ayako crossed her arms, "And you believe just because Bou-san's fan said she is shy?"

I rubbed my temple, exasperated. "You two… do you think a girl who lock herself up in her last sanctuary would continuously performing enmi arts? Regardless of her personality, I will not be surprised if what you will refer as recklessness of youth made her curse some of the victims… like Yoshino-sensei. At least until he got to that accident I also think it serve that mean teacher right…"

"Erm… what's with you Jou-chan… you're merciless since you returned…"

I ignored him and the small sting in my heart. "Our problem with the idea of Kasai-san as the real culprit is… in her cornered condition she even go as far as cursing Hara-san and Naru too… it didn't make sense."

"Erm as in?" They urged us.

Naru sighed, "It didn't make sense because… at this point she is already on the edge of a cliff, she did nothing about it and warning us harshly with a curse will just give us a legitimate reason to pursue her and won't help her at all… she is wide open, she has nothing to hide anymore and yet…"

"And yet…" I continued, "She didn't run away even though she should… instead of fighting back."

?

?... "What do you mean she should run instead?" Bou-san asked curiously.

"Because she has nothing to lose anymore…" I told them flatly, "She punished those who has wronged her and took the risk to be public enemy number one, and yet when someone tried to investigate she attacked… even if we pull back now there is nothing going to change with her situation. At best… people will just leave her alone and go on their life in fear of her… or worse, they'll attack her personally… she'll live under constant fear…"

Bou-san raised his hand again, he really thought this was a class, didn't he? "Uhm… let's say she is the culprit, if it's her what she would have done that's in character? You don't believe she is the one because it didn't fit her…"

I inhaled deeply, "A girl who in spite of her special ability let someone like Taka-chan to drag her around for showing off… if she did, she would just curse a couple who are the most responsible like Yoshino-sensei… not the whole school." My eyes shifted to Naru, "Beside… a girl that now so occupied in panic of what happened around her, if what Taka said is true… do you think she would even plan to get rid of us too? She already freak out on what happened to people who wronged her, and she purposely added us who is just doing our job to her conscience?"

"There is a possibility that the curse is wearing down her mind, which…" Naru trailed off, "Explain her current state of mind however, it still didn't make sense."

"Right?" I nodded sagely in agreement. "Taka is so helpful, and from what I got from here it seems… Kasai-san is more afraid of herself than anyone else by now… Taka most likely is worried what Kasai would do to herself if this keeps up."

Ayako was the one raising her hand this time, never mind, this was a class… whatever! "Erm… Kasai aside, that Taka girl… what did you do Mai? I don't get why Naru is so impressed!"

I sighed at that, "I have to tell you?"

"Then I will explain." Naru interjected, annoying me in the same time. "What Mai practiced just now on Takahashi Yuuko is called 'Cold Reading' a set of technique used to gain information about someone without that person realizing that they are actually giving up the information themselves. This is achieved using a series of tricks and psychological manipulations to coax information out of the person interrogated…" I snorted at his apt description, and Naru went on adding, most likely noticing Ayako's and Bou-san's appalled look. "The difference however… Mai's skill is legit, she is not categorized yet but she definitely didn't get what she had by natural means…"

Bou-san looked at me inquiringly, "But cold reading is…"

"Is a very fine skill…" I answered him with no hesitation. "I learned it because it compliment my intuition well, but I didn't make random guess or dropping a large number of information and guessing from how people react… I DON'T NEED those because of my intuition, as all I can sensed from a person is emotion I learn this to coax those emotion to the surface, easier to read…"

Naru smirked, "Well… I guess now I understand why the label mind reader offend you so…" He trailed off, he seemed very pleased for figuring out another mystery. "Actually cold reading is not really the name to describe what Mai did…she is syncing herself with Takahashi-san." Predictably that got Naru a long stare of confusion. "Using her intuition Mai read Takahashi-san's body language and imitate her as close as possible… thus turning herself to a mirror image, so what Takahashi-san saw in mind is someone who is alike and comfortable to share information with… to the point she did what Mai wanted from her and think it's her own idea."

"I don't like how you describe my _skill_ , you makes me sounds evil." I protested.

Naru ignored me and continue to explain. "Human is social creature… and naturally they have inclination to group with people they feel sharing similarity with them. That's why… to someone who can see through people like Mai, it's possible to turn herself to be their mirror image, giving them an illusion they were talking to their own reflection… as if they're talking without reservation on their own mind."

"I wouldn't go that far actually." I snorted at him. "But yes, that's what I did…"

Bou-san and Ayako now were in awe but I was not flattered. "Wow… but where did you learn them? Your home tutor? What for?"

I sighed, "Yes… as what for, it's never easy to convince people even if you're in charge when you're not even on legal age." I smiled at them meaningfully. "Especially when your opponent is a bunch of self-centered and proud people who thinks they know better just because they live longer! Ha ha ha…" I laughed sarcastically.

"My sentiment exactly." Naru in a rare moment admitted that.

"Glad to hear that," I drawled on, cupping my chin in thoughtful pose. Lowering my voice as my eyes observed Naru closely. "I especially hates it when they pull 'you're too young' on me, as if age matter…"

"When talent speak for themselves." Naru finished. "By the way Mai, nice try…"

I snorted, "I know it won't work on you…" This technique never worked on twins, or at least people who constantly in close proximity with people that closely resembled them like Naru and me. "I'll give you that much credit at least."

Bou-san swallowed, "Uhm… that's a scary skill… but of course Jou-chan is not…"

I smiled at him, "It's alright… it's natural to feel scared of people who could pry deep to your mind… even though I am no mind reader."

Ayako frowned at me, "Is that what you think?"

"Hm? I think everyone here understand… people are usually afraid of the unknown and abnormal… that is… the fear that plagued this school. The teachers had done wrong to Kasai Chiaki-san… but that's because they're just human… with human fear… in spite of the evil spirit carrying the deed for the hexer in the end…" I closed my eyes, "Everything that happened in this school is just… because human being human…"

Right… even our sin, the blood and curse we inherited from generation to generation was all because we were human.

* * *

 **Afterschool (Naru's POV)**

Everyone understand indeed, considering our supernatural related background it was not strange for people in general to avoid us if they knew. I myself was no stranger to that, especially with a twin like Gene who constantly couldn't stop sympathizing with ghost around him. It didn't help I couldn't see ghost myself even though I constantly cause poltergeist.

Our childhood before Martin and Luella adopted us was chaotic.

I couldn't even imagine what Mai's was like… aside from brief mention of a constantly absent father, existence of a brother she loved dearly and never mentioned… I was curious of her ability but not her past, not when it involved her being forced to see those horrible visions by her family. She had a grandfather, had she not? From how lightly she talked about the grandfather, it didn't seem he was the culprit.

So far I got some glimpse of her family and her past.

-Her family was aware of her ability and hire a home tutor to develop it. What kind of home tutor, was up to debate but Mai seemed to be fond and exasperated when the home tutor was mentioned.

-She had a brother who most likely share the same ability, post cognition at least and something had happened to this brother of hers.

-Her family made use of her ability to run their business, and acted like it was the most normal thing in the world to use ESP to run a business.

-Judging from Mai's skill in using her intuition most likely they _knew_ how to develop it but they never researched it in depth. Like people knew how to teach other how to hold a gun but they had no idea how to craft one or the exact working mechanism.

-The rest of them didn't make sense and it would hurt me to think of it. Especially if _Mai_ suggested to feed someone to shark, and called a murder as poetic justice.

"Hm… They really take their time."

I glanced at Mai who was getting too comfortable with this, and in spite we were meeting with a suspect she acted as if she was waiting for a friend instead. "Since that seems to be the case…" I trailed off, "Would you mind if I ask who is Xanxus?"

Mai blinked at me, "Oh… do you want to know because I suggested someone to feed him to shark?" She snorted, "Hm… we're _kinda_ related, he is adopted… some sort of cousin I guess because I distantly related to his adopted father. Let's say his rebellious phase is more violent than most. He is very temperamental about his meal, and one time… there is an incident involving a shark, his fillet mignon and… his best friend slash assistant." She shrugged, "I seriously didn't know the detail… no one wanted to talk about it but knowing the guy, I am not surprised."

"…How is feeding this guy to a shark a poetic justice?"

"My intuition said so." Mai told me flippantly without a trace of guilt and I guessed this was her stock respond to things she didn't want to explain. She sounded like she had said it a lot and It was amazing this was the first time I got this –answer that wasn't an answer- from her.

Clack!

"Yo! Mai-chan! Shibuya-san!" Taka called them out as the door opened, then she turned around. "Yes, I'm sorry sensei… this is the last time I used this place! Come on… this is a perfect place to talk about secrets!"

A woman and a young girl appeared and we knew right away they were Ubusuna-sensei and the infamous psychic of Yuasa, Kasai Chiaki. The woman gave off different air than any teacher of this school I met so far, which perhaps why she was the odd one out. Kasai Chiaki looked hesitant and wary, it seemed she was half-dragged by Takahashi to come here.

So Mai's choice was right after all, if we wanted this girl out of her sanctuary but comfortable enough to talk was to get Ubusuna-sensei with her and got Takahashi to drag her here. It never failed to impress me, the way Mai used her ability. Unlike Hara-san who in this case was led by her sight and not the other way around.

"Hello… there." Mai waved her hand, "We're from Shibuya Psychic Research, and the one in charge of investigating phenomena in this school, nice to meet you."

Knowing how Mai worked by now I let her to start conversation. It was not Kasai who replied her, but the teacher. "Nice to meet you too, I heard…" She looked hesitant for a moment. "You're an ESP user?"

Mai didn't answer her, she beamed a smile and glanced at me, "And here is my boss, Shibuya… he is a researcher. We would like to request your cooperation for our investigation, so I hope you don't mind we borrow your student… "

Typical of Mai to mislead people so naturally, she didn't right the presumption but made it sound like she confirmed it. "We heard of your PK ability… bending spoon, among many rumors in this school." Judging from Mai's cough I had said something I should not.

Kasai's glare confirmed as much, I had offended this girl even though all I did was stating what I heard. "It's not a rumor, but what can I say if you don't believe it?" Her glare was challenging and just like that the conversation was verging to end abruptly before it started.

Mai laughed before I can refute Kasai's assumption. "Then we should change our name… as we can't research something we don't believe. Ne… Shibuya-sachou?"

In short I had to be the one, who fixed Kasai's skepticism I caused by my careless choice of word. "Of course…" Somehow her words sounded like a challenge and I couldn't resist for once to be the one who surprised her. "After all… I'm also able to bend a spoon."

"Eh? You can?" They looked shocked, and Mai raised an eyebrow at me. Oh, right… she already knew I had power, she sensed it. That raised eyebrow was most likely because she was not impressed I was going to use it to bend spoon too.

"Sure I can…" And she called me hard to impress. "All Psychic researcher believe in PK." I stated the obvious. Then I pulled a spoon I prepared beforehand, which actually meant for Kasai to show her ability and used it myself. Sending a small amount of power, I gave the spoon a slight push to make the power transfer easier but even though I wanted to only bend it, I broke it in two instead.

Looking at their shocked face, it seemed I managed to make them believe at least I would believe in Kasai's power. "Wow…" Takahashi-san breathed out.

Mai was not impressed at all, and using their bewildered state she gestured towards the chairs she made Tojo-san and Shima-san prepared for us to use. "Take a seat first… it's more comfortable to talk when we're sitting together." She was more interested in getting them comfortable than the spoon that broke like the other three.

I couldn't help but wonder if it took slamming another fifty kilograms of aluminum block to impress Mai. Why was I even want to impress her again? Such a strange whim even for me.

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

Gelerrini phenomenon, in which after watching a show of psychic power display, a number of children awakened their ability and able to bend the spoon themselves. Or so Naru analyzed on how Kasai developed her ability, and explained by Ubusuna-sensei. It was odd for a biology teacher to know Parapsychology to this extent. It was not just her idle curiosity.

Damn Naru… I asked him to apologize not proving a point and yet…

Focus Mai… you can throttle Naru later for recklessly bending spoon just to prove a point-no… you can't use violence! Damn it… he looked fine so for this time only… let him off for now. Focus on Kasai! Focus on Ubusuna-sensei was even more… hm? Strange my intuition felt wary of this woman more than Kasai, could it be? This woman was also tired, but different kind than the rest of this school, it was like… something was eating her?

"Then I start to be able to do it myself…" Kasai-san muttered as she reattached the spoon Naru broke back, it was not back to its pristine condition but enough to know this girl was a genuine psychic.

"Hm… "

"I heard you're having trouble with your power." Naru said and I just sighed, Kasai trusted him now, as an expert. "Can you bend the spoon now?" He asked, brandishing another spoon.

I couldn't help but wondered what Naru wanted to get, or if this how one psychic treated their fellow psychic? Challenged their skill at the first opportunity? Kasai readily accepted the challenge and grabbed the spoon, then when she was trying I could feel a flicker of energy that similar with Naru. Not really similar but same kind of energy but unlike Naru's that brewing in steady flow like a torrent of storm, this girl was like flickering flame.

Naru quickly stopped her when she hunched and tried to use a trick instead. "Don't do that." He admonished her, his tone was not accusing but calm and professional. "Using this kind of trick will make you lose your credibility, if you want to protect your credibility you shouldn't resort to this…"

"But I have bent spoon successfully before!" Kasai-san protested.

"Yes, however… you have to understand that all researcher know the psychic skill awakened by watching other, Gelerrini… is unstable and it's perfectly understandable to any psychic to not be able to force themselves. Especially PK… it's hard to control and carelessness would be fatal." Naru continued to explain, "And you shouldn't mind those who didn't believe your power, if they still don't believe after your demonstration you should just ignore them…"

Kasai quieted down at that, and I watched her expression and emotion that flowed out of her. This girl was frustrated of herself, and tired. She was especially tired mentally, not a good thing for a psychic. It seemed from her fluctuating ability, she was much better if not under stress.

"Mai… what can you tell?" Naru asked me.

I glanced at him, trying to read what he wanted me to say. "You're a psychic… and like he said, your power is unstable. Just now… it's flickering on and off."

"Flickering?" Kasai echoed.

"You're under a lot of stress lately…" I tried to explain to her gently, "Imagine you lit a candle on windy day… even if you have means to light it again, the fire wouldn't last long because of the wind. You're PK user to boot so… because PK is a mental power, your state of mind greatly affecting your power output."

Kasai looked down, "I… guess that's why, I hardly get any time to relax lately. I feel almost everyone but Taka and Kei-sensei are my enemy. So Kei-sensei taught me that trick… not to fool people!" She raised her hands in placating gesture. "It will get worse for us all if someone see me fail! They won't understand!"

So if it was psychic they were more easily affected, because our intuition would alert them that they shouldn't lie to us. Like how predator would avoid brightly colored prey because such color meant poison. Kasai-san didn't understand it herself, she must be quite sensitive to sense this. Nothing remarkable but… really, I was even scared of myself, the sky that see through all. When it was us who said we were scared of ourselves, we couldn't sound arrogant as it was a plain truth.

Naru didn't notice this most likely because of his power, I was not big enough threat in his instinct to make him scared of me. Perhaps it would take someone like my brother to make him scared...

"At this rate even Taka…" She looked to the younger girl, "You will get in trouble for siding with me."

"Oh come on! Chiaki-senpai! It's nothing… you didn't do anything wrong!" Taka huffed. "Beside... it didn't make sense to make such a drama over your ability. You're not hurting anyone."

I knew I would be the bad person doing this but I had to do it anyway. "That's not right."

"Mai-chan?!" Taka stuttered.

I took a deep breath, ignoring Naru's inquiring eyes. "I understand you feel upset to everyone who has wronged you just because you can bend spoon… logically Taka is right that you are not hurting anyone… however-" I took another deep breath, "People in general fear the unknown they can't explain, it's in human nature… you can't force people to believe in something like preternatural power if they don't want to. It does not matter how strong your PK is… why they make such a drama out of this? Simply because they don't want to accept something they fear is real… "

Kasai narrowed her eyes at me, "Are you telling me I should just back off?! Let them walk all over me? Let them call me a fraud?"

"I said no such thing… everyone want others to understand them." I locked my eyes with you, "Like you… "

She frowned at me, "I don't…"

"Unfortunately…" I interjected calmly. "To be understood, we have to understand people too… "

She bristled, "Well, I'm the one with power here… sorry if I can't understand the feeling of those who is scared of mine! I am so sorry for being inconsiderate of them who keep giving me and Kei-sensei a hard time!" Kasai was standing now and venting her frustration on me, which was very welcome.

"Chiaki-senpai! Calm down please…" Taka tried to placate her.

"Kasai…" Ubusuna-sensei tried to coax her gently.

I smiled at her, standing so we were eye to eye. "Well then… may I scare you a little?"

"Eh?" Was all she could let out when I reached out, reading her breathing, muscle movements, body tension, rhythm… and my intuition mentally instructed me the correct timing. I placed my hand lightly on her shoulder, and gave her a gentle tap.

Wham!

The result was immediate, Kasai slumped back to her chair as she lost her footing, and her whole body gave a slight jolt at the sudden stimulation. "What the…" Her chair was still rattling after the sudden impact.

"Mai!" Naru called my name.

I leaned down so once again I was on the same eye level as Kasai, she looked frightened, rightfully so. "Did I scare you just now?" She nodded numbly, a drop of sweat traveled from her temple to her chin. "I'm sorry for that…" I raised my hand in placating gesture, holding the hands that scared her up so she could see them until I retreated from her personal space.

"Mai…" Naru repeated, shooting me a warning look.

I smiled at him, "I know… I'm sorry, that's pretty reckless."

Ubusuna-sensei had unreadable expression on her face, "Is that? PK-LT?"

"LT?" Taka echoed, "The PK that affect living things?" She recalled Ubusuna's lecture.

The teacher nodded, "Yes… just now Sawada-san lightly touched Kasai's shoulder so I think… she sent her PK and it made Kasai lost her balance."

I just smiled at her and didn't correct her assumption. "Once again I am sorry for being a little rough, but that is how it is…" I raised my hands once again so they could see them. "Do you understand now? Kasai-san? If I go around demonstrating this… to unsuspecting people to make them believe in my ability, they will be scared and shun me for it. Regardless they believe me or not…"

She nodded again numbly, "I think… I get what you mean… I don't understand what you did just now even though Ubusuna-sensei called it PK-LT and has explained it to me before, but I… I'm still scared of it. I am… scared of you." I just smiled at her sadly, "I shouldn't… you're a psychic like me, so why? Why I am scared too?" She wondered to herself, palming her face.

"Because Kasai-san…" I answered her, not offended at all by her fear of me. "Because you're a human… with human fear and ignorance like any other human in this school…" She looked up and I could see realization started to dawn on her, and she started to realize the injustice she suffered all this time was not just unfair for her but for everyone else in this school.

* * *

 **On the way back to SPR's Base (Naru's POV)**

"Just now… it's not PK-LT." I stated once we're out of hearing range.

Mai didn't even look at me, eyes straight forward. "Why do you say that?"

"Because you didn't say yes to Ubusuna-sensei, you just smiled… leading her to believe it's a yes." I told her, "It's almost like a habit for you to mislead people…" I don't want to feel irritated or for it to crept to my voice but I couldn't help it.

Mai rolled her eyes, "Hm… would you rather I spill it's all my intuition at work? You know… reading muscle movements, body tension, and then give slight push at the correct place and time to induce momentary loss of balance?"

So what she meant by reading physical condition was not about mere health at all, her intuition touched both supernatural and natural by now.

"Is it necessary to scare Kasai?"

"If it makes her understand my point so be it."

"And you call me out for being condescending when explaining things to those idiots." I couldn't help but snort. "Hypocrite."

"I didn't scare people for showmanship…" Her eyes rolled at me, "And… unlike you I don't have anyone who would get angry over using my power recklessly."

I stopped on my track, "Are you…"

She huffed, "Who am I do you think? Hara-san?" Of course not, Mai wouldn't stop as low as blackmailing me. "I am just telling you that I… have perfectly justified reason to use my power and control."

"Keep telling yourself that." I bellowed, my temper rising.

"Well! I don't need a guardian to worry about that!" She shot back at me. "If you think I'm blind… I saw you when you used your power!" She turned around, bristling and all of a sudden it was her who was angry. "I can feel it… you're hesitating! You're just bending spoon but you're like… you're about to touch fire with your bare hand! Something bad will happen if you're careless, right?!"

So that was why she… how could I be so careless? I knew it was alright to use small amount of power to bend spoon but my body still knew it was something minor that with slightest mishap could land me in a hospital. Mai sensed that, so she was furious.

"I'm fine." I insisted.

"Naru…" She hissed at me, "You're smirking and so sure of yourself to be in the same room as an evil spirit, but bending a tiny spoon made you wary! You're not fine… you _can't_ be fine!"

My temper rose and I struggled to keep them at bay, "This coming from someone who spent almost half of our previous investigation hibernating?"

She scowled, "Well! I use my power when I have no other choice… an emergency! Not just to show off! Beside…" Her eyes looked up at me and my breathe hitched, warm pool of amber and I was imagining it again as her eyes quickly turned back to brown. "Judging from Lin-san's behavior, the repercussion is not as minor as exhaustion like mine…" She quieted down. "Hey… Naru, what will happen if you use your power in large quantity?"

Hyperventilation at best, heart failure, and then coma at worst. For sure not something I could tell her.

"You're listing down something bad in your head, do you?" She quirked an eyebrow at me. "Something unpleasant and severe…" She murmured to herself. " _Fine_ , keep it to yourself and I will keep it a secret from Lin-san for now." She said before she entered the room and acting as if we had not arguing or discussing the repercussion of my power.

I should have known why she asked, because even if I didn't answer my body language would at least tell her how _bad_ it would be for me. Mai didn't hear or see lie, she saw through to the truth.

* * *

 **Naaah~ Due to miscalculation there would be 5 parts of Yuasa Arc and the next would be the last~  
In case anyone is confused...  
Hyper Intuition in KHR canon have a very diverse ability, cue 'see through all' description that crazily vague.  
From what I see 'kinetic vision' is also one of it... and in wiki HI is blatantly called Extraordinary Perception for some reason not Extrasensory Perception (ESP) once again... can be interpreted as the same or not at all.. though in my head canon this mean it's NOT like they can hear or see better than ordinary human, they only have better 'understanding' and intuitive knowledge that keep advancing as generation goes. It's scary really... this means Vongola is continuiously refining their perception as time passed. **

**What make Vongola is feared is 'HOW' they used their intuition though... as Mai showed in thic chapter, in which she go to an extra length to get what she wants.**

 **BTW the mirror-image technique is a legit skill and exist in real life, I read it somewhere I am sure.**

 **As for the fake PK-LT:  
In Kokuyo arc, knocking someone out seems to be a skill that came naturally for Tsuna, so causing loss of balance and paralyzis is obviously not out of Vongola's ability to induce. So yeah... Mai and Tsuna could fake PK-LT if they want to. Hyper Intuition obviously give them instant expertise of human body, but Mai who excells in control go to extra length to understand what they sees. In short both of them could do the same thing but Tsuna wouldn't understand the mechanic of what he was doing, but Mai did. Because she is the one in control **

**Mai scolding Naru in the end:  
Yes... she FAKED not knowing what his PK cause to his body, this is to make a point... She wants him to know he IS scared of his power whether he wants to admit it or not. It's a human nature... like jumping to water from relatively safe height would still give you some jitters even though you know it won't kill you. **

**NEXT CHAPTER:  
** In which Naru is the one in receiving end of, Mai is also twins, only idiots trying to help Vongola from falling down, his upside down stalker is back, and forced to drink medicine which also taste like tea and Mai... in short Naru's torture time~


	13. Case 03, Part 05

**Case 03-Part 05**

 **SPR's BASE (Naru's POV)**

Mai seemed to develop a habit of dropping metaphorical bomb on us, or perhaps she always had it in her and we only saw it now. The moment she entered the base and found the rest of our coworkers happened to be in the room she announced.

 **"Kasai-san is not the culprit."**

"NANI?!"

I didn't even get where this come from, she only met the girl once and she already decided that? "Mai… did you hear what I told that girl? Careful with what you said…"

"I know what I said." She returned to me smoothly, "You told me that enmi arts wearing down the user's mentality… she shows none of that, she is stressed and frustrated but… she has a sound mind."

Matsuzaki crossed her arms. "Alright Mai… can you explain why do you think she is sane?"

She snorted, "I have seen more than one insane individuals… Kasai-san is not one of them, people who still can develop healthy fear for the unknown is definitely sane."

I sighed, "That's not a legitimate way to determine someone's sanity."

"Do you prefer me to say my intuition said so?" She joked, earning a laugh from our resident Monk.

"That's a good one Jou-chan…" Bou-san grinned, "But still… "

"Someone who rightfully terrified by _mere_ possibility she might unconsciously cursing people would never be able to do the deed themselves." Mai stated again, there was no hesitation whatsoever on her voice.

"Then her 'I will curse you to death' line to Yoshino-sensei?" Bou-san tried.

"Just another version of 'I hate you' teenager in rebellion phase told their parents." Mai returned smoothly. "I would know that anywhere… I perhaps have broken a record on that."

"…"

"…"

"You what?"

"I am implying I have said that line and its variation more often than any teenager… most likely I would make a record if I bother counting." She elaborated. "Wait, I did… I give up after I hit four digits."

Bou-san sweat-dropped, "Jou-chan… you're fifteen going sixteen… I think you're still on prime age as teenager and you said…"

"That's what happen when you work in the _same_ office as your father, and your grandfather… _and_ majority of your extended family." She deadpanned. "They put you in office in earliest opportunity but treat you as a kid as long as they can."

"…"

"…I guess I can relate to that." Matsuzaki, the doctor who worked in her parents' hospital, and Bou-san who was almost forced to be a monk in his family's temple agreed.

I couldn't relate… even though I worked for my parents too, it felt weird to be left out. Why I even bother to feel that way? This was ridiculous.

* * *

 **Few hour later…**

Mai went out again to search for hitogata, slipping out of our watchful eyes like a mist. Tojo and Shima were panicking because it was almost dark outside and she didn't pick up her phone, or to be exact she left _both_ on the base. I didn't even know she had two, one personal and one for work. I was about to let those two to go searching for her but stopped them when I realized these two were planning to go out, armed with a charm to ward evil as their protection. That was not very safe in my opinion so using Lin's absence I told them to stay in base while I went looking for her myself.

I found her relatively quick and of all things to do she was jumping over a wire mesh fence that was blocking the site for new student hall, flipping herself over and landed on her feet in a move that would make even Olympic athlete jealous.

It was illogical but I always found myself running towards her when she did this kind of stunt, once before… and now too. Mai seemed like she was going to disappear to the sky and even when she landed, back to earth, unlike other human she didn't seem like she was anchored to earth by gravity. Such illogical thought that was unbecoming of me and yet it persisted.

I ran towards her, Mai was looking down at something on the ground, a manhole. Then much to my shock she crouched down and began to climb down the unseen ladder down the manhole.

"MAI! What are you doing over there?!" I yelled at her.

Her head whipped to my direction in surprise, which surprised me even more because she _didn't_ notice my presence. That only happened when she was distracted by something, focusing on _something_.

"Why did you come here?" I read her lips mouthed that. "It's fine! Don't come here!"

It rang metaphorical alarm on my mind when she said that, and I quickly opened the door that located not too far from me. I knew something was wrong when she looked down at the manhole, and glaring at something… _something_ she shouldn't be able to see in a dark hole. And that something was pulling her down!

"Mai!"

I reached out, barely in time to grab a hold of her hand. She looked up to me, her face was too calm for someone who had a spirit holding her leg. "And I told you to stay away…" She grumbled to herself.

I glared at her, usually in this situation someone needed to be told to stay calm but not Mai. "As if! Just put your foot on the ladder and climb up!"

She sighed, as her other free hand grabbed on the ladder. "I will… but first, let go of your hand."

What? Let go of her hand? What kind of request was that when you were dangling on a dark hole and a spirit was pulling you down? "No! Are you insane?!"

"Alright! But as soon as I put my leg, let go!"

I snorted, "Alright." I had no intention to do so.

She obviously knew I was lying but she put her foot on the ladder then sound of metal cracking echoed. She was falling and Mai tried to let go of my hand but I grabbed it again, if you had to fall down… I'd rather falling with you than letting you go!

"Baka!" She cried at me.

* * *

 **SPR's base (3rd POV)**

"You let him go?" Lin asked in disbelief.

Tojo sighed at him and pointed out, "You know Sachou… that type of man, if we raise a point against him it will end up with mental damage on us and he _will_ still go in the end." They of all people knew better when facing impossible battle to win. "So we choose to wait for you _then_ we'll look for them together, less pain for all of us."

Lin closed his eyes at that, "Yes… he will do that, and I don't think I can blame you to choose losing the fight you can't win and protecting your mentality in the same time." Then he added, "Yes, that's a good idea."

They sighed, "To be honest… whoever entrusted him to you, Lin-san… I am surprised it's only you… I mean you're capable but you're one man, you can't be everywhere… and he seems to learn how to slip through your tight watch like a pro."

Shima was still looking sorry for him, "He is also your boss so he can control where you go… that's a huge handicap." Shima added in tired tone and Lin agreed the arrangement was so _unfair_ for his guardian duty.

"Not boasting or anything but Hime at _least_ feel sorry for us when she did…" They added.

Lin snorted, "The day he _feel_ sorry for giving me so much trouble, then hell would freeze over."

"Our sympathy to hear that…" They told him and it was so sincere Lin wondered what these two had been through for their previous superior. "Our advice to another man in charge of supervising difficult… individual, take everything in stride… **adapt** , Shibuya-sachou and… our previous superior are both like immovable wall, it's a spiky and hard wall, between us and that wall we _will_ lose…"

"A very wise advice indeed." Lin admitted, looking at their resigned face and he knew he had the same expression.

* * *

 **Down the Manhole**

 **Vongola trivia 11 by Reborn~  
** Only idiots would try to help a Vongola from falling down, of course it's not like even though they can fly  
they can't fall too, however they tend to drag people along with them. In ten generations, Vongola never died of falling frim high place.

"Did you tell anyone _where_ you're going?"

"I was looking for _you_ , no _specific_ location." Naru shot back at her.

Mai scowled, wincing as she flexed her right hand. "Baka… I told you to let go and yet…" Not to mention the fall and shock were disorienting her, she could feel her intuition was waning. It would take a while until she stabilized, and she was trapped here to boot. "Baka-baka-baka-baka-" She chanted, distracting herself from her discomfort. She felt like a cellphone without reception, nothing more than a fancy piece of technology.

Naru glared at her, "Who is the idiot here? _When_ a normal person would ask someone to _let go_ of them when a spirit drag them down a manhole?!"

"When that person is more than _capable_ to land on their feet _alone_ without someone holding them." Mai returned smoothly, blushing as she recalled how Naru tucked her in his arms. She was totally distracted by that! How embarrassing!

"Is that so?" Naru asked skeptically.

"I've never falling down like this since I was ten!" She hissed at Naru, her tone was indignant. "Your concern is appreciated but as I demonstrated before… I never had trouble with landing on my feet." That was a lie, once upon a time she and Tsuna had trouble on that all the time but Naru didn't have to know since when she had no trouble or if she ever had it.

She sounded offended for falling down? What kind of pride of that? "In darkness like this?" Naru challenged.

Mai hesitated at that, before coming up with another retort. "At least you would be up there!"

"I'd rather be here!"

"What?"

Naru turned his face away, wondering if he had hit his head somewhere to say such thing. Mai had the same idea as suddenly she was right in front of his face, concerned look on her face. She was so close and he felt the odd warmth on his chest region again. "Hm…" She was running her hand through his head, combing his hair, searching for injury. "You didn't seem to have a bump or anything on your head…"

He was starting to feel light headed, maybe he hit his head after all. He couldn't recall well after using his power to move the rocks below them. Somehow Mai didn't notice, then again as he held onto her tightly and almost suffocating her on their way down here, it was understandable she was more panicked to be unable to move when falling down. Perhaps it was pretty idiotic to take away her mobility when they were falling down, but what was done was done.

Suddenly she winced and Naru noticed she covered one of her eye, "What's wrong?"

"It feels weird." She mumbled before she looked around in panic. "Gah! No wonder it feels odd, my contact lens!" She cried, starting to run her hands in darkness on the ground. "It's gone!"

Naru leaned forward and he was about to ask when he felt something broke under his palm, and let out small cracking sound. Mai stared at him in disbelief and Naru had a full frontal view of her odd colored one eye, one was usual brown and the other was amber colored like twilight sky. It was quite dark down there but her right eye was glimmering in darkness, not like cat's eyes just a tad brighter than everything in this darkness.

"Your eye…"

Mai groaned, "You broke… my contact lens?!" She eyed whatever left of it under Naru's palm and sighed. "I left the spare in my bag to boot… gee, what a timing."

"Mai! Your eye!" Naru hissed, "What's with…"

She sighed, "You have to ask now? Idiot Scientist?" Mai plucked the other lens off of her eye so both had the same color, they were beautiful but also eerie. Then she sat down beside him so he no longer got a full view of both eyes but he could see her profile, it was not too dark yet so he could see dark brown lashes so contrast against warm colored orbs. "It's hereditary… I hide it because the odd color makes people stare… or people tend to avoid my eyes if they see its original color."

"I shouldn't ask?" Naru hesitated, "I…"

"It's not something I feel sore about." Mai assured him, "Don't worry I don't have any sob story surrounding my eyes." She rolled her eyes, something she did often but Naru was drawn to follow those amber colored orbs for a reason he couldn't comprehend. "It unnerved people but considering my ability, my eye color is a minor thing in comparison."

Naru was not convinced it was nothing to her, if it was, she wouldn't hide it. "But still…"

"I love my eyes the way they are." Mai said out of the blue, amused when she saw confused look Naru had. "Not in the way a narcissistic person like you… but because it's something I share with my brother."

Yep, this was another round of metaphorical bombing from Mai. Out of the blue she mentioned the brother she never talked about and Naru knew existed but never heard directly from her.

"You have a brother." He hoped his voice sounded like a question rather than a statement.

Mai nodded, "A very kind brother… and you remind me of him sometimes, a _little_."

Was this brother already… but he would never ask that from Mai, not when he didn't want that for himself.

"How am I remind you of him?" Naru asked, hoping it was a safe question.

"Hm… you do what you did because people need you. Your Ghost Hunter job… and just now his recklessness when trying to help people." Mai told him bluntly, "He is not an idiot most of the time but when helping people he seems to suffer serious IQ drop, well… unless he need his IQ to help people…"

Naru wondered if Mai thought her statement was flattering. "I think he sounds more like you… very alike."

"Maybe because we're twins."

Naru was suddenly very glad it was dark down here because he was not sure he still had full control of his facial muscle, and Mai was not looking at him. She… she had a brother and they were twins, like him and Gene. This sounded like a soap opera twist his mother loved to watch, not that he knew what was in it.

"Oh." He run his hand over his face and relieved to feel his jaw was not dropping and his stoic face was still on. "Fraternal twins, different gender… not identical, not a legit reason to be alike with each other. Even identical twins could be very different." Like him and Gene.

"Hm? Biologically we're fraternal… but somehow we're pretty identical in looks, our parents keep mixing us up until we're three years old." She snorted then giggled, "Even though when I looked at our baby photo I totally can see our hair were different at least so they should be able to tell us apart but they still mixed us up." Then she got depressed, "Then resort to unmentionable to tell us apart, ha ha ha..."

Naru very wisely ignore the last part. "Then they're idiots…"

"They are…" Mai agreed. "Then again… we're tweedledee-tweedledum back then, there is a phase when we were so alike… it's creepy to people around us. We hold hands all the time, same expression, talking in the same time and did everything together… unnerving people around us."

Creepy… she said it so lightly and yet, Naru could tell it was not to be taken lightly. He knew what people thought in general about twin, they could easily be the cutest and fascinating thing ever but also unnerving… he and Gene were unnerving, with their psychic ability and identical faces.

"You don't have to listen to them…" Naru said before he could stop himself.

Mai raised an eyebrow at him, "Hm? We did not… but in the end we wised up and be ourselves. I am me and Tsu is Tsu."

"Tsu?"

"His nickname… his full name is Tsunayoshi, because our family's mixed blood, we pick both Japanese and western way to address familiarity… so I called him Tsu-niichan or Tsuna-niichan, most of the time just Onii-chan though."

It was odd, Mai addressed most people formally so he thought it would be Onii-san for her instead of cutesy Onii-chan. Naru snorted at that, he started to calm down because Mai was talking about her family calmly. "That sounds like a girl's name."

"Don't insult someone's name… especially since a name is never our idea, beside…" Mai eyed him with a smirk, "You know and I know… Kazuya is your Japanese name, why don't you tell me your western name? For all I know it could be Jonathan and your nick is Yona…" Unknown to Naru what Mai had in mind was Ollie-

He frowned at that, "John is a more common nick for Jonathan and I don't have a girly nick…"

"Then, Naru… is the nick for your name ne?" Naru's eyes widened at that, "You emitted sense of familiarity, you're comfortable… when I called you Naru…" She waved her hand, quirking an eyebrow at him. "I thought you already know when you quizzed me on your name to know whether or not I can sense half-truth."

Naru sighed, "It's…"

"Forget I ever ask..." Mai stopped him, "And glad to know Kazuya _is_ your name at least… it's unhealthy to give yourself an unfamiliar name, some people loss their sense of self gradually over such a seemingly minor thing."

That was why she addressed him with the name she sensed he was the most comfortable with? Not because she took it as fitting name for a self-centered man? Naru unconsciously rubbed his chest, it felt warm again.

Clack

Sound of her pocket watch opening snapped him out of his thought, and he fought his illogical urge to jerk away from it. He was fine when Mai carried it around closed, but not when opened. To be fair it was a very logical aversion, anyone would avoid something that almost _killed_ them.

"Is that watch… a gift?" Naru asked in calmest voice he could muster.

Mai's eyes narrowed a little, a sad smile on her lips. "From my brother… yes, it is… my precious treasure." The watch had light installed inside, only bright enough to show the face in darkness.

This brother of hers… Tsunayoshi, most likely he had passed away. Like Gene…

Naru's eyes widened in shock when he noticed Mai's eyes started to look glassy, she was going to cry. "Mai."

"Hm?" She didn't seem to notice she was tearing up, most likely she was caught by a sad memory.

"Would you like to meet my pet?" Naru asked and he saw the curious expression she made whenever something caught her interest. "Come on out here," Naru said as he lifted his hand and, with a twist of his fingers, a five hundred yen coin popped out of his hand.

"Your pet hm…" Mai raised her eyebrow skeptically, "You should get a better one, and maybe a cat… a Russian blue that would perch on your shoulder like it owns you and not the other way around."

Naru snorted at her words, at the time like this she easily found way to retort something witty. He sent small amount of his PK to the coin, it shook a little and disappeared then went back into his palm with another move of his fingers. "You see, he hid because you made fun of him," Naru said in accusing tone.

She huffed, "Nice try, you just hide it in your hands!"

"Really?" He moved his hands up and opened them.

"Eh?" For once she sounded surprised.

He was elated to hear that, Mai was very hard to be surprised because of her intuition. For some reason her intuition was as if absent. She kept surprising him but rarely the other way around, not to mention he usually surprised her for things he couldn't be proud of like… holding a staring contest with evil spirit.

Naru reached around his left shoulder, then reached behind his right elbow. "Ah, there he is." He said pulling the coin and showed it to Mai.

"Now I am really curious… can I see that coin?"

She was really curious and looked excited, her amber colored eyes seemed to glow and it fascinated him. Her eyes seemed so expressive, even more than the rest of her.

"Catch," Naru flicked his pet to the air, his eyes followed hers that followed his pet. She looked so defenseless and open.

She tried to catch it but he discreetly pulled it back with his PK, she frowned. "Hey! You didn't even throw it!"

"I guess your yelling scared him so much he had to hide again," Naru decided to play innocent, showing that his empty hands like a magician would to prove it was magic.

"Naru, I did not…" She caught herself and lowered her voice.

Naru smirked and moved his hand up to the collar of his jacket. "Ah," he said, pulling the coin back out again, "So that's where he was."

Mai clapped her hands. "Alright… I admit that's a nice magic trick."

"So you believe it's magic?" Naru asked. "A trick?"

She snorted, "Yeah, it is, right?" Her excitement abated and Naru felt illogically deflated by her winding down excitement.

He prepared his next trick, using his PK to throw his voice to the coin. "No it's not," The coin denied.

"Wow, it talk?" Naru smirked when she eyed his lips and the coin back and forth, her curiosity bounced back in full force.

"You're not afraid of Mai, are you?" Naru asked the coin.

"Mm-hmm,"

Mai scowled, "What did you make it say…"

"You don't have to be afraid of her. I promise she's not nearly as scary as she comes across," Naru comforted his pet.

"Ha ha… scary am I? So what else you can do?" Mai asked curiously.

Naru wished he could do more, this was too fascinating to pass up. "I'm afraid that's it for now."

She looked disappointed for one moment and Naru watched her expression quickly change, she looked up. It reminded him of expression people wear after a black out the light flickered on, relief after they were out of darkness.

"Ah… my intuition is coming back." Mai said in dazed voice and relief. She closed her eyes, "Hm… it's been a while since it's off."

Naru blinked at that and for a moment he forgot about the pain. "Off? Back? Your intuition?"

Mai nodded, her eyes were still closed shut. "Yes… the fall just now is quite a shock, it disoriented my senses a little… but it's fine, if my intuition is active I would see through your pet and it won't be fun at all~ it's a slow going but I will be fine, give me a sec." She murmured something in Italian to herself.

So her intuition was really absent just now?! No wonder she didn't even notice he was using his PK. Then she opened her eyes slowly, and Naru's breath hitched at the sight of glimmering eyes resembling simmering flame of a hearth.

"Mai… your eyes…" He breathed out.

She tilted her head to the side, her eyes were not fully open still. "Oh… since I wore contact lens all the time, I forgot they do that sometimes… when I am using my ability, another practical reason to hide them."

"Can I see them?" Naru asked before he could stop himself.

Her eyes were still glimmering in the darkness, they narrowed at him. "Naru! This is not the time for you to get curious! Not when I am still feeling…" She closed her eyes tightly.

"Hey." Naru protested, "I show you my pet, you said you don't mind your eyes and now…"

"Before you get too curious!" Mai harrumphed, "Beside it's nothing fascinating! I am not a cat with shining eyes in the dark!"

"Mai…" He didn't know why but he didn't like to see them closed and before he knew it he was getting too close to her. "Open your eyes."

"In your dream!" She challenged.

A challenge… if only she asked him to back off he would, but she challenged him instead. Naru knew one of Mai's talent was provoking him, aside from making him curious. So illogically he made his move, he was just going to poke her a little to make her open her eyes but he didn't calculate the loss of balance and he toppled both of them over.

So he ended up hovering over Mai who was laying below him, and since she was shocked her eyes were wide open for him to look at as he please. Never mind how compromising the position was, Naru didn't compute that.

For a long while none of them said anything, Mai was blushing a brilliant red under him. From embarrassment and anger, most likely. "You insufferable…" Mai growled, her eyes were glaring at him. A lecture was ready to be thrown. "You know… one of these days your curiosity is going to end badly for you! And beside…"

BADUMP

"Naru!" Mai hissed, "It's coming!"

Their compromising position and argument was quickly forgotten as they separated and looked around for sign of spirit. The not-so-familiar female spirit poked her head out of the sewer's ceiling, her long hair swayed a little.

Naru narrowed his eyes, stepping forward. "Don't move Mai…"

Mai scoffed, "If you forget, that thing should be scared of me but…" She paused, "The one dragging me also wasn't scared of me, my… what a new experience. I wonder where they get the nerve since last night?"

Naru didn't take his eyes off of the spirit, "Mai… if they're not scared of you I think you should worry at least a little."

"Maybe I should." Mai smiled at him, "But I don't…"

It pulled a scythe out of her mouth, uncaring of its bleeding lips as the blade passed over her non corporeal flesh. Then it came down, exposing her full form for the first time. She slowly crept towards them with her scythe.

Naru considered to use his PK but then suddenly warm fingers closed over his eyes, startling him. "Shh… you have enough staring contest with her, I think."

"Mai!" Naru hissed, "This is not funny! There is an evil spirit in front of us and you-" He was cut off by the feeling of her other arm slung over his shoulder and her front pressed against his back. His brain halted its thinking process abruptly.

She chuckled softly, "It's fine… relax." There was power in her voice and Naru felt his body slumped in relief he couldn't comprehend. "You…" Mai was addressing the spirit. "You're a pest, and since we didn't find Naru's hitogata yet… I guess I should get rid of you, no hard feelings. I can't let you bother him… after all…"

"Shaah!"

It was the spirit, and the hissing that sounded like a cat's was getting farther. It seemed it was still scared of Mai after all, of Mai or her threat Naru couldn't tell.

 _"_ _ **Cielo di Farfalla…"**_

He couldn't see anything but he could feel their surrounding was getting warm and for one brief moment it was so hot, it was as if there was a fireplace right in front of his face. The spirit shrieked in agony, before the shriek died down very quickly. He felt Mai started to relax, her breathing slowed down. Then slowly he could feel her warmth left and his eyes were uncovered.

He blinked and saw nothing left of the spirit, well… it was a spirit. The air was still very warm, like spring. "Just now… what did you do?"

"Uhm… saving both of us?"

Suddenly a light shone upon them, artificial white light of a flashlight. "Naru, are you there?! Sawada-san?!"

"Hime! Shibuya-sachou! Are you alright?!"

They had been found.

Naru didn't know he should feel relieved or annoyed, "We're fine!" He shouted back, "We need a rope, or a ladder and a flashlight!"

"And a box or any container!" Mai added.

Naru stared at her oddly, "For what?"

She crossed her arms petulantly at him, "Do you think I accepted that spirit's invitation to come down here for nothing?" She asked him then after Lin lowered down a flashlight with rope she pointed it at a pile of hitogata laying on that sewer they occupied for a while.

"You…"

"Well, thank you for your cooperation in this treasure hunt~" Mai grinned at Naru and pulled one with his name on it. "And look, it's yours!"

Unbelievable…

* * *

 **SPR's base (Mai's POV)**

"So many of them." Bou-san murmured. "We got yours, Naru-bou, Masako and Yoshino-sensei here."

"We should burn it and throw the ashes to the river… then the enmi would be dispelled." Naru said, taking a better look at one of the hitogata. He was frowning at it because the one with his name had a small burn on its body, I wasn't going to enlighten him why was that.

Bou-san crossed his arms, "But still… our name is not in there, well- we didn't get around announcing our name."

Ayako snorted, "Count ourselves lucky… and Mai." She turned towards me, "Knowing how athletic you are, I can't believe you fell on a hole." Ayako said as she checked my wrist to make sure it was only small bruise.

I shot Naru an annoyed look, before turning my attention to Ayako, "Well… I can fall like any other human." Thankfully I manage to convince Tojo to fetch my contact lens first so I can put it on before Ayako-san fussed over me.

Tojo who was standing beside me asked, something I had a feeling he shouldn't. "Hm… hime, why didn't you get out by yourself? There are still leftover of ladders and... I believe, it's not too high for you."

Silence…

I felt a glare on my back, it was Naru's undoubtedly. He overheard us even though he should still be busy checking the pile of hitogata, we found Yoshino-sensei's and mine too in there. It seemed prioritized targets were all hidden in that sewer.

"Naru… stop glaring at me like that." I hissed at him, not even looking at him.

Bou-san clapped, "Jou-chan… it's like you have eyes on your back."

"Mai… you could go to find help then? Why didn't you?" He asked, frowning at me.

I sighed, "First of all, it's getting dark… athletic or not it's pretty risky, second... you seems unwell to be left alone and that spirit is still hanging around…" I listed on, hoping he would accept my reasoning and not listening to his pride for once. Beside… at my disoriented state, jumping over three meters was not a wise thing to do. Leaving Naru alone with that spirit was also not an option.

"So you were staying to protect Naru-bou then?" Bou-san grinned at me.

"Bou-san… watch your mouth." I warned him but it was too late Naru was already glaring harder at me.

"Erm…" Bou-san looked back and forth between me and Naru, "I didn't mean…"

Naru ignored him, "I don't need you to protect me, Mai."

"It's not the matter you need it or not, I choose to do so." I shot back. "And don't you dare to throw 'I'm a guy' card at me."

"That's not the problem here…" He hissed.

I whirled around ignoring the other's plea to not start an argument, I had enough of his foolish pride! "You make it sounds it is the problem here!" I shouted at him, leaning against his desk and glared at him. Then I stopped on my track, my eyes widened at him.

He was sweating profusely and his breathing was not even. "It's not that… I…"

"Naru!" I jumped over the desk so I could steady him. "Naru! Hang on…" I whirled around and shouted, "His meds! Give me the dark blue case from my bag!" I didn't care who, as long as they brought it to me for Naru.

Tojo, Shima and Lin-san rushed to my bag, and I didn't care they messed it up in search of the meds. Lin-san found the case in lightning speed and almost ran to Bou-san who almost tripped to avoid Naru's guardian. I grabbed the case from his hand and took three tablets.

"Naru, open your mouth!" He was barely conscious but he gingerly opened his mouth, small gap but enough so I could put the tablets pass his paling lips. Then I grabbed his cup of tea, the nearest liquid in reach and tried to push it pass his lips to help him swallow the tablets. "Naru! Try to drink! You will be fine if you swallow your meds!"

He made some incoherent noise, and his consciousness was slipping away so there was no way he could swallow the life-saving meds on his mouth. Coming to a decision, I poured the tea to my mouth and feed it to him mouth to mouth. His eyes snapped open and he struggled a little, as much as someone on the verge of heart failure could do. Then I sensed him relaxing and I could hear him swallowing the meds.

"Hah…" I panted, stepping away from him.

His eyes fluttered open and close repeatedly, but his breathing was slowly evened out. His skin was gradually gaining color again, the meds was working very quickly. Our medicine always worked in faster rate than others because of Shamal's research, it made the meds unsafe for public use but for people like me and Naru, it was what we needed.

"How is he, Sawada-san?" Lin-san asked worriedly.

"He is sleeping now, it's the side effect… just to be safe we should bring him to hospital." I informed Lin-san as he moved to steady Naru and moved him to a futon Tojo prepared. They were always prepared for things like this.

Lin-san checked Naru himself, he heaved a sigh of relief as he confirmed himself that Naru was just sleeping. I was not offended he checked Naru, because more than anyone this person would want to know himself that the person he guarded was safe. "Thank you… Sawada-san."

"You're welcome…" I returned.

* * *

 **General Hospital**

The doctor who was in charge of Naru had informed us that he was resting now, his vital signs were stable and he just need plenty of rest. He was pretty confused why we brought an exhausted teenager to hospital though, as examination showed Naru only suffered from mild exhaustion and slight breathing difficulty, very minor problems.

Lin-san slumped on the hospital chair as soon as he heard the doctor's diagnose, according to Lin-san just now by all rights he should have gotten a heart attack at least. However the meds managed to prevent the worse, his life was not in danger.

"So…" Lin-san straightened himself, "What is the side effect?"

I smiled at him, "Hm… in my case I slept a lot, but the side effect only happen when we consume more than one tablet because of overuse… it seems it would be the case for Naru." I said as I pulled my phone out, thankfully we are in area where phone was allowed to be used. "I will make a call to the doctor who made it… he will be in Japan by tomorrow."

Lin-san blinked owlishly, "Uhm… that would be wonderful but… would it be alright to fly someone as important as this doctor to Japan? Won't it get you in trouble?"

I shook my head, "Ah… it's fine, he is not the only doctors we have… he is one of the best but because of some circumstances…" Mainly his womanizer behavior he was not too useful for general population of my family, he only listened to a small number of people in my family including me so he had lots of time to be dragged around as I pleased.

"Circumstances?" Lin echoed in confusion.

I laughed softly, "It's alright… no matter what his circumstances is, I am still the one who sign his paycheck ha ha ha…" Lin-san obviously was mentally filing this under things he shouldn't be concerned about in regards to me, he was learning very fast from Tojo-san and Shima-san. I was happy for him, he was friends with them. "Beside… I already told him at the first opportunity Naru needs his meds like now, he would be flown to Japan to give Naru an examination…"

"You're well prepared." Lin complimented, "Knowing Naru…"

"He will ask what we fed him." I continued. "And where the meds come from..."

"Then he will get upset we went behind his back." Lin-san added exasperatedly.

"To be honest…" I trailed off, "Considering our current case, I hope he would be more agreeable… and understanding."

Lin snorted, "Well… this is the first time Naru is on the receiving end of someone else's pride, and got our investigation stalled by their pride."

"Can we hope?" I asked Lin-san.

"…I am not sure, he has his moments… but undoubtedly he will be in a very foul moon when he wake up."

I sighed at that, imagining how it would go by tomorrow with Shamal. "Maybe… I should have gotten a different doctor…"

"Is there a problem with this doctor?" Lin asked hesitantly.

"Skill wise NO… he could be called one of the best in the world and no one would dare to refute that." I assured him, "Personality wise? Yes… professionalism, even a bigger problem…" I had no intention to hide it considering the person himself would be here by tomorrow. Lin-san at least should be prepared. "There is a reason why he is not working anywhere else but to us, his antics is one of it…"

Lin looked rightfully worried, "Sawada-san… someone like that is going to be in the same room as Naru, when he is in bad mood?"

"I know… hell would break loose when Naru found out he drank medicine someone like _that_ concocted, never mind… he could be number one doctor in the world… but if I have a choice…" My eyes shifted to the side, "I don't want to put anything from that man's hands to my mouth either…" I came to a decision. "It can't be helped... let's discreetly ask the doctor to let Naru to stay longer in hospital." I suggested to Lin-san. "He should be able to leave by tomorrow but he didn't have to know that..."

"Agreed." Lin-san concurred. "Naru has just collapsed and going straight back to Yuasa is just going to jeopardize his health."

"To placate him we can give him information files for him to mull over I guess..." I murmured to myself. "Well, actually by now both of us already know who the hexer of Yuasa is."

Lin-san's eyes widened in surprise, "You know?"

I nodded, sighing. "This is going to be tough for that girl... but still I can't believe the bait was bitten so easily." I looked up to Lin-san. "As instructed by Naru... tomorrow, Ayako-san and Bou-san will burn the hitogata and throw the ashes to river... we will stay here just in case..."

"The hexer will try again?" Lin-san guessed.

I nodded, "The hexer shouldn't find out where Naru was hospitalized so quickly though but... we can't be too careful. Excuse me Lin-san." I picked up my phone and began to dial. "Hello... Hayato, pick Shamal from airport for me... the plan change, I know it's unpleasant for you but keep him company for two days and reign him in a little." I felt sorry for Hayato, I had him to babysit that guy. Then I made another call. "Tojo... tell Ayako-san and Bou-san to proceed with getting rid of the hitogata, and also... get us some evidence."

"!..."

"Ask for Taka's help to get some then." I suggested to them. "Tell us the result as soon as possible."

Click...

Tomorrow...

* * *

 **Next Day (Friday)**

Naru as expected was in a bad mood, and so was I. He didn't appreciate cooped up in a hospital room, and I didn't appreciate sitting here with him glaring at me. He was not happy I cut the apples to bunny shape, and I wasn't because he couldn't appreciate my artwork. In short, we were both in bad mood. However I couldn't afford to leave this place, not for Naru's safety either because Lin-san was just outside but for the safety of Yuasa's Hexer. If I was let loose from Naru's side I would be tempted to go back to Yuasa and gave the hexer a piece of my mind.

I would break that person... I didn't even need my flame, mere well placed words and my intuition would do the trick. That was why... I should stay here, so I could keep myself grounded.

"The hospital food is horrible." He complained, like a brat and snapping me out of my dark musing.

I snorted, "Deal with it..." I was nice enough to not point out that he landed himself in here so the least he could do after causing us so much worry was dealing with horrible food.

"So..."

"So?"

"We both know who the hexer is already..." Naru concluded as he closed his file with a snap, though he most likely still wondering how I got there and secretly hoped I won't say 'my intuition said so' to him. "Can you get Taka to bring Kasai here?"

I snorted, "No problem... but the culprit will follow them." I informed him.

Naru blinked at that then sighed, "How bad it is... the hexer..."

I shook my head, one more thing he shared with my brother. He must had hated the hexer for putting him in this condition and yet, he was concerned of the culprit. He cared... he didn't show it often but he cared...

"Hm... if in daily interaction the hexer still can pass as a sound individual, but when you look closer... that person is already on the verge of losing it completely." I answered Naru honestly. "The curse is already eating her from inside mentally..." I could see her life force dwindling and from the way she walked the last time I saw her...

He sighed, "Well... a curse is never without a cost, binding an evil spirit to do your biding will never end well..."

"That is why..."

BADUMP!

I quieted down and looked at the door, "They're here..." He tensed a little, "Bou-san and Ayako-san..." I corrected his assumption and he frowned at me, I just shrugged.

The door opened, Ayako-san and Bou-san came in. "Yo! Jou-chan! Naru-chan!"

They stood on the side, parallel to Naru's bed and for some reason they had expectant look on their face for... something? They also looked like they were trying to hold themselves back, and also in a dilemma... what was going on with them to have such a mixed emotion so early in the morning like this?

* * *

 **3rd Person POV**

It was a very great temptation to tease them after what happened last night, no matter how inappropriate it was in hospital and circumstances of last night. Bou-san and Ayako was swept away by whirlwind of medical emergency fiasco from last night, left behind and could only watch from the sidelines as Lin, his new two phantom companions and Mai scrambled to help Naru who collapsed out of nowhere. The spectacle ended with a bang or a chuu~ in their head, as Mai locked her lips with Naru's to help him to drink his medicine.

However no matter how many times Naru called them idiots and ignorant, they weren't. It didn't take long for them to comprehend situation between Mai and Naru. Mai obviously saw her heroic kiss as something akin to CPR and nothing to fuss about. Considering her foreign background, perhaps she was less reserved about such things unlike most Japanese. Naru in the other hand... most likely was too disoriented to remember how he drank his medicine, or how he almost tried to keep Mai from stopping to kiss him. It was very brief but they had watched the scene shamelessly so they were sure he was clutching her sleeve before he lost consciousness.

Well, at least his hormone was undoubtedly working properly.

"Erm... why are you guys looks like you're in a dilemma?" Mai queried.

It didn't take long for them to learn Mai's intuition was not as almighty as they presumed, she could be very distracted when focusing on something then she would just skim when reading people, the surface and didn't pry deeper than usual like now. She was more concerned of Naru's condition and the hexer who was after Naru. They were adult so they had to act mature and let go of this chance for now... for now... later though...

Bou-san beamed at the two teenagers, "Nothing! Everything is fine and dandy Jou-chan, Naru-chan!"

"No, it's not." Mai told him, "You're planning something..."

Maybe she was not _that_ distracted after all.

They were saved from Mai's prying when the door was knocked and Naru let the new visitors in. It was Taka, Kasai and then followed by a sheepish Ubusuna-sensei who for some reason brought in a huge flower bouquet with her. Definitely too big for someone she barely knew, unless this was another victim of Naru-chan's sinful handsomeness. What was strange it seemed Ubusuna-sensei was not invited but she followed them anyway, like a good guardian? Mai stood up and gave up her seat then walked to stand on the other side of the bed, but suddenly she decided to sit on Naru's bed instead.

Her behavior was odd... in Bou-san's and Ayako's opinion, it was like... she was wary of something and tried to be as close as possible with Naru to protect him.

"Take a seat." Naru ordered the trio from Yuasa, and before they knew it three stools had been placed against the wall parallel to Naru's bed. "I have a couple of questions," Naru stated as he opened his notebook. "First one is for three of you... do you tell anyone Mai's full name?"

Taka blinked owlishly at that, "Tell what to who?" Obviously she did not.

"No I didn't," Kasai said. "No? We keep it to ourselves, I am sure."

"Then where were you on Wednesday morning, Kasai..." Naru pressed.

"Why should I answer that?! With Taka! She was trying to cheer me up, we're listening CDs of monk from your team!" Kasai seemed frustrated. "Why are you asking me stupid questions? Just say I'm guilty! Just say I like to curse people!"

Mai sighed, "Kasai-san... calm down, and we told you we're not going to accuse anyone carelessly..."

"I'm not stupid, why else would you have asked me to come here?" Kasai demanded hotly, "I thought you guys are going to investigate properly, but in the end..."

"I need all of you to answer the question," Naru ignored her outburst, "How about you Ubusuna-sensei?

"Ah... I am not sure, in my lab preparing materials for experiment..." She answered vaguely. "I am alone though."

Naru gave her a hard stare. "I have just one more question to ask. Where are you from, Ms. Ubusuna?"

"I'm from Fukushima," she answered. "But why do you ask?"

They looked confused because while their memory was not as strong as Naru they were sure Tojo had informed Naru about that.

"Fukushima…" Naru murmured to himself as he set his closed notebook on his lap. "Thank you very much. The case is solved. I believe I have a complete picture of the events at Yuasa and the person who's behind them."

"You know who did it?" Kasai asked incredulously.

"You figured it out from those questions?" Bou-san asked incredulously.

"It's really not that hard if you consider the facts of the case. We're dealing with zuhzou that uses enmi or hitogata, and if the hitogata are found and disposed of properly, the curse should be broken," Naru stated calmly.

"Okay, so who is it?" Bou-san demanded immediately.

Kasai glared at Naru, hissing. "You're trying to say it's me, that I did it, aren't you?" She sounded frustrated with a tint of hysterical.

Mai gave her a look and Kasai backed down in instance, "Calm down... it's not you, I already know it's not you since after I talked to you."

"How?" She breathed out in disbelief.

Mai turned to the psychic beside her, "Naru."

He scoffed, it was because she scared Kasai now Mai let him to explain on her behalf. "Mai's reason is her own, even though she explain it to you there is no point because you can't understand what she sensed with her ESP."

Kasai flinched at that, recalling the fear that shook her when Mai knocked her off of her feet by a light tap. She knew the brunette didn't mean anything bad, she was stressed and fixed on her own view, and it took something like that to snap her senses. It relieved her a little if ESP user like Sawada Mai-san claimed she was not guilty but... how was that could be a legit proof?

Naru's voice snapped Kasai out of his thought, "Mai's statement aside, I doubt you know how to make a hitogata or have the skill to perform the zuzhou curse, therefore we can rule you out."

"Alright, then who is it?" Ayako asked.

"Yeah, quit stalling Naru! Who did it?" Bou-san was getting impatient.

Mai sighed, "You really love being dramatic, don't you?"

Naru glanced at Mai before he gave them an answer, "Our hexer," Naru paused, her eyes swept toward the oldest female of Yuasa in the room. "-is Ubusuna-sensei."

In instant all eyes went to the culprit who barely reacted to the accusation.

Naru continued, "On the sewer... beneath the empty lot for new student hall we found a large number of hitogata, all of them had names of specific victims you targeted... including myself, Mai, Hara-san as well as Yoshino-sensei and many other people at the school. You were the one who made them, aren't you Ubusuna-sensei?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. What on earth is a hitogata?" She insisted to be clueless, emitting eerie calm as if she was innocent.

Naru pressed on. "The doll used to cast the zuhzou hex... If there are any more out there please tell us where to find them and you have to promise to not make it anymore." Naru glanced briefly at Mai who was looking at Ubusuna-sensei with narrowed eyes. "For your own good too."

"How could I make such a promise when I've done nothing wrong?" She replied, as calmly as possible.

"You are guilty, Ubusuna-sensei," Naru pressed on.

"There must be some mistake..." She tilted her head to the side, still insisting on her innocence.

Naru was as undeterred by her denial. "All of the evidence points to your involvement."

"And what sort of 'proof' do you have?" She demanded as emotion started to drip to her voice.

Kasai was about to retort in defense of her teacher but Mai stopped her. "Kasai-san... don't deny the truth when it's spoken. If your teacher really is innocent..." She turned her eyes to Kasai who once again flinched, "Why didn't she react like you?"

Kasai became confused from indignant, "Eh?"

"Contrary to popular belief..." Mai trailed off, opening a notebook on her lap and began to write something in cursive. "Calmness is not a sign of innocence, a human who knows they're not in the wrong would strongly deny being accused with emotion... they will fight for their innocence like Kasai-san. However Ubusuna-sensei..." Mai's eyes narrowed at her, "Why you're so... calm? Where is your emotion?"

"I know I am innocent." She stated with confidence.

Mai closed her eyes, "By now... everyone here already could tell... your calmness is not normal, they didn't need my latent sensitivity..." She smiled at Ubusuna-sensei. "Look around you..."

Ubusuna did so, her eyes widened in fraction when she realized Bou-san and Ayako was looking at her with bewilderment. They were spiritualist, so the moment the saw the way Ubusuna denied Naru's accusation they had sensed something was very wrong with Ubusuna.

Ayako swallowed, "You... you're calm because you know the curse can't be traced, you can't be brought to justice by legal law... and your aura..."

Bou-san took one step back, "Now I think of it... your aura is really... wrong. This is the first time I meet you and yet..."

This time even Taka took one step back, holding Kasai's arm as if she was trying to drag the older girl away from the teacher they used to trust.

"All human to a degree possess intuition, instinct to sense danger..." Mai explained, "People like Bou-san and Miko-san are more sensitive than most… You realize... once you show your true color even a little, sooner or later people will realize..."

Naru gazed at the teacher who was not so calm any longer, "You made Kasai your scapegoat... with targeting those who attacked and rejected Kasai and publicly ridiculed her psychic powers. It as if Kasai is the only one... who has a motif, the obvious one..."

She smiled, as if the eerie calm from before returned to her. "Then correct me if I'm mistaken but wouldn't that make Kasai more of a suspect than I am? She was about to confess to you just now, didn't she?"

"Kei-sensei…" Kasai's voice trembled in shock, now she too backed away and holding onto Taka as if the younger girl was her lifeline.

"Actually no," Naru stated firmly. "Kasai could be ruled out because of her relationship with Murayama-san."

"Murayama-san?" Obviously she had no idea of Kasai's relationship with the first victim of cursed desk.

Naru closed his eyes, "Yes, the first student that had an accident due to sitting at that desk. Didn't they know each other, Takahashi-san?"

"Huh?" Taka was still in bewildered state but coherent enough to process Naru's query. "Uh, yeah. I'm pretty sure that Murayama-san and Chiaki-senpai were both members of the liberal arts club for a little while, before Kasai quit and joined the biology club." Taka looked towards Kasai for confirmation. "Ne?"

Kasai nodded numbly, too shaken for a verbal answer.

"It was weird when Murayama yelled at her that time. I remember we were all quite shocked she could talk to an upperclassman so rudely," Taka finished, recalling the event.

Naru nodded at that, "If Kasai is the culprit she could just curse Murayama-san specifically... it won't be a vague target such as 'anyone who sit on that desk' and the hitogata would be hidden in the sewer... along with other hitogata bearing the name of specific target... That's not the case, why? It's simple; the hexer didn't know Murayama or how she looks like," Naru stated confidently

She was not discouraged, "Based on what you've just said I don't think you have enough evidence to convict me. If I _am_ the hexer I could have easily asked around if I wanted to find out what her name was," Ubusuna-sensei argued calmly.

Mai was the one who answered her this time, "Oh... you _can't_ do that Ubusuna-sensei... remember who you are." She waved her hand, "You are basically the leader of psychic abilities believers while Kasai-san is the face. Won't people wonder why do you want to know about Murayama-san who is the one who started the whole movement to deny existence of psychic abilities? This school... is really like a herd, sheeps from other herd wouldn't let someone like you in so easily... considering aside from Kasai you're the one who influenced half of the school to believe in psychic power..." Mai pointed at her, "You're the shepherd of other herd... after all."

Naru sighed at Mai. "We also have to consider the names used... never mind the students and teachers of Yuasa, but outsiders you have targeted... That would be Mai, Hara Masako, and then myself. Aside from Hara-san, whose celebrity status makes her name a common knowledge, there are a limited number of people who know Mai's name or mine... well mine couldn't be helped because..." Naru glanced at Ayako who cowered, "Due to carelessness it can be anyone who overheard my coworkers mentioning it. However... Mai's name is different."

She blinked owlishly at that, "How?"

"Mai came later than any of us..." Naru sighed wearily, then shot a glare at the brunette who just shrugged. "She was a bait... a bait you so readily grab in fear of her ESP..." He never ever approved this plan and very annoyed she had done this deliberately under his nose. "She made it very clear she is a dangerous threat... so without delay as soon as you find her full name, you want to get rid of her."

"Never mind Sawada-san then but why would I want to put a curse on you? What kind of motive could I possibly have? I don't even know you," She said pointedly.

Naru narrowed his eyes at her, "Because... my coworkers also mentioned I'm an Onmyouji." He stated, "Zuzhou hexes come from onmyoudo. If I were an onmyouji, I might be able to put a stop to them, so you tried to get rid of me before I could figure it out and act... but once again because the leak of my name it does not matter..."

"Then what's matter?" Ubusuna-sensei challenged him.

That would never end well for her to challenge Naru, "What's matter is... you fell to the trap, ruled by your fear to get rid of Mai as soon as you can... it must be a record, she just introduced herself in few hours but she was already attacked... it's your downfall, because of her late arrival no one know who Mai was... or her ability." Naru stated, "And that alone isolate you, Kasai and Taka... "

"Then..." She turned towards her two student who backed away, freaked out by her gaze at them. "What make me the one instead of these two?"

Mai sighed, "The curse is really taking a toll on you by now... can you even hear what you said yourself? Accusing your students to save yourself..."

Suddenly Kasai snapped, "I did it. I said it in an assembly in front of everyone! I'll curse you death! I said it! I wanted them all to just go away! All of those people who made fun of me and treated Kei-sensei like garbage just because she is my friend!" Kasai was crying. "And then people started having accidents. It's horrible... not even Yoshino-sensei deserve that! Neither is Hara Masako!" Kasai broke down and sobbed openly into her hands. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do! I can't help it! It's me! It's all my fault! I cursed them and everything started and I didn't mean to!"

"I understand why'd you want to protect your teacher, Kasai-san." Naru told her in calmly. "She was the one to stand up and defend you, but... don't turn your eyes away from the truth simply because you want to protect her, you know you're incapable to perform Zuzhou curse... you can't even bend spoon properly lately... Mai." He glanced at the brunette.

She sighed, putting her pen down and by now the page was full of writings. "Your power is too unstable to perform a curse... you're under a lot of stress but, you still can tell what happen to Yoshino-sensei is wrong, can't you?"

Kasai nodded numbly, "Yee-es..."

"Then you didn't do it... a curse convey one's hatred to the intended victim." Mai stated firmly, "You would have lost your remorse of what become of them if you hate someone enough to curse them...didn't you say you can't help it? A curse can't be carried by accident, Kasai-san…"

Kasai lifted her head, she looked bewildered by the logical statements from both psychics. "I..."

"She almost used a trick to bend a spoon against the edge of a chair. Where do you suppose Kasai would have learned that particular trick to bend the spoon on the edge of a chair, Ubusuna-sensei?" Naru looked directly at the culprit who was still trying to weasel her way out.

"I'm sure I don't know." She said in faked cluelessness.

Mai sighed tiredly, "Ubusuna-sensei... that's another strike for you, you were there when Kasai told us about the trick and you didn't deny you taught her that to defend herself."

"She learned it from you. Yes, you passed on your knowledge. No one else would know to do that." Naru looked towards Mai who pulled out a magazine from her bag and handed it to Naru.

Mai gazed at Ubusuna who at last showing apparent emotion on her face, she looked mortified. "Seems you know what we've found out about you..." Mai smiled at her sadly. "Although... at this point you can't comprehend what I said to Kasai back then, she has surpassed you..."

Kasai looked confused, "Eh?"

Naru held the magazine up, "I began to suspect that your involvement with Kasai's powers and her well-being wasn't purely for altruistic purposes." Mai snorted, and Naru glanced at her.

She looked honestly confused this time, "What do you mean?"

"Your resourcefulness in Parapsychology... You have a remarkable understanding of psychic powers and parapsychology, with an interest in some specialized fields as well." Naru stated confidently, "At your level of knowledge... I don't think what you have in this field is just a mere passing interest, so is your involvement with Kasai-san's problem... frankly the level of teachers in Yuasa leave much to be desired, so I wonder... what make you different?" Ubusuna just smiled at him, taking in the compliment.

Mai cupped her chin, eyeing the teacher. "Some sort of emotional attachment to Parapsychology... ne?"

She smiled at Mai this time, "Wonderful... is that your clairvoyance?" She asked curiously but Mai didn't answer, she just gave the teacher a stare in return.

Naru cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention back to him. "So I followed my hunch and started to browse through old papers..." Naru held the magazine open, one a page where a child was doing the same trick Kasai tried before. "It wasn't long before I came across this. According to the date here it was doing the psychic craze that happened when you were a child. Among the children who claimed to be able to bend spoons was a little girl named Ubusuna Kei... you're one of Gellerinis."

The reaction was immediate, now they started to see the connection.

"As media's interest in Gelerrini grew, they became focus of attention, public loved them but then... it didn't last and the public began to look down on these children." Naru glanced at gradually paling Ubusuna-sensei. "People began to call them fakes and questioned whether any of them had any real powers at all. One of the girls who came forward during that time was a girl named Ubusuna Kei, from the Fukushima prefecture."

At last now her past was overturned blatantly the teacher snapped, "I wasn't a fake! I could do it! I really did bend those spoons and a lot of people saw it!"

"And then your power start to get unstable like any other Gellerini..." Naru continued.

She swallowed heavily, "It's just… sometimes it was easy, and other times it just wouldn't work, and then that reporter came to see me. He told me..."

 **'If you really have PK,**  
 **you should be able to bend this spoon now.**  
 **Could you show me then?'**

Naru's gaze lowered, "And so you did this..." He gestured towards the magazine.

She was breaking, "I remember that day so clearly. I thought if I failed he would write about what a liar I was and everyone would believe him. So just that once, I decided to use a little trick that another one of the psychic kids had shown me to bend the spoon, I was just so nervous! There was a photographer. He caught me… No one..." She looked at the psychic pair before her with unreadable emotion.

"No one..." Kasai stammered, "What... Kei-sensei?"

She glanced at Kasai then to Mai and Naru, "No one was there! To tell me I didn't have to fake it. I didn't have anyone to teach me that when you can't make it work, it's okay to just admit it!" She was looking at Naru now then at Mai, "No one told me... it's fine... if no one believe you as long as you believe in yourself! To not force anyone to believe in psychic power!"

Mai and Naru looked at each other, then back to the fuming teacher who was a Gellerini. "It's unfortunate for it to happen when it did... as Japan left the reputation of ESP and psychic research in the hands of the media. There were no credible research institutions at the time so there were no proper test to determine the legibility of your ability. Leaving Gellerini to Media's mercy..."

"Did you really do it?" Kasai asked her teacher.

She clenched her fist, "At first, I only wanted to defend Kasai's talent, but then it got crazy, and people started saying things, like, _'Why don't you really help that girl instead of encouraging her?'_ and asking me how I could call myself a teacher," Ubusuna-sensei admitted openly.

"And that's why…" Naru left it up to her to answer.

"That's right…" She was smiling now and it was not a natural smile. "It was only supposed to be a little prank."

Mai shook her head, recalling unpleasant memory of their mist. So consumed by hatred to the point the world should just burn for him. "Well." Mai pulled out another article, "We hope this is not your idea of a little prank..." She began to read. "About ten years ago, a car accident occurred on a street near a Tokyo publishing firm _."_ She cleared her throat, "The driver, whose erratic steering caused the accident, gave his testimony to the police... 'Suddenly and seemingly out of nowhere, a disembodied hand appeared before my eyes' and of course it was waived off as hallucination, or the man was crazy..."

"That's what happened to…" Taka gasped, unconsciously gripping Kasai's sleeve tighter, and the older girl seemed to be at a loss of words again.

Mai nodded her head, "Exactly what happened to Yoshino-sensei... and the reporter is accused by public as mentally ill. His reputation is in ruin, he will never be able to write again." She sighed, "I bet if we dig deeper we will know this man was also seeing disembodied hands disturbing him for months... this is your idea of just desert..."

"For the reporter who published your story," Naru continued to Ubusuna-sensei.

"Are you accusing me of that, too?" Ubusuna-sensei smiled at them.

Naru's gaze lowered at her, "It certainly seems likely... could be other Gellerini but you're the most likely... if you did this, then do you think we can believe you intended these 'pranks' of yours to be harmless? Luckily no one involved has died yet, but it was only a matter of time. Yoshino-sensei could have ended up dead..." Naru said, his tone darkening.

"Luckily no one sit on that cursed desk any longer..." Mai added grimly, "Ubusuna-sensei... three innocent girls got dragged by a train, they didn't do anything to you or anyone! Even Murayama-san didn't deserve that for speaking out her mind..." She frowned at the smiling teacher, "You must be thinking…" Mai trailed off, "It was all circumstantial evidence?"

Ubusuna nodded confidently.

Mai smiled at her, "Too bad…" She brandished her phone, showing a picture of hitogata and a biology paper. "Why don't we check your handwriting, I am sure it will match yours." Ubusuna flinched at that, "And… so is your fingerprint on hitogata… would you mind to test it?" Ubusuna started to hesitate. "And also…" Mai glanced down at her shoes, "I believe that shoes is also the pair you wore yesterday, we also check shoeprint in empty lot… aside from mine, Naru's and others… there is one more that's not ours… would you mind if we compare it?"

Bou-san gaped, "When did you do that?"

"As soon as we can." Mai answered vaguely and she looked annoyed when Ubusuna continued smiling. "Stop smiling... why don't you take a look at yourself? What a monster you have become?!" Mai started to raise her voice. "You could have killed someone!"

"Oh yes, that would have been tragic, but then..." Her eyes shifted and Mai could see the emotion or lack of thereof.

Her whole body as if screaming, the world could burn as long as she got her message through to the rest of the world that had wronged her. "If someone had died, maybe people would've learned a lesson." She said in carefree voice, then she stood up and made her way to the other side of the room.

Everyone instinctively backed away from her and she didn't care, her eyes aimed towards the empty vase on the other side of the room. "A lesson about respecting things in this world that can't be explained by science."

This woman!

 _"_ Mai!" Naru warned her when she suddenly moved so quickly, she had reached the teacher in a flash. Ubusuna's eyes went wide when Mai grabbed her from behind and twisted her arm on her back. Flowers of various colors fell to the floor and a hitogata with Naru's name ominously stood up in contrast against the fresh green of flower's stem.

Ubusuna trembled on her hold, "Do you... want to hurt me because what I did to... Shibuya-san? To you?" She had seen what Mai could do, and she knew how devastating a touch could be from a PK-LT user. She was rightfully frightened to be trapped by this girl.

Mai shook her head, then she held Ubusuna's locked arm up so all of them could see bandaged palm. Everyone gasped in shock at the sight of the injury, even under bandage it looked painful. "No... I think I hurt you enough, Ubusuna-sensei..."

The teacher's eyes widened in shock as she eyed her bandaged hand and Mai with fear. "This... is what happened when the evil spirit carrying your will is exorcised... you must have writhing in agony the whole night because of the backlash."

Mai let her go and the teacher fell on her knees, then Mai leaned down so she was eye to eye with her. "Listen..." She murmured in a whisper, "I don't like hurting people... but if you dare to touch _him_ again, I will _not_ be so merciful next time..." She said as she picked the hitogata and walked back to Naru's side, tossing the hitogata over to Bou-san who fumbled to catch it.

Naru frowned at her disapprovingly, tugging on her arms so the girl had no choice but edging closer to him. "Mai..."

She sighed, "I am sorry... I didn't hurt her anyway, that injury is an accident." She turned to the teacher who started to regain her bearing, "You have to know... for four days straight spiritualists were exorcising the school continuously. You're _very_ lucky all of them fled our exorcism... we would have accidentally killed you."

Of course the backlash would be just a small wound if coming from her coworkers, nothing in comparison of flame lit by life force and will of a Vongola. Mai actually was almost afraid she might have killed Ubusuna, well... anyone with lesser control would have.

It began to dawn on Ubusuna on what kind of risk she had put herself into. "I..."

Naru sighed, Mai went a little overboard but now the teacher at least understood what she had been playing with. "Bou-san call the headmaster and inform him that Ubusuna-sensei needs counseling," Naru ordered.

That snapped her attention back to reality, "Don't treat me like I'm sick! You're a Parapsychologist, and yet!"

"You must be exhausted by now, Ubusuna-sensei," Naru interjected calmly. "The curse... Zuzhou takes both mental and physical strength, you have been wearing yourself out very badly... stop, before you kill yourself..."

She quieted down at that, her eyes shifted to Mai who just nodded at her before her eyes lowered to the floor. "Perhaps…" She murmured softly more to herself than to Naru. "I suppose you could be right..." She shake her head, "No, you are absolutely right... Shibuya-san..."

The monk eyed the listless teacher warily before sighing, "Hai..."

Then Ubusuna was escorted out by Lin and Bou-san, Ayako decided to follow them in case the teacher broke down again. While Taka brought her older friend home with her. So it left Mai and Naru alone in the hospital room, and Naru eyed Mai worriedly.

"Are you alright?" Naru asked, "You used your power... yesterday?"

Mai smiled at him, "That much is fine..." She turned her face away then said, "Ne... Naru? For us who wield supernatural power, unlike Ubusuna-sensei and Kasai-san... we never doubt existence of our power... or fear we wouldn't be believed."

Naru snorted, "I think we're too obvious... you did say you could sense me from miles away when I am not feeling well."

"On the mood you mean?" Mai corrected, earning a scoff from the dark haired teen.

"Are you feeling sorry for them?"

Mai shrugged, "Hm... maybe? It's sad but in the same time it's also foolish."

"Human..."

She scoffed, Naru was pointing out what she said to Kasai and Ubusuna before. "Ma... there were times I wish I don't have this power, because it draw a line between us and normal humans."

"...Is that what you think?" Naru didn't even look up from his book.

"At my weakest..." Mai admitted, "But then... I remember because I have it, I can... help people... and it's a part of me I can never discarded..."

Naru sighed at that, relieved. "That's good... that's how we, those who are 'different' have to see ourselves, not daydreaming of what if."

Mai smiled, "You're such a realist, Naru."

That was the end of investigation in Yuasa High School. Case closed.

* * *

 **So... did I hit all summary /I put in last chapter?  
**

 **Yes, not a kiss really... more like CPR or sort... this had to be done not for romantic purpose, so NO it won't advance their relationship more than their heart to heart talk. The problem is their European background, no... I am not sold on stereotype on people can just kiss anyone. It's just this kind of affectionate gesture is more casual and not always romantic in nature... Mai kissed boy's cheeks all the time, their guardians. She didn't see it as anything worth to fuss over. In Naru's case? a CPR? She had no special feeling in romantic nature yet for Naru so she didn't really make a fuss out of it either... deep down she is embarassed but logic triumph when live was concerned-**

 **Beside... do you think Naru will drink suspicious meds if it's not emergency and forced it on him? It would be messy if they just try to convince him to drink. DX he is a very cautious person after all. So yeah his first taste have to be like this.**

 **BTW I hate Ubusuna, at least a little.**


	14. Post Case 03

**CASE- INTERLUDE : In which Vongola began to corrupt SPR**

Considering of intense finale of Yuasa High School Hexer case, Naru couldn't be blamed.

 _IF-_

It took the whole day for Naru to notice something was amiss with his body, because aside from feeling slightly lethargic he was too fine after moving rocks that in total could be as heavy as aluminum block he slammed to the wall with Gene's help. In short... something was not right, no more like... he missed something. His body couldn't grow stronger overnight, and he was sure it was not because it was Japan either. So why he felt too well than usual after that stunt? He should at least got a heart attack for it.

He rubbed his wrist then his shoulders, checking his own vitals and everything. He was very healthy as if he had never used his PK. The lethargic feeling was not so bad but annoying, as if he had slept too long... hibernating even.

Hibernating?

That eerily reminded him of Mai and how she acted when she overused her power, once... Tojo handed her a clear case full of some sort of supplement and reminded Mai to not forget drinking them. Mai always had those around with her pocket watch, and occasionally popping one to her mouth like a candy, swallowing them dry. Was it meds?

Meds?

Why that word was nagging him? He was not in laboratory nowadays and the doctor didn't assign any aside from some supplements so where did he hear the words medication again recently?

Naru cupped his chin thoughtfully and tilted his head down so his finger brushed against his lips, the sensitive flesh was tingling for some reason. Then suddenly the memory of what happened that night when he collapsed came in a wave like rush to his mind. He felt light headed as he recalled the kiss... no that was not a kiss, more like a mouth to mouth feeding. It tasted bitter like tea, taste of ease and comfort and Mai... What he was thinking! Mai was just feeding him a medication! She said he would be fine if he drink them so he did! He was in so much pain so he didn't think straight anyway so...

Was that a lapse of judgement or control?

Logically it was just the right thing to do to save someone's life, he would have done the same for Mai.

"Huh? The same...?"

Clack

"Naru... I bring something for you." Mai said as she entered the room, carrying a small brown paper box. "Ah... you're awake." She said as approached his bed.

Naru whirled his head to face Mai, she was sitting on the edge of his bed. He opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. "Aa..."

Mai grinned at him, "I bring something for you but keep it a secret, alright! Guess what I bring for you, since you're complaining about hospital food yesterday..."

"Kiss..." He clasped his hand over his mouth quickly, what the hell he was thinking?! Blurting out such thing?!

Mai beamed at him, "Atari! Bingo~" She giggled softly.

She brought him a kiss?!

"It's mini quiche!"

"Oh." He stared at baked dish blankly, what a horrible pun. "Hmp!" He almost choked when Mai shoved a bite with plastic fork to his mouth. "Mai! Do you always shove things to people's mouth?" He shouted before he could stop himself.

"Things?" She echoed as she handed the box over so he could eat it himself. "What do you mean?"

This topic was getting unhealthy for his mind, as he couldn't think straight in that condition. He was not looking forward to accelerated hearth rate, light-headedness and strange warmth in chest region whenever Mai did something incomprehensible. Or was it because their psychic power?

"Never mind." He grumbled before he began to eat the quiche.

Of all things to bring why the hell she brought baked dish from French? She always cooked Japanese food and in occasion Italian or Chinese. One time she asked whether he wanted her to cook something from England, even though she admitted frankly she couldn't comprehend British's taste bud.

Naru didn't panic Mai figured out where he came from though, because he had spoken to her in English, correcting her pronunciation-which a telltale of her Italian origin and she tend to mix similar words between the two languages- and his own British accent was pretty obvious. Not to mention his obvious preference for English tea. He might as well told her out loud he was a British. Considering he already knew she was an Italian, that wasn't anything worth worrying.

At this point secrecy of their background was just safety measure for their own peace of mind anyway…

Ugh, he was starting to get sleepy again even though he had slept for so long. Damn… what was wrong with him, it was just a… Wait… forget the kiss! It was not even a kiss! What was important was the meds Mai fed him, never mind how she did it.

The point was…

"Mai…" He called her and failed to hide drowsiness from his voice.

She sighed at him. "Go to sleep." And promptly pushed him down and with pillow against the back of his head it was getting very hard to resist Morpheus' invitation. Her murmurs was also lulling him to sleep, "It's alright Naru… you need them."

"But I…" He tried to protest but even his lips stopped obeying his brain.

She smiled at him gently, running her fingers through his hair slowly and gently as if he would break under her hands. "Just sleep… the case is over and you have a big day tomorrow."

 _What was going to happen tomorrow?_

His eyes fluttered shut and he felt something warm and soft touching his forehead gently, oh… she gave him a good night kiss? He was not a baby, damn it Mai… stopped treating him like a kid. He was…

Mai watched Naru gradually surrendered himself to the medication's influence, it would be hard to convince him to drink another dose without an explanation so she had to slip it to his food. "I am so sorry Naru…" Mai apologized sheepishly, crossing her fingers. "It's not like I can explain the meds to you anyway, and you will make too much fuss to drink something you don't know what."

To be fair no human would want to drink unknown medicine in normal circumstances.  
Gosh… her list of sin against Naru was increasing rapidly, ho ho ho… what next? Well, once this guy knew about Gene… well that was one.

There were worse things… perhaps;

Mai actually had a feeling she should be more worried about how Naru would react if he knew her Famiglia and other technology advanced Famiglie had been hiding all technology that could advance current parapsychology study by at least ten years, and Mafia also more or less had a hand in concocting misunderstanding about supernatural phenomena all over the world for the last two centuries just by existing and keeping secrecy… their flame and… well~ which according to Naru had caused their advance to slow down by fifty years.

Yep, according to Hayato who had so kindly lending his amazing researcher brain to her, the Mafia had committed an unforgiveable crime to parapsychology field for the last two centuries. For the good of Mafia world, Mai could only pray Naru would never ever found out about it.

"Well…" Mai looked at Naru, who was sleeping soundly. "If it's up to me you and your brother shouldn't get involved with _us_ at all." She bit her lower lip. "However…"

In the end it was inevitable as Gene had been 'caught' in both body and soul, his body went to… hopefully she could do something about that while his soul was caught by her. Well, whoever it was who had done this to Naru and Gene would pay! Especially because her intuition screamed at her this also involve their 'problem' in regards to her brother.

She'd see this through till the end, and then she will let them go. They shouldn't be dragged to her world or her sky.

* * *

 **That night, astral world**

"Hm…" A boy in his late teens watched the frozen dark haired boy in front of him with avid interest, it was like a work of art. Their princess was very talented in creating beautiful things with her power, most would call it flaunting and impractical but for an illusionist like him it was a testament of her skill.

The boy was encased within frozen flame the princess inherited from her ancestor, shaping it like a beautiful cradle. Even within this crystal cradle, he could sense the power this boy possessed, very alike with his and Chrome's.

"I didn't give you permission to enter my astral world to stare at him the whole day…" Their princess reminded him. "Mukuro."

The mist of Vongola smirked, "Well… I am not only staring Hime, beside… he is a fascinating specimen."

"So are you then." Mai pointed out, "You, Chrome and him most likely shares the same ability… you guys are what we called the pure medium." A rarity among those with mist flame.

Mukuro shrugged, "Well… you do know we locked that ability as much as we could." Mukuro with mental barrier and in turn shielding Chrome so no one but him could possess her. "This boy seems to use it sparingly, what's amazing is his spirit is a whole… undamaged. As a pure medium wise, I thinks he surpass both Chrome and I in potential… good mental fortitude too if he manage to keep his mind after what happened to him."

Mai sighed at that, "I know it… so what do you think about who might have stolen his body?"

Mukuro shook his head, "Who knows… currently our world on that _side_ is a mess, Hime..." He crossed his arms, "I am trying, but it's a very slow going… " He looked pretty frustrated.

"And yet, you have time to pick a fight with Kyo-san anyway…" Mai reminded him with annoyed tone.

"I can't resist ku fufufufu…"

Mai snorted, sensing an opening. "Your obsession with getting on each other's nerve creates rumors…" She coughed, "That maybe you're batting for another team…" Mukuro paled at that. "Chrome had a laughing fit when she overheard our maids talking about it, you should see how our dear sweet and quiet Chrome cracking up at the idea that you- ahem- cheated-ahem- on her with… ahem certain aloof cloud."

"I will kill them!" Mukuro swore.

"No, not when I have any say on that…" Mai reminded him again who the boss here was.

* * *

 **The next day… (Naru's POV)**

I was positive now that two days in a row I had been forced to consume unknown medicine that caused me to sleep abnormally long, it helped me to recover faster from whatever my PK did to my body and Mai was responsible!

I was drugged… never mind if it was somehow keep me alive, the problem was… it should be illegal!

Lin entered my room first today, and looking at my aura he could already tell I woke up in a very foul mood and he was going to be on the receiving end of it. "Lin."

My guardian just sighed, "Naru, there is no point getting angry at me or Sawada-san. You will get your explanation, not from us because… surely as a researcher yourself you don't want to get an explanation from amateurs." He pointed out logically. "Sawada-san is calling her family's private doctor directly from Italy for this… the least you could do is keeping your temper in check for the trouble everyone go through for you."

"Apparently." I spat out venomously, "No one see it fit to inform me, the person you went through trouble for!"

He let out a long suffering sigh, "Naru… you can get upset with me all you want, but not with Sawada-san… I _requested_ this from her myself."

"Why did she-"

"Oliver Davis!" Lin called my full name, and that was a sign I was in trouble. _"Don't give Sawada-san any trouble again! She only did what she could do for you and you will appreciate her good will without complaining like an ungrateful brat! You may have Phd and other several achievement and my superior, but that didn't change the fact I_ **am** _your guardian in duration of your stay in Japan!"_ He told me in English.

I clamped my mouth shut, not out of fear but voicing out a protest when Lin was drawing a firm line was not worth the following trouble that would involve Madoka and my parents. There was a very good reason why Lin was assigned to be my guardian.

 _"The doctor and Sawada-san's family members will come to check on you and I expect you to be in your best behavior. This is non-negotiable… understood?"_ Lin finished sternly.

What else I could say to that. _"Yes sir."_

 _"You will get your explanation from them, but you will not demand anything they don't want to tell you. Keep your curiosity to yourself… I am sure you already know Sawada-san's family is very secretive and most likely jealously guarding their resource… yet they spare it for you on Sawada-san's behalf so don't get her in trouble alright?"_

I gritted my teeth, _"I know my place…"_

 _"Good."_ He looked satisfied with how I behaved and I couldn't even fault him.

Considering perhaps… lately I had been overboard and testing his patience. Then again Lin lately seemed to gain new power or something because Tojo and Shima were supporting him from behind. I didn't even know how the hell dynamic in my office was turned upside down and spinning uncontrollably because of Mai.

Clack…

"Ah, there you are." It was Mai and for some reason she looked wary, and I was sure as hell it was not because she was scared of me. Then she suddenly turned to face someone behind her and emitted air of warning I recognize whenever she was intimidating people. Mai was surprisingly very good at it.

"Aah…" A male in his late thirties followed her from behind rather closely, giving off an air of familiarity between him and Mai. "Hime… yes, I will behave… I will not mind his gender. Alright-"He dressed sloppily in his suits and white coat, and judging from his feature he was a foreigner. Perhaps from Middle East judging from his slightly tanned skin and features.

"Sawada-san…" Lin eyed the man warily, "That person…"

She beamed at Lin and gestured towards the sloppily dressed doctor, Lin didn't even bat an eye at the doctor's unprofessional appearance. Most likely Mai had warned Lin then, this was so irritating! Why was I the only one kept out of the loop?

"This is Doctor Shamal Trident."

Shamal eyed Lin and I lazily, he looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here. "Nice to meet you, I guess…" That was definitely an outright lie.

Mai smiled at him and without warning whatsoever stomped hard on his foot. I applauded this man's restrain as he only grimaced and didn't let out any sound, Mai wore a very hard and thick soled boots after all. "Ara- Doctor Shamal… what did I tell you about manner in front of a patient?"

"Erm… yes Hime-sama." He gritted out, "My foot… please!"

Mai stepped away from his shoes and gestured towards the two stools we used the day before, he took a seat and Mai took the one beside his. Why she didn't sit on my bed like yesterday and the day before? Because she was more comfortable with someone she knew longer?

"Ahem." Doctor Shamal cleared his throat, drawing my attention to him. Which I was thankful for because my mind was being illogical again, why it even matter where Mai chose to sit?

Lin introduced himself to the doctor and I followed his example begrudgingly.

"Now I'm here… I have a number of question. First of all… how do you feel today Shibuya-san?" He asked as he took out a clipboard with a stack of paper clipped to it.

"Lethargic." I answered curtly.

Shamal cracked on eye open at me, as if checking if I was telling him the truth. "Apt." He snorted, "Anything else like nausea? Headache… stomach pain, numbness? Or perhaps…"

I narrowed my eyes at him, "Excuse me, Doctor Trident… shouldn't you know what side effect your meds could cause to your patient?"

He sighed at me, "I will be very honest with you… but…" He turned to face Mai, "Hime, sorry but…"

Mai bit her lower lip nervously before she stood up and excused herself out of the room. "I am just outside if you need me." Then she closed the door.

Shamal rubbed the back of his head, "Hh… now then, kid… first of all." He raised his hand in surrender, "If you want me to act like an uptight doctor here, forget it~ I'm here because Hime make me… since I am the one who understand this meds better than anyone. So I will do this my way, got it?"

"…I don't really care." I told him honestly. "I just want some answers."

The peculiar man grinned at me, "Nice… so here is our situation, this meds is made based on someone else's… a psychic with both PK and ESP cocktails like you." My eyes widened at that, this doctor made meds specifically for psychics?

He cleared his throat, "However… this someone is a nine years old kid with PK-ST and Clairvoyance, with control and ability switch problem…" He listed on and my eyes narrow at this.

"Ability switch problem?" I prodded.

"The kid can't use one at a time, now he can use his PK alone but for some reason he can't use his clairvoyance without making objects around him floating…" The doctor explained in lofty tone, "Well… poltergeist." He corrected himself.

Lin glanced at me, "He is also used to have the same problem."

Shamal snorted, "However you must know… Stella, this boy only made things float at most three to six feet height, in radius of the same length… if you can shock our princess just with living next to her we're like comparing a tornado and a breeze~ you got what I am getting at here?"

I sighed, his crude demeanor aside he definitely knew what he was talking about. "Stella-kun's problem is not as severe as mine." I summarized. "He is also _much_ weaker… and younger." The boy was stronger than average PK user but nowhere near my level.

He nodded, and pulled a file that I realized very quickly was my medical record. I couldn't bring myself to care anymore about how much of my secret was leaked for the sake of this medication. I couldn't even protest since they were saving my life here.

"Stella is never in danger of dying from his PK…" He said pointedly, "His PK in fact never affect his health, it's his clairvoyance that sometimes overload his brain, giving him a massive headache that would knock him out for the whole day, we got him just in time before the brat kill his own brain …"

Brain dead… a nine years old boy?

He gave me a look, "Don't tell Hime that… and if we could help it Stella would never be in danger of that."

This psychic, Stella… was her family?

"In comparison of heart failure... is as bad, but _very_ different." Shamal informed me more on what differ me and Stella, the boy whose medication was used as a base for mine. "Now you get why even though we use his medications as a base for yours we can't be sure it would work as well on you?"

"I see…" Even though both of us were PK-ESP mix psychic, our problem was completely the opposite.

Then he turned to Lin, "I am sure Hime have told you… all meds for psychic in our family is made specifically for each individual. It's impossible to make one that could work for every psychic with control problem… after all how your power affect your body are different from each individual." He crossed his arms, "And in the end… this meds has side effect, only when you have to consume more than one though, nothing too bad but annoying."

My left eyebrow twitched at that, "Like my drowsiness?"

"Nah~ that's because you wreck your body so the medicine shut you down so they can fix it." Shamal chortled at me, "It's how it works… lethargic symptom that follow? That's the side effect…"

"Then Mai's…"

"Same… in her case it would feel like she has run a marathon, muscle cramp all over her body~ though, knowing Hime she would look just sleepy, her pain tolerance is very high…" Shamal gave me a leer for some reason and Lin sighed, mumbling something under his breath. Did they know something I didn't? "Plus occasional headache… Stella's is headache too with occasional fever… and there were times he looks pretty drunk."

I blinked at the last information, "Drunk?"

"Yeah… what do you call it when a nine years old brat rambling nonsense with a silly grin on his face and walking in zigzag?" Shamal raised an eyebrow at me, "By the way… all these side effect symptom appear after long term of use, because you guys are growing, your body change…" Then he gave me a look, "If feeling lethargic is all you got, for the first try you're pretty lucky kid…"

"Glad to hear that." I replied monotonously. "But still if you have enough knowledge to concoct such medications, why Mai was so poorly informed about parapsychology?"

"Curious brat." He laughed at me, "It's a fine question though since I guess I said Stella's making objects around him float instead of calling it poltergeisting is a dead giveaway that I'm not really knowledgeable in parapsychology… at least not general knowledge. It's simply because in our company… in regards to psychics, we _don't_ care what supernatural power is… all we cared about it keeping the power in line, what it did to your body, developing it and so on…"

Which made so much sense why Mai in spite of her skill in using her ability was woefully short in understanding what her power was.

"What kind of institution researching psychic in one direction like that?" I knew this would be one of those questions you shouldn't ask but I couldn't help but wonder.

"Like ours." He answered curtly, "And that's where I will draw a line… don't ask anything on our company and family."

Lin looked at the man nervously and gave me another warning look, I sighed and changed my next question. "Very well, so? When this side effect will go away?"

"Depends on how bad you wreck your body." He answered firmly, "You will feel it until you're back to your top condition, but hey! It's much better than getting a heart attack I am sure…" Then he glared at me, a murderous glare that made even Lin backed away and I inched away. "However… this medication is just to prevent you from dying, it _never_ mean for you to use your dangerous ability as you wish. Understood?"

I could sense Lin giving me a warning look too and I sighed, "I understand…" Not getting killed by my own power was good enough. I had no wish for an early death either.

Doctor Shamal sighed, "And since I am already here too…" He glanced at the door wearily. "Erm… let's keep this to ourselves." He turned towards me, then said. "You're one very lucky brat…"

I blinked owlishly at him, wondering what he meant by that.

Shamal glanced at Lin then me before he told us. "Kid… you're dying."

"…"

Lin stood up, "What do you mean Sir?"

Shamal scowled, "I mean what I said… this kid, his power is killing him and stopping using his PK is not going to help him. In fact… it's the opposite, if you give up on your PK… sooner or later your energy will overload your body… "

"What?" Lin gasped, "But… it's using them that wrecks Naru's body!"

"And who said stopped using them will help him?" Shamal answered with a question. "Imagine a balloon… it's your body, and your power is the air… overuse will make the balloon shrunk and cause pain and shock to your body… in the other hand…you're a growing boy, and with your body your power is growing too… however the balance between them is poor… the air is pumped faster and the balloon capacity didn't grow as fast… once the shaky balance goes…" Shamal narrowed his eyes at Naru. "I don't have to tell you what's going to happen to your body, you're a doctor yourself…"

A balloon, a ridiculous comparison but very apt. Even an idiot could understand what Shamal was getting at. "So… instead of stopping completely, I have to periodically let them out?"

"Exactly… the problem is however." He eyed me skeptically. "What did you learn to control your PK by the way?"

"Qigong." Lin answered for me. "To control his chi."

Shamal eyed Lin lazily but he was looking pretty serious in contemplating. "Hm… so by now you're keeping your power in tight control, so that's why…" He cupped his chin, "Too bad we have no proper equipment here but I suspect… because you always keep them in tight control when you try to let them out your body is not used to it and go under a great shock that resulted to heart attack…"

Lin swallowed, "Is that mean teaching him Qigong is not helping but…" Lin left the rest of his sentence hanging.

Shamal shook his head, "That's not the case, if you let them be this brat will be a walking mini tornado and that's not better for himself or his surrounding either…" he rubbed his chin, "The problem is… in _our_ understanding PK user use what we called wave energy, _Hadou_ is the wave of life-force that flows through the human body…"

"Chi…" Lin murmured to himself.

"The problem is… Hadou or Chi as you calls it, this kid has an abnormal amount of them but it's not refined…"

"Refined?" I echoed, getting bored at their two sided conversation as if they forgot I was here. "What do you mean my wave energy is not refined?"

Shamal rubbed his unshaved chin, "On normal person or a spiritualist like… Lin-san over here, it's no problem to use chi/hadou the way they are… but you have abnormal amount of them, and as it's burdening your body naturally would want to get it out... and your body couldn't take it… to channel raw brute power like that out. "

Lin asked, "Then… is there any permanent solution to this?"

Shamal stared at us hard and long and opened his mouth, he hesitated then looked to the side as rubbing the back of his head. He knew something… "Hm… I have some on the top of my mind, but…"

"But…?" I pressed on.

"A faster but harder way that would get all of us in trouble…" He answered vaguely, "Unless Hime said otherwise about it… don't ask what is it. For now let's stick on another path…"

Obviously I was very curious of what he was talking about, and how it was related to Mai? However I could tell this was something within Mai's you shall not ask territory, and I wouldn't pry if she didn't want me to. Both of us had secrets we didn't want anyone to know.

"And this other path?"

"Get used to it." Shamal said bluntly.

"…What do you mean with get used to it?" I couldn't help but ask, "Using my power?" I was never one to use my PK frivolously and as much I hated to admit it I was dependent on Gene to control my massive power.

He nodded, then he gave me a list. It was basic training for PK that even used back in British SPR, nothing special but it was used for those with unstable power output, like Kasai and Gellerini in general. Not someone like me. "Take it slow, drink your meds and… your body will adapt to immense power output you put them through… I don't know how long though, years for sure..."

Years?!

Lin sighed in relief, "So in the end the solution is very simple, training and medication on the side…"

It sounded easy when you were not talking about yourself, don't you think Lin? I thought irately.

* * *

 **The Next Day (3** **rd** **POV)**

Naru was out of hospital at last, and he was displeased to know he could get out faster if not for Lin's meddling to keep him in hospital for proper rest. So Naru went straight to the office because he had wasted too much time in hospital. This time Lin didn't stop him and followed silently like a shadow to SPR office. He was right in front of the office door when he heard Mai talking with someone, a prospective client perhaps?

He opened the door, expecting a client pouring their heart out to Mai but not a silver haired boy around his age talking with Mai. The silver haired boy was dressed in dark red dress shirt, salmon tie and black pants, although his taste in skull accessories and belt gave strange contrast to his formal attire. Naru's eyes widened at the sight of green eyes staring back at him.

This person was eerily familiar, and it didn't take long for him to realize who he was having a staring contest with.

"Ah."

"You!"

Mai looked at both of them back and forth in confusion, "You guys knew each other?"

He flailed, "Hime! You said… his name is Shibuya Kazuya, but!" The silver haired boy was about to protest, Naru and Lin started to panic.

"Hayato!" Mai said in warning. "Please."

The boy quickly clamped his mouth shut, "My apologies, Hime!" He was about to bow but Mai caught his forehead and straightened him. "Ah."

Mai sighed tiredly, "I told you to not bow to me…" She told chastised Hayato firmly before she stood up, then walked pass the two dumbfounded Ghost Hunters. "Naru… Hayato wants to talk to you and… I don't need to know what it is, so take your time." She told the dark haired boy. "I am going next door to check on our record, I will not bother you two…"

Blam

As soon as the door was closed Naru marched towards the silver haired boy, glaring at him. "What are you doing here Gokudera Hayato?"

Gokudera snarled at him, "That's my line! What's the deal with the alias and… why you're not in England?!"

"This is _my_ office, Hayato." Naru pointed out. "And it's none of your business why I am in Japan."

"It's my-"

Lin stepped forward, "Alright! That's enough!" The two boys glared at him in return. "I don't care what brought this up but please talk like civilized men, and could someone explain why you guys start arguing instead of explaining?" The dark haired guardian sighed, "Gokudera Hayato-kun right?"

"Yeah." He glared at Lin petulantly.

"I presume you're… Sawada-san's family member…" Lin was still not sure what 'extended family' in Sawada-san's book entails but he was playing it safe. "I don't think she would be pleased if either of you start… whatever conversation you want to have in uncivilized fashion."

Gokudera turned his glare on Naru, "Well! This bastard have a lot of things to explain… you can't blame me to think something is fishy if you get our Hime to work for you, when you're using an alias, Oliver Davis!"

Obviously this boy knew Naru as Oliver Davis not Shibuya Kazuya.

Naru sighed, "Keep it down…" He hissed, "I am keeping a cover for myself, surely you know someone like me has to maintain a cover when I am out of my country or I would be mobbed by requests… for missing persons and the likes…"

Gokudera scowled at that, "I know that…" He groaned to himself, "But of all people it have to be you?! Fuck it! This is so screwed up!"

"I see you have not fixed your vulgar way of speaking." Naru noted coolly, "Truly… your certified genius didn't do you any favor in that department."

Gokudera scoffed, smirking. "Look who's talking, charismatic Oliver Davis who in spite of his outward politeness couldn't keep his condescending comment to himself… no wonder you didn't appear in media often if not at all considering if your horrible personality is exposed-"

Lin was ticked, "I didn't mean civil exchange of sarcastic and thinly veiled insult…" The Chinese told the two geniuses. "And Naru… if you please, can you explain, how did you know each other, and who is this boy?"

Naru took a seat across the sofa Gokudera occupied and sighed, the silver haired boy just glared at him harder. "Alright… first of all I guess you should introduce yourself."

The silver haired boy scowled, "This is why I hate adults…"

"And you still have illogical hatred of adult in general even though it's inevitably you will grow to one… never mind your mentality will stay as that of a troubled teenager."

"I can hate anything I want you-"

"You two…" Lin couldn't believe this, how could these two going at each other like this? They were like brats! "I believe you're getting off topic, if you don't stop insulting each other I will go straight next door and tell Sawada-san."

That got a reaction from both of them, bless Sawada-san for wrapping these two around her finger.

Gokudera cleared his throat, "I am Gokudera Hayato… currently I am working in Neo-V.G corps and my family from generation to generation has served Hime's family." He craned his neck at Naru. "Oi, Noll… you tell him how we met."

Naru just sighed, "I believe you remember around two and half years ago there is a convention for talented children under seventeen all over the world…"

"The one Luella and Madoka-" Lin trailed off, recalling how Oliver was forced and kicked out of his lab to go to that convention, which happen to be held in London. In hope Oliver would socialize with other talented children, who he might able to relate with. He was out of the country back then, in Hong Kong so he didn't knew what happened, but he did recall Luella telling him about new friends of the twins.

"Yes." Naru cut him off. "We met there." Naru recalled the unpleasant experience Gene called fond memory.

* * *

 _Flashback (London)_

 _It had been two hours and the one who sponsored this convention was still rambling nonsense in the podium. Noll wondered what the hell he was doing in this place, socializing with other talented children, or so his mother said. Noll didn't see the merit, beside while talking with other people of high intellect could be enlightening he didn't see why his mother think he and these children share the same brain width or something…_

 _Although… the scowling silver haired boy beside Gene -who convinced the girl in reception to let him to come along to this hall with acting cute- undoubtedly share the same opinion about what a waste of time this was. Noll himself was sitting next to Gene, choosing the very end seat next to pathway so he didn't have to deal to be in close proximity with a stranger._

 _The red haired boy who was sitting on the other side of silver haired boy looked nervous. "Gokudera-kun… calm down, remember what Tsunayoshi-kun said… we didn't get a lot of chance to interact with other children like…"_

 _"It's not like I share the same brain frequency with them, Irie…"_

 _They were talking in Japanese so these two were from his native country?_

 _"And Irie, you're holding your stomach again…" The silver haired one pointed at the boy who looked like he was in so much pain._

 _"I am just… nervous so-" He stuttered._

 _"One of these days… your gastric problem will kill you and we will lose our junior head mechanic, if you dare to die and leave your position to that useless Giannini I swear-"_

 _The blond boy who was sitting beside the other side of red haired boy chimed in, "Can I have it then?"_

 _"Spanner… you're not hoping I will really die, are you?" Irie said, horrified at the deadpan look on the blond's face. "And no you can't have it… you will keep making robots and abandon other projects… uuuh…"_

 _"Anoo…" Noll glared at Gene and wondered what the hell Gene was trying to do. "Are you alright?" He asked in Japanese. "You seems like you need a doctor."_

 _Three colorful heads whipped to their direction, shocked to hear Japanese from the blue eyed boy. "Gene." Noll hissed in warning._

 _"Oh come on Noll!" Gene whispered back, "He looks like he is in so much pain, at least we can bring him to a clinic or pharmacist!" Getting out of this place was tempting, he admitted. Gene must be regretting following him by now._

 _Irie smiled sheepishly at them, "No need." He popped a tablet from a clear case to his mouth like a candy. "It will get better… Gosh, when this will be over?" He wondered, "Too many people… and also the air, the weather…" In short, the red haired boy was stressed to be in London._

 _"I told you coming to London is a bad idea." Gokudera growled at Irie, "Especially for you… and your weak constitution."_

 _Spanner nodded, "Yeah… but as we're told, locking ourselves in our lab is not healthy either~"_

 _Gene coughed, his shoulders shook with mirth. "Hmph! So… you guys got kicked out of your lab too?" Eyeing his glaring twin in amusement, as he didn't expect Noll to find a kindred soul here._

 _Gokudera scowled and pointed at his two companions, "Not me, these two… We found Spanner had been eating nothing but coffee flavored lollipop for three days because he was working on his robots." The blond boy averted his eyes and bit his pink lollipop off of his stick. "Irie overworked himself, and then he fell asleep in the bathtub, he almost drowned himself."_

 _Irie's cheek burned with shame, "Well… I…"_

 _"Even though I receive the same invitation, I believe I was told to come to chaperone you two." Gokudera pointed out. "If it's up to me I will stay in Palermo!"_

 _Gene snickered and said to his twin, "Wow, someone is thinking the same thing as you Noll!"_

 _"Hn."_

 _Spanner poked his head so he could see them who were two seats away. "Uhm… you guys are locals I presume? Since you know your way around here… but you speak Japanese."_

 _Noll eyed the blond boy, "Your accent suggest you're also from here… "_

 _Spanner nodded, "Yeap~ I am a British too but I spent the last few years in Italy." He craned his neck toward his friends. "These two were Japanese-Italian though."_

 _Gokudera glared at Spanner for spilling info to strangers, Irie just smiled sheepishly at them. "Hello… you're very kind for offering help to me, I am Irie Shouichi… like Spanner said I am a Japanese but my grandfather is Half-Italian…" Which explained his red hair, "I have been with my patron in Italy for quite some time, and I am a robotic engineer… though I also do other kind of other invention too."_

 _Gene beamed, glad to find someone who wanted to be his friend and most likely Noll's too. "I am Eugene Davis, you can call me Gene! I am third generation Japanese… I used to live in New York but I live here with my adopted parents now…" He craned his neck towards his frowning twins. "And this is Oliver, my younger twin… Noll. I am just tagging along with him, he is the genius who got invited here… Noll! Come on!"_

 _Noll sighed, if he didn't say anything Gene would pester him nonstop. "I am Oliver Davis… a parapsychologist."_

 _Spanner eyed the silver haired boy curiously, "Hm… you're interested in that too, ne? Gokudera?"_

 _"No… this guy is researching paranormal, psychic and ghost." He growled, "I am more interested in U.M.A!" He was used to be interested in both but U.M.A in the end won out._

 _Noll had one or two things to say in regards to U.M.A but Gene spoke first, "Wow! So what field you're working on Gokudera-kun?"_

 _The silver haired boy raised an eyebrow at Gene, "Quantum Physic… I am in the middle of getting an honorary doctorate, because I am not allowed to have a proper one." He snorted. "This is why adults is annoying."_

 _"In case you forgot." Spanner interrupted him, it seemed at this point the five boys had resigned from following what the people in podium was rambling about. "None of us here have one yet~ we were told to go for it if we feels like it but it's not like we need one. Our patron didn't care~ anyway…" Then he added, "Oh and I am Spanner Doyle, also robot engineer like Shouichi but I am more on mechanic side, you know cool stuff~"_

 _Noll perked up in interest. "So all of you are under the same patron?"_

 _Irie nodded, "We're all from the same family to be exact."_

 _Gene's eyes sparkled in interest, "Wow… so after this boring session is over, do you mind to exchange email address and phone number?"_

 _The three looked at each other and back to Gene. "Erm… I guess that's fine." Irie drawled on. "But… your brother seems to disagree, I think?"_

 _Gene scoffed, ignoring his brother who was glaring hole at the back of his head. "Noll is just a little shy and introverted."_

 _"Gene…" He hissed._

 _The older twin continued to ignore his brother, "In fact! My mother insisted if Noll and I find friends here, we have to invite them for dinner!"_

 _"No, tha-" Gokudera was about to say._

 _Spanner interjected, "I am sure we can make time for that~ Thank you for your generous invitation!" He gave Gene a thumb up._

 _"Great!" Gene grinned._

 _Gokudera snarled at Spanner, "We haven't told_ you know who _yet! We can't do as we please!"_

 _Spanner stared at Gokudera disinterestedly and said, "What make you think we wouldn't be allowed to go by you know who? In fact I think we would be recommended to go or else~"_

 _"Who is this you know who?" Gene asked curiously, "Not Vol-"_

 _Irie foresaw Gene was going to say something that would be offensive in Gokudera's book and thought it was a joke. "No, we're talking about the son of our patron family!"_

 ** _One hour later…_**

 _The trio at last gave in and went in search of their… friend, superior, Boss. The twin didn't know what they called the son of their patron, Noll was definitely not interested. He was annoyed because they couldn't go home as soon as possible until those three returned. Gene had called their mother with the good news and Luella was overjoyed._

 _So Noll had no choice but waited those three boys to come back with permission to have dinner with them._

 _"I wonder if they find their friend." Gene wondered._

 _If that was not bad enough, their so called friend got lost in this huge building. "Who knows?"_

 _They were walking towards the entrance, as they had promised those three to wait in lounge of that hotel. While the trio went in search of their missing friend. Noll couldn't help but wonder how the hell this friend could get lost here, considering the hall used for convention was just a straight path from the reception desk._

 _Gene suddenly went rigid, stopping on his track. "Gene?"_

 _His medium brother was stiff and clutching on his arm tightly. "Noll, something strong is coming to this direction." He said in a daze._

 _Noll frowned, "A ghost? Evil spirit? Demon?"_

 _He shook his head, "I don't know, it's not evil I think… it just feels… overwhelming to my senses, even more than…" Gene glanced at Noll briefly before his eyes was back, fixed to what had not came yet before them._

 _More than Noll who might be the strongest psychic in the world?_

 _Then at last after one full minute of silence they could hear soft footsteps, and not long after they could see someone was walking to their direction. It was a boy around their age with untamable spiky hair, brown hair and eyes of the same color. He was wearing dress shirt, black vest, orange tie and black pants. He looked very normal aside from whatever Gene sensed from him._

 _Noll frowned at the newcomer but startled when Gene's hold on him tightened and it was almost hurt. 'This boy is the one Gene sensed?! He is human!'_

 _Clack_

 _Clack-_

 _It was eerily silent in that corridor and Gene's state of unrest made Noll felt this stranger's footstep echoed loudly, as if ringing noisily in his ears. Then he felt it, the feeling of something overwhelming approaching closer, like unstoppable flood. This feeling was coming from this boy._

 _Clack_

 _Clack_

 _Noll prepared himself, ready to protect his twin as he slowly backed away to give wider than necessary space for this entity to walk pass them. Noll couldn't help but heaved a sigh as the boy walk pass them, then his heart felt like it was about to stop when the boy craned his neck so he could see them both in full view as he walked pass, his brown eyes suddenly looked like shimmering amber of flame._

 _"Hm?" He continued to look at them unabashedly as he walked and the twin held their breath, like two frightened preys hoping the predator wouldn't notice their presence._

 _"Ah." Then the boy tripped and fell face first to the floor._

 _WHAM!_

 _Noll and Gene stared at the boy who was face-planting on the floor in disbelief, and suddenly the oppressive presence was gone. Gene let go of his twin and approached the falling boy cautiously while Noll followed from behind closely._ _"Uhm… are you alright?"_ _Gene asked in English, usually he would offer a hand but he was still wary of this person._

 _The boy picked himself off of the floor and dusted his pants and shoulders. "_ _Yeah, I am alright…"_

 _Definitely not a local, his English was decent but the accent was strange._ _"Are you sure?"_ _Gene asked._

 _He nodded, smiling softly at them. Noll and Gene couldn't help but wonder why they were so scared of this harmless looking clumsy boy._ _"I'm sure, don't worry I fall too many times to count!"_ _He beamed at them,_ _"My sister even wonder if I was born with two left legs ha ha ha~"_

 _Gene laughed with him, completely forgetting his fear._ _"Is that so? That sounds like my twin wonder if I was born to run my mouth off!"_

 _"Is that so?"_

 _"Yeah!"_

 _Noll stared at his twin in disbelief,_ 'I thought you're scared of him?! Now you act like he is your new best friend?!'

 _"Yeah! By the way… do you know where Hall F is?"_ _He asked cheerfully._

 _Noll frowned,_ _"If you're thinking to join the opening ceremony, it's already over."_

 _"No, I am looking for my friends."_ _He corrected with a smile._

 _"In that case you just need to go straight to this corridor, take the first left turn and you will find a reception table and a banner of this event."_ _Gene explained, pointing at the opposite direction._

 _"Oh, that means I have walked pass the hall!" The boy said to himself in Japanese, startling the twins._ _"Thank you very much! I have to go now!"_ _He was five steps away when he turned back to the dumbfounded twins._ _"Ah, before I go… you."_ _He pointed at Noll,_ _"You should be careful of yourself, as for your twin…"_ _He pointed at Gene,_ _"Be careful of what you see, okay?"_

 _Their eyes widened in shock as what he implied sank in. "_ _You… who are you?"_

 _"Good bye!"_ _He waved at them cheerfully as he walked away,_ _"I hope I will see you guys again one day!"_

 _Twenty minutes later the twins found the trio was walking towards them and informed that they got permission from their patron to join their dinner. Gene was ecstatic to introduce his new friends, and insisted they were also Noll's much to his younger twin's exasperation. Luella and Martin were overjoyed to have more kids in their house._

 _Spanner apparently missed homemade food of his native country and Luella didn't hold back from feeding him. Irie brought a gift, a simple looking butterfly robots and Gene couldn't stop asking what the red head was working on in Italy. Gokudera spent the rest of their time at the Davises arguing with Noll about U.M.A while Martin joining in and it turned to one heated debate._

 _Three days later the trio went back to Italy, promising exchanging emails and phone calls._

 _End of Flashback_

* * *

"So." Lin eyed the two geniuses in disbelief, "You guys are friends?"

Both Hayato and Naru looked like they didn't want to call themselves that. "Don't ask… I guess Gene _is_ my friend but this jerk is more of… opponent in scientific debate?"

In short they were just arguing over and over again.

"Hn."

Hayato sighed tiredly, "Never mind… by the way since we're already face to face here." He looked around, searching and Lin knew right away who this boy was looking for. "Hey? Where is Gene? He can't leave you in Japan without looking after you."

Naru became very still and Lin didn't know what to say.

"Around one year ago…" Gokudera crossed his arms, "Irie said… emails from Gene stopped coming completely, so is yours." His eyes narrowed, "What the hell was going on with you two? If you, I am not so surprised but Gene… he sent emails, at least a dozen every month to the three of us for both of you I guess. So I couldn't help but concerned…"

"…"

"Noll…" Gokudera hissed in annoyance, "Did you hear me? You're not deaf! Answer me!" Naru clamped his mouth shut and just looked at anywhere but Gokudera. "Oi! What the hell is going on here?! Gene's last email said he was going to Japan! Then you're here! But Gene isn't!"

"…"

Lin looked down, and that was what clued the silver boy in of what have happened. "Oh… don't tell me that Gene, he…" He laughed but there was no mirth on it, "He can't be spirited away because he can't mind his own business and meddling with very single ghost he saw, ne?"

At last Naru spoke, "I wish that is the case… I wish it's a spirit that took him away, I could have saved him… but… it's human's doing."

Hayato didn't ask Naru to elaborate, he didn't need to know the details. "Is that so…" He palmed his face, "Shit… what the hell should I say to Irie and Spanner? That Gene… that idiot!"

Naru took a deep breath, "It happened… if you must know, I am looking for Gene's body."

The silver haired boy snapped back to attention, "What the hell Noll! Not only he… now even his body is missing?!" Then it dawned on Hayato how Naru found out that Gene was dead. "You saw?"

Naru nodded, "Yes… hit and run, and then…" His body was thrown like trash to nearby lake, and Gene died drowning.

"So… that's why you are here?" Hayato asked, he was still pretty shaken by the news. "Shit! You should've told us something! We could have helped you!"

Naru glared at Hayato, "I don't want anyone's help, I have to find Gene myself!"

"Stubborn bastard as usual…" Hayato scowled, "Damn… this is so screwed up! Whatever… this is your brother we're talking about so what I can say in the end…" In the end it was Gene's body, even if they got the body back Gene was still dead.

There was a long silence afterward, until Naru broke it.

"What happened to Gene… there is nothing we can do, I appreciate your sympathy but… asking about us is not why you're here right? Hayato?"

He shook his head, he wanted shout at this bastard it was not sympathy he felt for them or pity. That was just going to be another argument. "Hh… I just want to know who Shibuya Kazuya is and whether he could be trusted, and turns out it's you…" He sighed loudly, "Never mind… whatever I want to say to Shibuya Kazuya matters not, but let me ask you a question."

"What is it?"

Hayato took a deep breath, "Do you care about Hime? Enough to protect and keep her happy as long as she is part of your SPR team?"

Naru stopped on his track. Of course he cared about Mai, he couldn't be not care at all. "She thinks of me as a friend… the least I could do is returning that in equal favor."

Hayato stared at him, dumbfounded. "That's one hell of a weird answer… are you seriously answering my question?" Naru glared at him, "Aah never mind, to know you at least accept Hime as a friend is a feat on itself…"

"It's up to you how to take my answer… but still, I didn't expect your patron is apparently Mai's family."

Hayato raised an eyebrow at him, "Well… that's how it is, by the way… Hime didn't know your real name?"

"She let me keep my secrets, and I let her to keep hers." Naru bellowed.

Hayato sighed at that, "Oh well… if you two agreed on that, what can I say?" This bastard was stubborn and Hime was Hime. "At least treat her with more respect, even though you don't know who she is…"

"I don't know who the she you know is." Naru said in irritated voice, he didn't know why but it annoyed him that Hayato knew her more than he did. "I will treat her with respect I _knew_ she deserve, no more no less."

Hayato blinked at that, "Eeh… I have a feeling I miss something here."

"No you didn't miss anything." Naru growled. "Is that all, Hayato?"

Suddenly Hayato tensed and whipped his head to the side. "Hm… I guess so." That surprised Naru because usually Hayato would pick a fight with him when dismissed rudely not agreeing with him. "I will take my leave…"

Ring!

He picked his phone up, "Moshi-moshi?" Hayato blinked owlishly then his expression turned sour.

Someone knocked the door and Naru could tell it was Mai, a guest would just open the door. "Come in Mai, we're done talking!"

Mai entered the room, holding a pot of tea. "Really? Glad to see you guys talk civil enough I didn't overhear anything from next door." She looked very pleased.

Hayato turned towards Mai, "Hime… certain idiot we'd rather not acknowledge as someone we know is arrested for public indecency as usual, what should we do?"

Mai smiled at Hayato, "We don't know him, so let him locked up until your flight tomorrow night~ you can bail him in the afternoon." Mai giggled, "Wonderful~ since this mean I will not trouble you with babysitting Shamal~"

Shamal was arrested and Mai would leave him there the whole night?!

"Uhm… Sawada-san? But Doctor Shamal…"

Mai laughed softly, "Lin-san… if he landed there, most likely he deserve it~ and I'd rather he repent for one night before we bail him out!"

Hayato nodded sagely, "Very wise of you, hime!"

They were seriously going to let Shamal spend the night in jail, and obviously nothing Lin could say to save Shamal from his fate. Mai and her family had their own mysterious way to manage themselves and this was just one of it, Naru and Lin decided there were things they'd rather file in under better off not knowing for the sake of their sanity.

Although for some reason unknown Mai pulled Hayato to her office next door for a chat, no one asked why but half an hour later Hayato emerged from the office looking very distraught for who knows why and he refused to even look at Naru's face.

* * *

 **(MAI's POV)**

It was perhaps very cruel of me to drag Hayato over to my office, made him to sit down in the lounge that mirrored the office next door, just with more color than the next. He was looking at me expectantly and with no small amount of dread, he was always the most sensitive to our emotion aside from Mukuro. Although Mukuro's sensitivity to our emotion through our link was mainly because he was an astral walker, he was as emotionally distant as a guardian could be like Kyou-san.

Hayato in the other hand could tell I was about to drop a metaphorical bomb on his face, the irony didn't amuse anyone in this room for sure.

I cleared my throat, "Few days after I met Naru… Shibuya Kazuya." I craned my neck at the direction of office next door. "I met an uninvited guest in my astral world that wasn't Mukuro." I informed him before he could launch a threat of a bodily harm upon our mist. "He looks exactly like Naru."

Hayato held his breath, "Hime… you…"

"I didn't know who he is, I thought I was dreaming…. I was disoriented so my intuition was not working as well… then I came to my sense and realize I wasn't dreaming and he isn't Naru."

He became very still.

"On his third visit I caught him and made him to sit down." I sighed at the memory. "Then he tells me that… he is Naru's twin brother… Eugene."

Hayato had unreadable expression on his face.

"And he is not dead."

He blinked at that, "Wha-" He clamped his own mouth shut and gazed at the direction of office next door dreadfully and his next line was in whisper. "Gene isn't dead?"

"My intuition sensed his spirit is very much that of a living person…"

Hayato would believe this without question usually but I couldn't blame him when he said, "How is that possible? I mean… I believe what you said Hime but… how is Gene still alive? Shi-"

"I already know who he is." I assured him, "Gene… is not the most secretive, not when he open his mouth anyway… so even though I respect Naru's secret. Gene told me things I don't even want to know…"

"Aah… that idiot." Hayato groaned. "So… Noll told me he was hit by a car and drowned in a lake, how could Gene survive that?"

I shook my head, "I am not sure… but Gene himself is not sure how he ended up in that area and got into that accident, my guess is… when you're drowning… consciousness faded very quickly. Whatever happened to you next even by psychic link between twins… Naru couldn't possibly know…" Or it was a very real illusion, I was leaning towards illusion because there was no sense to injure the body just for cover.

"I see…" Hayato cupped his chin, "Then Hime… what happen to Gene now?"

I answered, "I am keeping him anchored to my astral world for now… it's not safe for him to wander in limbo…" I closed my eyes, "Because of his power he is safer than most spirit but I don't want to take any chance… I have something in mind for him but until that's done I can't say anything to Naru."

"Why?"

"Hayato… Naru didn't believe in anything without backing of factual evidence." I pointed out the obvious, "I can't show Gene to him… and I am not even sure how to explain the whole thing myself without Gene, especially not when Gene himself is pretty confused."

Hayato was a genius so most likely he had a rough idea of what I had in mind, "Hime… you make Mukuro do a favor for you? Seriously?"

"Contrary to popular belief… Mukuro is more agreeable to my order, Chrome is my best friend… he will do anything to not make her upset with him." I reminded Hayato with a smirk. "Beside… I have a feeling what happened to Gene have some sort of connection with our problem…"

His eyes widened in shock, "How?"

"Gene like I said… he was confused how he got there… a rural place in the middle of nowhere after a call from someone he didn't know but manage to get his number somehow… and he agreed to it." I informed Hayato. "Sounds familiar don't you think?"

"By Trinisette.." Hayato grumbled to himself, "How did that idiot get involved with our world?!"

I sighed, "I suspect it's something to do with his status as pure medium like Mukuro and Chrome." Hayato went ramrod straight at that, "Mukuro was… a Japanese orphan, and Estraneo went through trouble to get him for their experiment. …Grandfather wiped out all famiglie like Estraneo because they were endangering our world with their thirst for power… the knowledge of what make pure medium like them is special is lost… or so we think…"

Hayato gritted his teeth, "But Mukuro back then was a brat with no name, Chrome is Mukuro's lucky find but Gene is too famous! Are they mad to get him of all medium in the world?"

"A fame which matters not when he is reported as a missing person." I corrected in somber tone. "Gene… from what Mukuro said is an even better medium than they are, then again both Chrome and Mukuro did their best to not harness that potential of theirs... Gene in the other hand…"

Hayato paled, "Hime! You let him enter your world?"

"And he behaves…" I continued, "Hayato, focus!"

He lowered his gaze in shame, "I am sorry… but still Hime, what this unknown enemy want from Gene?"

I shook my head, "I don't know but I am afraid… maybe it's because he and Naru shares a lot of similarity to us, twin psychic's connection wise…"

"That's…"

"That's my worse guess… but it could be just because he is a perfect medium." I lowered my gaze. "I haven't sense anyone with dangerous intention for Naru yet… hate to admit it but there is almost nothing to learn on us when they only have one of the twins…" I offered in somber tone. "Gene said their link is still on but one sided and Naru didn't even notice that… we're linked in spirit anyway so anyone who have Gene's body won't learn anything on that."

Hayato nodded, sighing in relief. "Then Gene's spirit..."

"I am keeping him safe for now…" I glanced to the side. "His spirit at least… but I can't say the same for his body, but since his spirit is alive his body too…"

Our storm smiled briefly, "Well… that much is good too… then Hime, if Noll find the lake-"

"Expect to find a good fake body…" I told him, "I will help Naru to find that lake… I am sure 'they' keep watch on it in case divers are hired to search a corpse there, and to keep Gene's deceased status some hypnotist would be involved… so civilians will think it's Gene…"

"Che… anyone from our world dabbling in this kind of thing is always meticulous…" Hayato grumbled to himself. "Then Hime… what would you like me to do?"

I took a deep breath, and considered my option. "Keep this information to our inner circle, I give you full authority to decide who to be informed… we're going behind our famiglia's back."

He cringed at that, "Well… we don't have much choice on that… with Takeshi and Ryohei it would be easy… I will just tell them what to do without giving info, they know they're no good at lying anyway… Lambo is getting better but worse comes to worse…"

"Keep him out of this." I stressed. "Chrome and Mukuro naturally already know… inform Shouichi and Spannner too, as for my girls…" Namely Hana, Kyouko and Haru-chan. "I will tell them myself when I have my chance to do so…"

He nodded, "Naturally our predecessors should be kept out of the loop."

I couldn't help but felt a tick growing on my temple, "Father is obviously not to know… but it's especially true for your grandfather… Coyote, he will just frown at us disapprovingly anyway…"

"I am really sorry for him, Hime…" Hayato bemoaned, "He has the best interest of our family in mind, but he is too…"

I raised my hand. "Never mind… it's partly our fault for getting on the wrong foot with him anyway. After all in Coyote's point of view we're all upstart brat who dare to start with a revolution of all things in our world…"

Then again back then we didn't give the world a choice, change or going down.

"The world have to change anyway… Hime.' He murmured softly. "We were dying back then…"

I smiled at him and then said, "You have your order… my storm… Arrivederci…"

Hayato bowed and I didn't stop him this time, _"Si, il mio cielo…"_

* * *

 **(3** **rd** **Person POV)**

"Alright… it's time for me to go back to hotel." Hayato grumbled as he run his fingers through his silver locks. "I will come to say hi to that _guy_ at last tomorrow and check on him…"

Mai giggled, "I am sorry Hayato, and good luck." Then she tip-toed and kissed his left cheek and then his right.

Hayato just smiled back at her, used to the affectionate gesture. "Well then… Shibu-" Since Noll wanted to keep his real name a secret… Hayato paused, backing away when he saw how pissed his not-quite-a-friend looked. "What's your problem?!" He was trying to be courteous and the bastard was glaring for who knows why?!

"Nothing." Naru hissed, he was annoyed at how close Mai was with Hayato but he was not going to admit that. "Now your business with us is finished, you should go."

"I am about to go already, you bastard!" Hayato hollered.

Mai looked at Naru in confusion, _'What set him off all of a sudden?"_

 _"_ That's it! I will never be your friend, you moody narcissist!"

And that was how the surprisingly-not-so-stormy visit of Gokudera Hayato to SPR ended.

* * *

 **Mai and Naru's Apartment (Lift)**

"You're not going to ask about Hayato and me?" Naru asked.

Mai blinked at him and then she answered, "Hm… it's enough for me to know you guys are somewhat friends. I am so happy to know that~ and before I forgot thank you for being his friend… Hayato is pretty awkward socially."

"I also knew Shouichi and Spanner… and they're much quieter than Hayato." Naru added, while he was not as close as Gene with those two he knew them well enough that they respected secrecy at least.

Mai's eyes widened at that, "Whoa… you unexpectedly know some of my family members! Anyone else you know?"

Naru shook his head, "If the pattern is… someone of Italian descent or genius in their field, I believe only Hayato, Shouichi and Spanner."

 **TING!**

"Hm… is that so?" Mai cupped her chin as they stepped out of the elevator, "Hayato seemed pretty depressed though." Naru tensed at that and Mai sighed, "I will not ask… don't show me such face Naru, I don't like distressing you." Especially after Naru waived off the whole ordeal –Mai went on his back with Lin for his meds- and moved on with life.

A small smile curved his lips at that, "Oh really?"

"I don't like to deal with a grumpy Naru, you know… it's bad for our business." Mai joked.

"SPR is not a business… we're research organization first and foremost." He pointed out, although he knew very well Mai called it business just to guilt-trip those who came to their office uninvited just for her beverage.

"Yeah~ but you do know most of our clients are distressed soul… so your grumpiness will just make them think our office is not welcoming them."

"There is a reason why I have my own room and your desk is right near by our door." Naru retorted. "The right person in the right place."

"…Naru, you just admitted you're not suitable to receive client."

"Like I want to receive them."

* * *

 **HA! Bet you didn't see this coming ho ho ho ho~  
BTW this is also a subtle hint... what happen when storm meet storm spinning in different direction, they're gone. At least I read this somewhere in theory...  
**

 **Yeah it's TSUNA! At last he appeared, in another flashback but well.. better than nothing ^^**

 **So yeah~ welcome to my plot twist ho ho ho...**

 **next chap: Mai is not happy, gloomy cloud is hanging over shibuya... who knows if it will rain, storm or even hail coming from up there? Naru is about to find that apparently in Mai's family, testimony from a cute yellow bird on supernatural phenomena is legit.**


	15. Case 04, prologue- Part 01

**Case 04- Part 01**

It was just another day in their life as a Ghost Hunter. Or so Naru thought because at night the moment he opened his laptop, it had been hacked by Shouichi who slammed a video call he had no choice but had to pick up. Shouchi and Spanner were pissed, although mid-rant Shouichi promptly collapse because of his gastric problem and Naru was forced to promise them to send emails again.

His first email was to ask Shouichi to hack Japan's investigator database because he wanted to know how far they had gotten in search of Gene. Shouichi only took two days, because he did more than what Naru asked and sent everything he had stolen without an ounce of guilt, then summarized to Naru that the investigators had combed a good part of Japan where Gene was last seen and came out with _nothing_.

 _Noll, I don't think you can rely on them at all… almost a year and they didn't even get where Gene was for the last two days. There was no record of Gene after he checked out of his hotel. He wandered off somewhere afterward and didn't stay anywhere with accessible record like inn or hotel.  
I hacked on security camera of all transportation available in the area. Gene took a train… the problem is afterward there is an unexplainable electrical problem so I lost him before he alighted from that train. However… most likely he hitched a ride or a taxi. I lost him… it's a very large rural area as you saw in your vision. No surveillance system, means, I can't track him any further. I am so sorry.  
Shouichi. _

He agreed with Shouichi, that was why he was here in the first place.

 _It's fine… Shouichi, you have done enough.  
Now I can cut down my search in smaller regions. You know Gene, he loves travelling..,  
Hopefully I can find him soon, Japan couldn't have that many lake…  
Noll _

Shouichi disagreed.

 _Rural area was cut off from populated area like cities, Noll.  
Japan has more lakes than what you can see on the map.  
Beside… smaller lake, newly made reservoir… the possibility is endless  
I don't want to be the pessimist but… a lake it's not the best landmark to use.  
Shouichi_

Naru groaned at that.

 _I'd rather to hear the fact and you're not giving me any false hope in this.  
It's never easy, and I know that.  
You're never a pessimist, we're just realistic. We're researcher, we have to be realistic.  
Noll _

Shouichi replied.

 _Is there anything else you need me for?  
Shouichi_

Naru typed back.  
 _That's all for now,  
Thank you._

* * *

 **Somewhere unknown…**

 _Where are you? Where have you gone?_

 _This mist… I can't see!_

 _Please! Listen to us! We beg of you!_

 _Listen! Don't ignore me!_

 _Please!_

 _Please! Let us to get close! Show us the light!_

* * *

 **November, Wednesday**

Mai and Naru was sitting face to face in second office's lounge, on his hand was a five hundred yen coin. It was a slow day for SPR, so Naru took this chance for his practice that require Mai's assistance. Anyone would do actually but Mai was challenging than Lin or his two phantom friends because…

Cling!

Naru's thumb flicked the coin to the air and Mai's eyes followed the coin, and Naru could see even hidden beneath the contact lens her eyes shimmered like amber of flame as she gazed at the flipping coin. She murmured something then declared. "Tail."

Calling his PK in smallest amount possible he sent the energy towards the moving coin.

Mai sighed when the coin landed on the table, not bouncing because it bent in two. "Fail."

He groaned, "This is frustrating…"

Mai snorted. "Lower it again… 46% from what you used just now, you should make the coin land on head…" She smirked, "Or is it too fast for you? Maybe you should try a simpler exercise…"

"Mai." Naru frowned at her.

The brunette just sighed and opened the jar full of coins. "You have wasted around ten thousand yen in one week Naru." She gestured towards the pile of broken coins on the side.

The dark haired psychic scowled, "Don't remind me…"

Mai flicked another coin and said. "Head."

This time Naru let Mai had her turn. "Hm… 142 and 3/4 turns, once it reaches the floor, it would bounce 4 times… returning after 5.2 seconds—stopping on Head."

The coin did exactly that, fell on the floor and bounced four times and stopped with head faced up.

"He he… I won!"

Why they were playing coin toss? It was an exercise for their ability, Naru had to use his PK in small amount so the coin showed the other face than one Mai bet on, while Mai had to guess correctly like usual coin toss but she had to describe how it was going to end up that way.

So far the score was in Mai's favor, 78 to 28

"You improved Naru~" Mai assured him, "On the first day you only got three… you reach twenty is a vast improvement."

Naru's left eye twitched, "Mai… you scored 78% while I got 28%..."

Mai sweat-dropped, "You're seriously competing with me? Naru…"

"And the 22 you miss is minor…" Naru pointed out, "Most of the time you miss how many times the coin bounce or it will stuck and so on to miss." Naru palmed his face, glaring at his failed pile with distaste. "And I… fail 72 times out of one hundred in epic proportion." It was hurting his pride tremendously. "Still... first PK-LT now you can even faked PK-MT with your intuition."

" I wouldn't call it faking since I never call what I did as PK anyway! Still… I pride myself in my control, not brute power..." Mai pointed out, "In the first place your power is immense… you're more of power type. I agreed on this because you need an opponent, but can you please don't compare yourself with me? It's like comparing exorcism kill of Hara-san and Bou-san."

In short it was no competition but Naru wanted to turn it to one.

Naru wordlessly took another coin and flipped it. Mai sighed, here we go again.

"He-" She was about to say but her intuition alerted her to something else.

Badump!

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

I couldn't stop myself from tensing, my whole senses were spooked. "Wha." I clasped my hand on my mouth but it was too late, the yelp had escaped my lips and giving away my shock.

Naru frowned at me, "What's wrong?"

Damn it! How the hell did _he_ get so close and I noticed only just now?! I glanced at Naru and made up my mind. "I need to go out for a sec!" I told him in hurry before I rushed out of the office before he could ask, but before I left I poked my head back in. "Don't follow me! Seriously don't!" Then I closed the door.

I had no delusion Naru would stay put as I said so I had to hurry before… I stopped in front of escalator of our office building, looking down at the other end where two familiar figures were standing. The taller man with regent hairstyle looked up with apologetic look on his face, while the other…

A boy around Naru's age with steel colored eyes and hair as dark stared back at me unrepentantly as if there was nothing wrong with showing up in front of my workplace. Then again in long years knowing this guy I never remembered seeing him feeling guilt or even sympathy. Even when my brother had to haul him out of trouble because he was too proud to ask for help.

I groaned, rubbing my temple as I walked down the escalator. Why the hell… no, _how_ the hell he got here? This was Shibuya for freaking out loud, one of the most crowded place in Japan! This guy and crowd never mix, although… I glanced around and felt really dumb to see our surrounding was eerily empty.

"I am so sorry for this… Hime." Tetsu-san said with a sheepish smile.

She didn't even want to know what this guy pull to make the street empty. Wait! She had to know and he was going to answer her! "What are you doing here… Kyo-san?"

The cloud guardian of Vongola crossed his arms haughtily, "Business."

As if that explained anything?!

"So… this is as far as I could get close without you noticing." Kyo-san grumbled to himself, "If it's _him_ I would've been stopped at least one hundred meters farther."

I snorted, so he learned an art of stealth now? Maybe he learned his lesson on subtlety at least a little. "If you come for a request for my current mentor, please give me five minutes before you go in." I rubbed my temple, already feeling the phantom pain of incoming headache. Why the hell of all people in my family it was Kyo-san who got to meet Naru next?!

"I need to warn him first."

Tetsu-san nodded, "That would be for the best."

* * *

 **SPR's office (Naru's POV)**

Mai looked very serious when she told me to not follow her and her warning was enough to make me stare at the closed door for a full minute before I decided to ignore her warning. I was already in our corridor when I heard Mai's hurried footsteps and she appeared from the corner. She didn't look hurt, ruffled or anything but definitely unhappy for some reason.

Sensing my presence as quickly as usual, she rushed to my side and I almost took one step back and wondered what just came over her. "Mai?"

She sighed loudly before reached out to hold my left shoulder, it was just a light touch but then my body twisted around in reflex. This was… "Mai! Don't use this trick on me!"

"Just go inside!" She rolled her eyes as she opened the door, "I will explain this to you about this later, promise." I grunted as she pushed me lightly back to our office. "A client is coming and I suggest you to be prepared for a hard time." She told me grimly before she closed the door behind us, grumbling something incoherent that could be Italian under her breath.

I sighed as I made my way towards the sofa where we usually received our client, and asked. "Your acquaintance? Family member like Hayato."

She nodded curtly before she took a seat on the sofa on my left. "This person is quite… difficult." Her eyes closed, and she obviously looked troubled. "Hayato is nothing compared to him in scale of difficulty." Hayato got a temper but he had more common sense than the cloud of their family.

"It wouldn't be the first time for me to see a difficult client, beside… I have not say anything about accepting this request. Your family or not…" I reminded her coolly.

She sighed, "Knowing this person, the chance he is coming with nonsensical request is zero." Mai stated confidently, a sign this was someone she knew very well. "Although most likely the one who would do most of the talking is his assistant, and he would stay as quiet as a rock." Mai looked to the side, "And whatever you do I beg you… don't bother trying to question him."

I frowned at the last part, "Then why he even bother coming? It's not strange for a client to send a representative."

"That." Mai looked like she was going to choke. "I can't say… I am also pretty confused why he came in person."

What was with her today? All thing considered Mai had been a very helpful assistant of mine, and if she warned me about something usually it would be less painful for all party involved to heed it.

"Alright… let's see this prospective client."

She sighed in relief before turned to the door. "Come in."

They already in front of our door?

The first who came in was a man dressed in black suits and white undershirt, he had regent hairstyle I thought was already extinct. However it was the second person behind him who caught my attention.  
A teenager around my age with short black hair and sharp grey eyes. He swept his eyes across our office before it stopped at me, narrowing as if appraising me and then his lips quirked to an unsettling smirk.

"Kyo-san." Mai said in warning tone I never heard before, it sounded odd to my ears because she was stressing she was not going to let any room for an argument.

The man I assumed was this 'Kyo-san's assistant glanced warily back at his superior then towards Mai who was directing her eyes at her acquaintance. "Excuse us then." He muttered as he took a seat right in the middle of long sofa across one I occupied.

The sharp eyed teen took the sofa across Mai's, glancing at her direction and earning a narrowed eyes before he settled on looking at nothing in particular. It almost looked like he was dozing off and Mai sighed exasperatedly. Obviously Mai knew this guy very well… too well.

"Allow me to introduce myself and our… director, I'm Kusakabe Tetsuya… and over there is Hibari Kyouya."

In short Mai called this person with a nickname, very close… too close.

"Today…"

I raised my hand to stop him, "We would like to take your name, age and occupation first to fill our form of request first so if you please…"

Mai however had different idea, she already started writing on her own. "I'm sorry but if we can skip the procedure for now it would be better."

"Mai." I chided her, acquaintance or not she shouldn't skip formality.

"Right." The assistant, Kusakabe agreed right away. "That would be very helpful, Hime…"

Again, these people called Mai, their princess. I asked her after she hired those two subordinates of her about it, but she assured me she didn't like the glorified title that much either even though she was used to it already. It was part of tradition in her family and even if she hated it, she couldn't throw it out of the window.

Since the client said so, arguing over formality would be pointless. I had a feeling both Mai and Kusakabe wanted to cut the time I spent in the same room as Hibari Kyouya as short as possible, and they had a good reason for it.

"So what is the problem we can help you with?" I asked.

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

Kusakabe cleared his throat, "Our organization is going to build a new facility in an old abandoned amusement park. It was called Kokuyo Park."

I could feel myself twitching at the name. Why the hell you wanted to build a new facility in Kokuyo? Some sort of petty revenge or desire to erase reminder of unpleasant episode? Wait… Kokuyo was…

"There are some problems with construction." Tetsu-san began to explain, "Some of our machines would run wild on its own, construction worker getting sick when working, machine breaking for no apparent reason… and strange noises." He was shaking his head, "It mostly happen at night shift construction… and we have stand guard in case it's rampant attempt of sabotage. However…" Tetsu-san glanced at Kyo-san. "When we do… the strange things stop happening."

Naru frowned at the last part, "Then the possibility of human sabotaging your construction is high."

"So we thought." Tetsu-san sighed wearily, "So we widened the perimeter of our security after a clean sweep of surrounding of the site." A standard procedure employed in our family and also in Foundation. "Then it started again." Tetsu-san then added for a good measure, "Our security system is the best of the best and our men are professionals. The possibility of intruder slipping in is almost nonexistent."

"…"

"If you want, we don't mind explaining our system if you don't believe us. From professional to another, keeping it confidential."

Inwardly I was nodding in approval, this man was indeed Kyo-san's second in command. He was nowhere inferior to Hayato.

Naru's eyes gleamed with interest even though he just heard so little of their request, most likely because Tetsu-san show of professionalism and pride in their job. "My company thrive in investigation, thus… naturally we have to consider every possibility. Could you tell me what make you think aside from possibility of human intruder is nonexistent, the cause could be supernatural in nature?"

"That's…" Tetsu-san hesitated for a moment.

"This little one here will answer that."

I turned to my brother's cloud in disbelief, _he talked._ Of course he could, but… why? It must be serious if Kyo-san deigned to talk to someone he didn't know that not consisting of threat to bite them for crowding or being noisy. My eyes quickly drawn towards the one wriggling out of his pocket, it was Hibird.

As cute as ever! But why! Why Naru had to be exposed to one of weirdest side of my family?! Why couldn't we start from the normal side?

…On second thought, did we even have something normal in Vongola? The most normal members we had were…

Certain student of my father, who was polite to the fault and spoke in twelfth century Japanese. Miraculously until today he still believed Japan didn't have indoor plumbing yet.  
A mostly normal red haired genius inventor, whose nervous wreck resulted to severe gastric problem.  
Eyepatch wearing girl who could swap body with her boyfriend and mentor.

Well Naru already knew Shouichi but Kyo-san was on the violent side of weird in my family. Violent, dangerous and traumatizing side of weird with Mukuro and the rest of Varia.

"A canary, with odd body proportion." Naru observed the ball like bird, then turned towards me with a silent inquiry.

I sighed, "Foundation bred this new species… they're as smart as chimpanzee…" I beckoned the Hibird to hop to my fingers. "This is Hibird, the flock leader… he is very good in espionage."

Hibird puffed its feathered chest proudly at Naru, and he stared back. "Alright, are you telling me we're going to take testimony from… a bird?"

"Animal is known to be more sensitive than human to supernatural entities." I supplied to him. "I am surprised there is no case recorded from animal who can mimic human voice…" Then I turned to the canary on my finger. "What did you see Hibird?"

He chirped then began to tell us, Hibird style. "Flame ball! Ghost! Angry! Attack, attack!"

Naru eyed Hibird skeptically and tried, "How this ghost you see looks like?"

"Small!" Then Hibird flew up and down, around three to four feet. "This big."

"It really can see ghost?" Naru felt dumb for asking but he did. "Wait… did he mean the ghost is around the height of his jump?"

I rolled my eyes, "Hibird won't tell you if he can't… so how many?"

"Three." Hibird chirped, "Angry! Scary~ big eyes! Recorded!"

Silence…

"Recorded!" Hibird chirped as it flew back to the table and brandished it's choker that adorned with a small camera. "Recorded ghost! Evil!"

"Ara." Mai clasped her hands, "Very good, you recorded him!"

Naru suppressed his urge to get angry at a bird with bird brain or monkey brain. "You… equipped them with camera?"

They nodded, "By the way camera Hibird and his flock carried around are all infrared, motion sensitive and so on… we don't have to bring any I am sure." I informed him sheepishly. "Kyo-san… I believe you have thermography camera too." Kyoya raised an eyebrow at me and I rolled my eyes, "Of course you do…"

"And you put them on a bird?" Naru asked incredulously.

Putting a camera on a bird was not the weirdest thing we ever did, "Hm… yeap?"

"Hibird is competent." Kusakabe said with a sagely nod. "Would you like to watch the recording now? We also had a projector ready to connect it." He said as he pulled out a laptop, a data cable and a mini projector.

Naru undoubtedly was wondering if we were messing with him now, because why should he interviewed a bird just now if it recorded what it saw. Knowing Tetsu-san and Kyo-san, at some point they forgot Hibird was a bird and thought he deserved a chance to tell his story before showing the recording. Usually witness told their story first before showing photo and the likes.

"Mai, turn off the lights and shut the blinds." Naru seemed to decide all of this was not worth his concern.

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

Talking bird was not unusual but to see a canary patrolling en-masse for security was bizarre. Then again since Mai's company hired Shouichi, Hayato and Spanner it was perhaps no wonder they went out their wat on bizarre department. I didn't care if it was a bird who recorded the phenomena, if it was legit and worth investigating it didn't matter.

Then we watched the video, which was unusual because it was taken from bird view. Something the size of human children or monkey were rampaging all over the site, they were pretty slow but determined to wreck as much chaos as possible. The entities blinked in and out, but their outline was faint green. It was in the middle of gnawing a bulldozer.

"What was that?" Mai wondered out loud.

I narrowed my eyes, "Definitely not human doing…" I craned my neck toward Kusakabe-san, the man I suspected was also former superior of Tojo and Shima. "Is there anyone… _human_ staff who saw?"

Kusakabe frowned, "Hm… I don't think so, but some of us did hear the noise of the rampage… it stopped when we got near though."

Lin who came out of his office when the video was playing chimed in, "I think… it's possible it's not human spirit… I think it's a youkai… or human spirit taking shape of a youkai. Most likely these spirits are very old."

"But why now?" Mai wondered out loud, "When this place used to be a theme part there is no rumor whatsoever… "

I looked at her curiously, "You have been there?"

Mai nodded, "Yes… Kokuyo used to be the only theme park around my hometown when I was little." Her hometown? I had presumed she lived in Italy for most of her life but it made sense if she also lived in Japan in her childhood. "Well… after it was abandoned it was rumored to be haunted but… " Mai exchanged looks with HIbari Kyouya and a silent conversation was passed over, and he was… growling? "We ever visited the place after it was abandoned for… excursion!"

Kusakabe-san laughed at that, "Yeah… you see it's an excursion, Hime even had a picnic there."

They were hiding something but as usual when Mai was concerned, it was not a complete lie. They had a picnic in an abandoned theme park? Some sort of test of courage perhaps.

"Turned out it's just used as a hideout for delinquent gang from nearby middle school." Mai explained, she was smiling now. "There was no supernatural entities back then…"

"When was this?" I prodded.

"Three years ago… when I was in my first year of middle school." Mai supplied.

"You sensed nothing back then?"

Mai shook her head, "Erm… supernatural entities, no we didn't but well… maybe because we were _very_ distracted back then. Not to mention we were there from morning to afternoon… so maybe that was also a factor."

I was very tempted to ask what distracted her but I knew this was one of many things she didn't want me to ask so I didn't. As the lights was back on and I wrote the last part of my analysis on my notes, I decided. "We will take your case, please prepare a base and place for us to stay at night… and if possible we would like a map of the area, when it was still a theme park."

Kusakabe nodded, "We can easily arrange it."

"And since the area is large we would like to use camera you have installed to monitor supernatural activity in this place." I added, there was no reason to not use available resource our client already had in place.

Kusakabe looked at his director now, earning a sigh. "That would be no problem, as long as you have our people with you when using them."

"Are Tojo and Shima qualified?" I asked, I disliked outsiders to be around longer than necessary.

He nodded, "Of course… they are Hime's now but they're qualified."

"Very well then, we will investigate your case as soon as we can."

As soon as that line left my lips HIbari Kyouya stood up and walked towards the door, and Mai shook her head exasperatedly. Which made me wonder why Mai didn't say anything, if it was me she would have. Surprisingly of all people it was Lin who halted Hibari Kyouya's determined stride to our door.

"Pardon me, but do you happen to be related to Fon-" Lin said but he was stopped.

Mai suddenly jumped from her seats and using the sofa I occupied for extra height, she covered Lin's mouth before he could finish his sentence. "Lin-san! Shhh!" Then she turned towards Hibari Kyouya who for some reason had become ramrod straight and his hands were twitching as if to grab something from his pocket. "Kyo-san, get going now! Foundation is not going to manage themselves, ne?"

"Hn." He grunted, but his glare never leave Lin. "Never mention that accursed name in front of me, or I will bite you to death!"

Did he just threaten to kill Lin?! Or was that a Japanese idiom I didn't know?

Mai gritted her teeth, "Kyou-san! OUT!" Whatever power Mai had she seemed to pour all of it to her voice to get HIbari Kyouya to listen to her.

"Hn." He inclined his head at Mai before he opened the door and exited the room followed by his assistant who for some reason looked pretty shaken as if some sort of crisis just passed. A crisis I was not aware off even after the door was closed and the two was out of our sight.

"…"

"…"

Mai let go of Lin but didn't move from her perch on the armrest of my sofa, she looked very relieved. "That was close!" She patted her chest to calm down her erratic heartbeat.

"Sawada-san!" Lin hissed, "What was that?"

Mai whipped her head to Lin, "Never ever ask Kyo-san whether he is related to certain famous martial art practitioner from China who was also a Taoist!"

"Fong Xiao Lang?" Lin murmured in disbelief, "He is really related to such a great man? He does looks alike with Fong-shi…" Wasn't that a famous Taoist Lin looked up to, I recalled his face was featured once in an old article when I was very young.

Mai moaned, "Yes… they're related, Fong-san is Kyo-san's uncle from his mother side… I don't know why either but it's a _very_ sore subject with him, and even Fong-san clamped up about their blood relation." She rubbed her temple. "When I said Kyo-san is difficult… I mean it, he is very ill tempered and he hates crowding."

"Crowding?" I echoed.

"He likes to be alone and hates company." Mai elaborated with a sigh, "It's almost like a chronic disease, but that's just how it is… "

"Then correct me if I'm wrong, but this Hibari-san… is he a violent person?" It was not a guess even though I worded it as a query.

Mai groaned, "Erm… that's an understatement, he never attack people for no reason though but well… I doubt he will be around when we investigate but if you or others see him, please…" Mai was pleading now, "Please leave him alone, if you want to ask something direct it to Kusakabe or me… I beg you…"

She looked like she was about to cry so all Lin and I could do what nodding at her pleas, and she bounced back in better mood. At least that was I thought before she pulled her phone and made dozens of calls in Italian, Chinese and Japanese rapidly.

* * *

 **3** **rd** **Person POV (Few hours later…)**

Tojo and Shima was out on an errand when Hibari Kyouya came as oppressive cloud hanging over SPR's office. So they were shocked out of their wits when they found their princess had left early to prepare things and Lin informed them of the visit. First they checked if Lin and Naru were unharmed in any way, then they checked their office for material damage before they slumped on the floor in relief with their back facing each other.

"Haaaa… that was close." Tojo mumbled.

"Hime, bless you." Shima moaned weakly.

Lin crouched down to his fellow phantom members of SPR, "I wonder if you will enlighten us of what kind of man this Hibari Kyouya who I-" He glanced briefly at his charge and superior. "I presume was your superior."

They glanced at him then looked at the window where gloomy cloud was hanging in the sky, "Like that cloud… you see, he hung over the sky and people walking outside would look at it warily all the time because they have no idea it will rain, or spout thunder and lightning at them… cloud is the moodiest weather phenomena because it's a catalysis of storm, rain and thunder… even its presence make you wary what it's going to throw at you…"

"Cloud?" Naru echoed in confusion, but that man did have the same feel of a cloud. Aloof and unbound.

"And there are times… they're just there…" Tojo muttered wistfully, "The cloud is drifting about in vast sky freely, just there and be a very calming presence just with being there…" They murmured to themselves.

 **Three Days Later…**

It was a sunny day, and it surprised Naru that their destination was just one hour ride from Tokyo. Much to his exasperation Bou-san overheard of this case and demanded to be included and used his own car to go there so they couldn't stop him from coming.

If given a choice of spiritualists to bring along Naru would rather have John who was much quieter and listening to order well. Then again, the monk was the next best choice, much better than Matsuzaki or Hara-san. Naru couldn't help but hope for once they didn't need the whole team. Damn, he started to refer to them as a team.

In effort to distract himself from the thought of calling the ragtag bunch as his team, Naru asked. "Is Kokuyo your hometown?" Naru glanced at Mai who had a map open on her lap, acting as their navigator.

Mai shook her head, "No, near Kokuyo there is a neighboring town called Namimori… I lived there until I was thirteen…" Until the ring battle they moved to Palermo with their new family and lived there. "Kokuyo Land is located right between Namimori and Kokuyo."

"Hee… considering how fluent you are, I thought you live most of your life in Italy." He was not one for idle talk but Mai's gave tiny piece of puzzles of her mysterious life.

Mai shrugged, "Hm… actually when we were young I think we spent our summer in our villa in Burano…"

"That famous fishing village?" Naru recalled their parents brought them there once, a small island with colorful houses in Italy. Luella loved their lace art.

She nodded, "We also have a house in Venice… but I have only been there once. We didn't speak Italian much at home either, but then once we took our place in office… like it or not we have to learn to speak multiple languages." Chinese, English, Italian and Esperanto were the prioritized ones.

Naru wondered if Mai even realized she spoke of herself in plural, including her brother. It seemed Mai was much closer to her brother than he was to Gene. "I see… so Namimori?"

"Hm." She nodded. "Shouchi used to live there too… "

Shouichi too? That was surprising. "Why did Hibari-san want to demolish the theme park now?" Naru asked. "I mean… if I presume he reside mainly in Namimori, why he take Kokuyo Land that located between Namimori and Kokuyo?"

Mai sighed at that, "Because Kokuyo Land is… a place with unpleasant memory, so when a chance to wipe it out and build something useful in its place he jump on it." Humiliating memory but Mai was not going to tell Naru about that. "Don't mention it to any of Foundation Members… just write his reason off as personal mixed with business of our family." Personal grudge with his fellow guardian no one wanted to bring up.

"I see…"

Mai glanced at Naru then said, "To be honest it surprised me why he even bother to come in person to our office, I think like Hayato… he wanted to see you in person."

He snorted, "So… all of your family members want to make sure you're not working with the wrong sort?" Mai had unreadable expression at the last part. "So far I have meet Hayato, Hibari… Shouichi and Spanner… who else?"

Mai sighed again, "I think… there would be four more who will be interested to see you in person, fortunately all of them are more… sociable than Kyo-san."

Although in Mukuro's case the term sociable was a little twisted, but he was not socially crippled considering he could talk civilly when the need suits him. Kyo-san plainly refused any of that. Lambo was too young to be concerned of this complicated matter. Ryou-nii was easily distracted and forgetful but the worse he could do was deafening Naru and Lin with his voice. And Takeshi-kun… considering Naru was alright with Hayato, he should be the least Mai worried about as always… Most of her family would get on Naru's nerve but that was normal, their coworkers got that all the time anyway.

"I am not sociable."

"Sociable in my understanding in regards to my family member is possibility to talk in civil manner." Mai elaborated. "You cleared Hayato… never mind Kyo-san, the rest would be alright." Mai shifted, "I _think_."

In short, Mai didn't have a very high estimation… of him or her family members Naru would never know until he meet them in person.

* * *

 **Kokuyo Land (Mai's POV)**

The same old Kokuyo Land, the rundown old amusement park and judging from how I couldn't tell it apart from what I remembered the last time I had been here, obviously Foundation didn't get much job done yet. No wonder Kyo-san was pissed. However I could see some changes, like… the construction equipment, lumbers from the trees they cleaned up and so on. However most of prominent structure was intact.

Especially the house of mirror, the glass house and the theater building. I could see the haunted house was still standing, but in worse condition than most, it lost half of its wall already.

"Well… hello old Kokuyo~"

Naru eyed me curiously, "You seems to recognize this place still…"

"It's already pretty rundown when I visited it last…" I replied, "My parents used to bring me and my brother here… I loved their house of mirror and Haunted House."

Naru snorted at that, "Of course you do."

"Actually… rather than loving the attraction, I loved to drag my terrified brother in to them." I corrected him, smiling at the fond memory.

He blinked at that owlishly, "Pardon me… I was assuming you and your twin share the same ability." Considering we were twins, it was pretty obvious I supposed. "So I thought supernatural entities avoid him too…"

I nodded, there was no point hiding it. "Actually… my brother is worse than I am to them, if he come to this place supernatural entities in one mile radius would flee just with sensing his presence." At his dumbfounded look I glanced at Lin, "Especially Lin-san… if my brother get close to you I can imagine your shiki will drag you by force with them."

"He is… that powerful?" Lin blinked.

I nodded, then glanced at Naru. "Very much so… I told you that you remind me of him. Oozing power literally and have to keep them under tight control all the time…" I frowned. "Hm… actually I think he is also why I rarely met any ghost and the likes." They avoid me but they didn't flee until I get close enough, in my brother's case? They didn't even want to be anywhere near him the moment they sensed him.

"And yet… he is terrified of them?" Naru asked in disbelief. "Supernatural entities that wouldn't even want to be anywhere near him?"

I shrugged, "What? You're human too… everyone have their own fear, my brother just happen to have unreasonable fear for scary thing… he used to be afraid of dogs too and his own scary reflection in House of Mirror."

"What a strange person your brother is…"

"Maybe… but I think because of that fear he is blessed by his power." I closed my eyes, "He is a person who very aware of his power, and sometimes I think he is scared of himself more than anything." I glanced at Naru. "However it's also his greatest strength to overcome his fear and turn them to resolution.

My smiled softened, "Small example… even though I dragged him to scary places he hated, he will always hold my hand tightly and walk in front of me… no matter how scared he is… he will always put me first and foremost." I closed my eyes, imagining the warm hand on mine, "After all… no matter how scaredy cat he used to be, he is still an older brother."

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

That was just the way how older brother would act to their younger sibling, or so Mai implied. Gene was like that too I supposed, at least he tried to be the reliable older brother even though he was an idiot. Not to mention he endangered himself and also me too many times to count because he couldn't stop meddling with the dead's problem. Well, he was reliable in investigation but protecting me? Not so much.

"I can't believe he set up the base there." Mai's voice snapped me out of my thought.

My eyes blinked at what Mai was looking at, it was a small structure with diameter around fifteen feet, with hexagonal shape, and it looked like an UFO. "Let me guess… this is Hayato's idea."

"Actually it's Shouichi's." Mai corrected, and I held back a grimace at the news. "By the way… it can move like a hermit crab."

"And Hibari-san expected us to use this as our base?" I couldn't help but ask incredulously. "For your information one of Shouichi's jumping robot… I think it was a frog, he sent one to my place and it latched on someone's face for the whole day." Gene's face to be exact and I had to use my PK to pry it off of Gene. "I'd rather not going inside this thing."

Mai shrugged, "Nah~ this one is safe, I think the one you got was a prototype. I'm not sure either why but Shouchi's prototype always going crazy in funny way…" Her eyes wandered, recalling a specific memory. "There is one butler robot that take my coffee straight from my hand and drank it."

At least it didn't try to eat your twin's face, Mai. I could imagine that butler robot committed a suicide with drinking your coffee and fry its circuits.

Mai giggled, "Since then we forbid him and Spanner from creating robot for servicing people aside from themselves. For some reason Shouchi and Spanner _always_ failed programming manner on their robot…"

"And you still want us to go inside this thing?" This was not about fear, but only someone dumb would want to enter anything Shouichi created with Spanner, and definitely not me, not after his frog robot tried to eat Gene's face.

"If it's robots for security, he never failed… at least not that I know off."

Which mean he could have failed when you weren't watching. "Will Lin be alright to spend most of his time inside with Tojo and Shima?"

"Seriously Naru… not that I can fault you to be skeptical after one of Shouichi's robots went crazy in front of you, I am sure our bodyguards would survive the night inside this…"

I crossed my arms, I was not convinced. "We will check the surrounding buildings and see if there is any in good condition to set up our own base." I decided firmly, "Or we can ask for a big tent… I don't want us to be inside something electronic near a nest of supernatural entities."

"Actually…" Mai trailed off before she decided to keep quiet. "Alright… I will ask them to set up a tent for us." Then she growled at nothing in the distance. "And by the way… I have something to talk about with our dear client after we set our base."

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

As soon as Foundation staff built a house with portable sets which was not electrical, I excused myself from setting up the base for emergency purpose, Naru didn't protest because of how dark my expression was. My emergency was mainly certain cloud who for some reason had willingly step into Kokuyo land. Utterly unbelievable and yet he was here.

"Kyo-san." I found him in front of the cage shaped glass house, where Takeshi fought Ken. "Why you are here? I thought you will stay away from this place as we… _crowd_ to solve this case." I said as I walked to his overly large personal place, knowing very well he wouldn't attack me.

Kyo-san harrumphed, "Knowing you… I suspect you have called HQ in Italy of that bastard's whereabouts."

I rolled my eyes, no wonder he tried to be subtle. "Well… you can just ask HQ yourself."

"In case you forget… you went out your way to instruct Gokudera Hayato to make sure I don't know where _he_ is and so on…"

I snorted, of course I went out my way! "To be fair if you two can be civil when staying in the same room when neither me nor my brother is present I will not go that far." He glared at me and I sighed, "Alright~ he is not here and shouldn't be here… he is _somewhere_ in North Italy, on a mission."

His eyes widened at that, "Why the hell you made him go there, that's Estraneo's former area."

I nodded, "He and I are curious of the same subject… I deemed it prudent enough to send him in person." My eyes narrowed at him, "And it's none of your business unless… I think it should be…"

He scowled at that, "And that man… Shibuya Kazuya? Carnivore but…"

I wanted to laugh at how Naru got the honor to be called a carnivore by Kyo-san right away, he must have sensed Naru's immense power. "Similar problem with Onii-chan but not quite… he is not of our world, so I expect Kyo-san to be discreet…" I glanced at him. "I think I will ask Mukuro anyway if there is something he knew about this place… then again back then my brother was present here so maybe that's why we didn't sense anything supernatural here."

He crossed his arms, his eyes narrowed. "What are you planning, Hime…"

I beamed at him. "It's alright Kyo-san… everything I did is after all to ensure the return of my brother. So once again we, the sky of Vongola will be whole once again…"

Right, that was our… everything, to be whole once again.

"Are you alright?" He asked and it almost threw me off.

I smiled at him, no matter how aloof and distant he was our cloud. We have an unbreakable bond we were proud of. "I wish… I can say I am…" I told him honestly.

He clenched his fist, "If only I was…"

I shook my head, "There is no point for us to wonder of what if…" I lowered my gaze, "Onii-chan… Tsuna made that decision for himself and us. It's no one's fault…"

"You're breaking apart… for both of you…"

I smiled weakly at him, "Tsuna… is not just my brother by blood but also the brother of my soul…" I closed my eyes, "When we're torn away from each other… this much should be expected. Our bond gives us immense power… there is always a price for everything…"

He sighed at that, his fist unclenched. "On my side… we're still looking."

"All of us are looking." I replied. "For a way… so once again our sky will be a whole again." I gazed at my cloud, our cloud. "I am sorry I am not vast enough on my own for you…" I apologized, smiling sheepishly at him. "It's been hard for all of you with just me…"

He shook his head, closing his eyes. "I am not complaining… "

"Kyo-san you really…" I chuckled softly. "You never admit it but you always have a soft spot for us… "

"Don't push your luck, omnivore princess…" He patted my head briefly before he turned on his heels and walked away.

I couldn't help but giggled at the nickname. My brother and I could never forget the day Kyo-san acknowledged us and deemed us powerful enough to eat meat like him. That was one of our fondest memory with our family… well, when we forgetting the material damage that followed it.

* * *

 **OMAKE : In which apparently Mai is a better student (suggested by Green Darkness)**

"Ne, Reborn."

The hitman had the nerve to smirk at him and admiring his student's handy work. "Yes, Shamal?"

Shamal eyed the tiny brunette girl below who was stretching her legs. In which the said legs were wrapped in boots with thick and hard soles. Speaking of legs, the girl would grow to be one of those slim and petite beauty with voluptuous legs for sure. Definitely the type who should wear skirt, stocking and other leg revealing clothes. Future

"How come your student number one just ask my help nicely but your other one, the girl decide since I refused to heal her male twin I deserve to be hauled up here like a pinata?" He asked, eying his bound limbs to the tree branch warily.

"Because you deserve it~" The sister of future decimo sang innocently, flexing her legs. "By the way Doctor Shamal~ I am very confident with my flying kick."

He nodded sagely at her, "Yeap, definitely one that would grow to a woman with legs."

Reborn sighed. "When it comes to woman, you really lost your mind to your brain down there..."

Mai beamed, "Then I shall hit the brain down there first!" She exclaimed.

Shamal didn't last long when the first three kicks landed too close to his neither region, and he tugged the rope too hard to doge the fourth before he fell to the ground because the branch broke. The fifth kick was unhindered by height so Mai jumped high to the air with her leg aimed at Shamal's most precious area gleefully, and Shamal decided his manly pride didn't worth defending if he lost his 'equipment' and future engagement to a twelve years old girl.

"GYAA! STOP! STOP! Princess! Mai-sama! I beg you! I will heal your brother. I will even swear loyalty to Vongola!"

Mai's kick still hit him but she managed to miss Shamal's neither region and landed on his solar plexus instead. Shamal thought his organs was crushed by combined weight of gravity and the girl's petite body. She didn't even get off of him as soon as she can, her feets dug painfully to his stomach.

"Really~ so since your loyalty is ours, you will heal Onii-chan?" She asked sweetly.

Shamal nodded, he was in too much pain to voice his plea.

"Really~" She shifted and her feet dug deeper.

Shamal mouthed, [Anything for you... Hime! I swear!]

Mai turned to her mentor, "Ne... Reborn, where is the contract? Can I borrow Leon too, we need his fingerprint too~"  
Reborn proudly handed Mai a paper, a pen and Leon turned inkwell. "You see Shamal." Reborn began as Mai pressed Shamal's finger on the ink with more power than necessary and the Doctor groaned in pain. "My other students is such an angel, more powerful... and so on, but if you ask which student take more after me... Mai is a better student than Tsuna."

"Yatta~" Mai cheered, "We get a Doctor~ Ne, Reborn. This mean we don't have to worry about taking care of our injury ne? He will have to follow our order ne?"

"Yes."

Mai turned to still bound Shamal with a sweet smile, "Now, heal Onii-chan! Don't you dare to make my brother say please ever again to you, alright?"

That was the day that marked the end of Shamal's career as freelancer, and he learned his lesson to never ever cross Sawada Mai when her brother was concerned. Even Reborn was very impressed how such a sweet girl could turn to a demon for her beloved brother. It seemed Vongola was heading to a very bright future after all~

* * *

 **Regrettably because this arc is original it would be a slow going, even the second part of this arc is 7K at this point.  
As you can see in this chapter, Mai slowly become very loyal to tell Naru about Tsuna... this is not her letting her guard down, but because she keep a secret on Gene first, then second is because she want to slowly coax a solution of her problem with giving up piece of puzzle about her and Tsuna without revealing mafia part.  
**

 **Yes, this arc will feature two of Vongola most dangerous guardians. You would think we will start from safe ones... but we jump on Hibari and Mukuro first LOL ho ho ho...**

 **This arc should be 4 parts or three... depends on the situation.**

 **Next chapter: In which Mukuro is a suspect, Mai dread paperwork, while Lin and Bou-san discuss Naru X Mai**


	16. Case 04, Part 02

**Case 04 part 02**

Bou-san was surprised to see Mai skipping to the portable house installed by the regent haired squad for them as a base, she was storming out of this place in a mood and now she was very cheery. Naru-bou in the other hand was unhappy and Bou-san could tell right away why. Mai went out to see their client who was also one of her family members, she looked unhappy but returned in cheery mood so most likely something good happen.

Naru-bou was unhappy that Mai-chan was having a good time with other guy and promptly requested for a tea. He would have scolded Mai-chan, if not for the fact Mai could read his unreasonable irritation.

"Erm… did something happen?"

Mai giggled as she poured grumpy and obliviously jealous Naru a cup of tea. "Oh… is just that, I figured it out why Kyo-san hired us."

"And why figuring it out makes you so happy?" Naru queried.

"Well~"

If Mai was not so distracted by her own good mood she would have noticed Naru was in bad mood. Bou-san wondered how the hell a genius like Naru had not figured his feeling out yet. Although the display of amazing denseness helped to make him, Ayako and John to see Naru as more human, that deep down he was still a seventeen years old boy who helplessly in love with a girl.

Mai was also more human in their eyes and not the all-knowing mind reader. She was easily distracted, excitable and dense. It was ironic how she could read Naru's mood so well most of the time, yet she missed what they could see so obviously. She was like any other teenage girl deep down.

Mai smiled wistfully, "Kyo-san is aloof and harsh most of the time, so it always put me in a very good mood when he is showing his gentler side." She informed them. "You see… the reason he hired us is to watch over how I do at work."

"Then why we're here?" Naru almost growled. "Are you telling me Hibari-san could have getting rid of the supernatural disturbance by himself?"

Mai was not even looking at Naru as she poured him another cup, "I guess he can… _violently_ , one way or another but-" Mai's face turned serious, her eyes narrowed scarily. "He will cause too much property damage~ and I can't have that! You see… Foundation is still part of our corporation, so if- Kyo-san gets violent… the paperwork one way or another will end on _my_ desk! I'd rather pay SPR myself if you guys will spare me from the pain~"

"Paperwork?" Naru echoed.

Mai glared at him, "A boss of a private company that take case once in a blue moon with properly _insured_ equipment and working in property that's no his wouldn't understand." Mai pouted, and Naru wondered if this was the answer why Mai sometimes eyed his pristine and empty desk longingly for no apparent reason.

"Insurance?"

Mai raised an eyebrow, "Do you think there is any insurance company willing to let us put any of our quantum computer Shouichi used under insurance?"

"Point." Naru admitted. "Why paperwork? I thought surely a company that hired Hayato and Shouichi would adopt paperless office."

"It's a tradition! Once I was _literally_ buried by paperwork! I never saw my desk clean! They towered higher than me at the worse days~ half of it was because of Kyo-san!" She bemoaned.

"Ah."

So in the end the client was Mai-chan herself?!

"So… Hibari-san can get rid of supernatural entities himself?" Lin asked curiously, ignoring the paperwork rant.

Mai nodded, completely forgetting her angst session. "Hm… I think he learned Qigong from you know who… so yes, Kyo-san hates using it though." Mai grinned brightly, "Night is fast approaching so… let's solve this case as soon as possible before Kyo-san get ideas to take the matter to his own hands."

Great, since when they also had to compete with their own client? When Mai's family was concerned apparently.

* * *

 **1** **st** **Night (Kokuyo Land)**

"There are many odd sounds picked here…" Lin-san observed. "Not supernatural though."

Mai sighed, "The woods… it's no wonder since wild animals dwells there since the park was abandoned."

Bou-san cringed, "Well… this is the first outdoor case for us." Then he craned his neck, eyeing dozens of monitor on the base. "But still… your family is very generous Mai-chan."

"It's not the matter of generosity." Mai corrected with a huff. "You see… this project is pretty vital for us, going for this much is hardly going to put a dent on our budget for the said project."

"Out of curiosity but… Neo-V.G works on what actually? All I can tell is high-tech stuff." Bou-san asked curiously. "I mean… in relation of what you guys are going to do in this place."

Mai sighed wearily, "It's classified… but let's say Foundation is mainly for information gathering and this facility we're going to build is closely tied to that task of theirs."

"Then could it be rival companies cursing this place?" Bou-san brought up a guess.

Mai snorted, "Nah~ who knows, maybe rival companies resort to curses too nowadays." Then she paused, "Well… actually Naru."

The dark haired boy turned towards her from the file he was reading, "Yes?"

She hesitated for a moment before firming her resolve, "Actually… two mediums used to live here." Bou-san and Lin choked simultaneously on their own saliva at that bits of info. Mai went on, politely ignoring their humiliating moment. "So I wonder if they have anything to do with it…"

Naru groaned, "Mai! You should have said that sooner!"

"Well! I just remember!" Mai shot back, to be exact she just remembered presence of a medium, the pure type could cause phenomena not Mukuro and Chrome ever lived here.

"Why two mediums were living here anyway?!" He asked in incredulous tone.

Mai turned somber at that, "They were both orphans… until we took them in." Mukuro was an orphan, as for Chrome she was not but as good as an orphan considering her biological family didn't care what became of him.

Naru had a slight suspicion so he probed, "Did they ever use their skill as medium to make prediction like Hara-san?"

She blinked at that, "No… they're not a seer… I don't think they can."

His eyes widened at the implication, "And when they channeled a spirit did they ever try to use skill of the deceased they channeled? Speaking in different language they didn't know for example?"

Mai frowned at that and recalled the rare occasions that could be counted in one hand for both of them, "Hm… not exactly language but they could use the talent of spirit they channeled."

"Both?"

"Yes, both."

Naru's eyes widened in shock at that, two pure medium like Gene was living in this abandoned amusement park?! "They're pure type medium!"

Bou-san gaped, "Pure type? Like Eugene Davis from England?! The brother of Professor Oliver Davis?"

Mai blinked at them, "Pure… oh, the two type of medium mentioned in that thesis about Medium released few years ago?" She did remember about it but she was not sure what made Naru and Bou-san so shocked about them.

Naru sighed, "Mai…" She always read those in passing nowadays, swamped by her own office work. He couldn't blame her for forgetting, it was amazing how she could juggle school, SPR work and her own office work. "Pure medium like them usually draw spirits in… they're like a beacon to supernatural entities."

Mai crossed her arms, "I am not sure if it's related to them…"

"How they interact with spirits?" Naru asked curiously. "Medium who tend to sympathize with spirit tend to draw more spirit and lingers around…" He recalled Gene.

Mai waved her hand in negative, "Erm… They tend to ignore spirits."

"Eh?" That was Bou-san. "Ignore? They're medium and yet…"

She shrugged and elaborate, "These two didn't like to meddle with spirits if they could help it. They are a pair of medium, Mukuro… this guy will glower and tell them to leave him alone, and I think I caught him snarling at a spirit that keep bothering him before… my other friend, Chrome did an excellent job at ignoring them, she tend to walk pass them as they are no different than stranger on the street."

"All of that wasted potential." Bou-san moaned. "Can you call them to help us?" After the last case Bou-san didn't really want to work with Masako, not so soon after he yelled at her.

Mai's voice turned cold, "Absolutely not." Could it be these two had bad experience with spirit and now Mai was angry they wanted to involve the two mediums. "I need Chrome to stay in Italy, as for Mukuro… I would not let him to be anywhere near two miles radius of Kyo-san if I can help it!"

Work related reason apparently.

"Why did they ignore supernatural entities?" Naru couldn't help but ask, "Are they scared of spirit?"

Mai shook her head, "I don't think so… knowing their personality, it's not fear." She sighed, "Let's say… to Mukuro, spirit bemoaning their misery on him deserve the most painful exorcism. Chrome just took after him and pretend they weren't there…" Mai cupped her cheek, "But their living here could be a reason or not?"

Naru recalled how Gene's misadventure with entities only he could see ended up most of the times. "I can't rule it out for sure... in fact their mere presence is the only cause we can come out with for now." Though Naru couldn't help but wonder why Gene didn't mind his own business like the two medium Mai mentioned, apparently a pure medium _could_ mind their own business.

WHAM! SCREEEE!

"Lin! Speaker!" Naru ordered.

Lin's finger rushed over to turn the speaker but stopped, "Naru! Every single location caught supernatural noise! Rapping and knocking!"

"Nani?!"

Mai's eyes narrowed, "What is this…" She murmured herself, "Franticness? They are like…"

Naru turned to Mai, "You feel their emotion?"

"There are too many emotions now in the _whole_ park!" Mai groaned, rubbing her aching forehead. "This is madness! It feels like they're here for no reason and…" She trailed off, "They're confused?"

Bou-san rubbed his arms, "Namu… Oi! We're not going to exorcise all of them ne? Me and perhaps Lin-san? We're just two-"

"Bou-san…" Naru gave him a threatening smile, "That's what you said in last case… would you mind to not repeat them?"

The monk nodded frantically.

"Mai, have we ask Foundation staff to stay put tonight?"

"No." Mai shook her head, "If the reaction is this quick… I don't think we will miss anything tomorrow, look."

The Foundation members rushed to the scene like a trained squad of soldiers and in instant all supernatural activity stopped before they could be seen by human. Naru narrowed his eyes, it felt weird to see the scene from bird view, a literal one and it was moving around.

 ** _"_** ** _Hina report! Report!"_** One of HIbird's flockmate chirped, showing another rampant poltergeist activity in another area.

Bou-san groaned as he looked at another monitor, this time it was poltergeisting in house of mirror. "This is like a large scale fiasco from Morishita's house."

"Considering no one is potentially injured from this…" Naru trailed off. "This place is ideal for research."

Mai rolled her eyes, still rubbing her temple. "Glad to know you enjoy this chaos, Naru… So what next?"

"For tonight." Naru crossed his arms, "Enjoy the show… and by tomorrow we have to research on history of Kokuyo Land."

Mai sighed at that, "But still… Hibird only saw three, that means he only saw some _not_ all of them."

Bou-san shuddered, "And this place seriously ever operate as an amusement park? For public?!"

That was bugging Naru too, the fact once upon a time this place was a functional family vacation spot. One that Mai visited when she was five, which mean no less than ten years ago this place turned to a nest of spiritual entities. It didn't make sense, a place didn't turn to a haunted ground in such a short time.

Two mediums used to live in this dump, but even with that little fact to his extensive knowledge of medium he couldn't think of them as a reason for this phenomena.

* * *

 **Astral World**

Gene's eyes fluttered open slowly and he was greeted by the sight of sky dome above, and he couldn't help but stare at it long and hard. It was strange how it was so hypnotic to his sense, he could stare at this beautiful sky forever… his dreamy mind told him to take his mind but logical part that influenced by Noll's constant nagging said otherwise.

He almost regretted looking down and found he was encased in ice from neck down and eerily recalled the typical drama of organ theft victim waking up naked on bathtub full of ice and missing one of their kidneys.

Of course that was not what was happening here because…

One, he was a spirit so there was no kidney or other organ to be harvested.

Two, he didn't felt cold at all in fact the ice was strangely warm and he was not in a bathtub.

Three, he was fully clothed in black shirt and pants.

Still… this situation was very weird even for a medium like him, the last thing he recalled was Mai apologizing to him and poking his head with something warm. His memory was fuzzy which was no wonder since he was a spirit. He was surprisingly coherent for a spirit, with memory and sound mind…

He was not dead yet after all! How did he miss this?! He was a medium, he knew a lot about soul and he never question why he was so _alive_ for a dead man?!

"Noll would be insufferable if he know I have been so stupid." Gene moaned.

"If that's the first thing you're worried about… you're fine then." A feminine voice said, "In fact you're too well I am almost worried how you can keep your mind in this condition."

Gene craned his neck as much as he could towards the voice, "Mai!"

"Or you're not so sane to begin with." She shook her head, "Hello Gene… you seems awfully calm for someone who wake up in that condition."

The medium just smiled at her, "Actually I am pretty comfortable with being a human Popsicle… it's strangely warm and not cold to boot."

"You're not going to ask how you ended up that way?" Mai raised an inquiring eyebrow. "Maybe you're not as curious as Naru after all."

He just laughed at her. "I could be as curious as Noll… but I have a feeling you did this to me with good intention, I wouldn't feel so comfortable like this if that's not the case and… the view is pretty great up there."

"Glad my world could entertain you that much." She snorted at him.

"But still… why?"

Mai rolled her eyes, "Even for a spirit as strong as you wandering in Limbo is never safe… beside remember your sleepiness? That's because even though you're alive… to have your soul out of it is like cutting a cellphone from their charger so even though you have your own energy you can't recharge… you need life force to feed on to continue existing or you will _really_ die."

He smiled at her at that, "Thank you, but you shouldn't… your life force…"

"There is no need to worry about it." Mai cut him off, crossing her arms. "I have more than enough to keep one person from disappearing… beside, don't you want to see Naru again?"

Gene's eyes widened at that, "I can see Noll?"

She nodded, a smile grazed her lips. "Yes… it will take a while though."

He swallowed heavily, "I am sorry if I offend you with this question but… why you did so much for us? I mean… you care about Noll but…"

They were not someone important enough for her to go this far, at least not yet… in Gene's opinion.

"Perhaps because we're both twins." Mai answered softly. "Altruistic reason… perhaps."

Gene frowned at that, "It's not only that…"

Mai just shrugged, "Perhaps but Gene… let me tell you, after I reunite you with Naru please promise me two things…"

"…Promise?"

She nodded, "In exchange… I will do anything within my power to return you to him, both spirit and body."

Gene hesitated but slowly nodded his head. "Alright…" He didn't want take and give like this but somehow he could tell Mai needed this promise.

His heart, if he had one as a spirit felt like it was about to stop when he saw her leaning low to him so her warm breath was fanning his ear. "Please… please don't leave him and stay by his side no matter what." She murmured softly. "More than anyone… I know how he feels to be torn apart from your other half… it's like you're half-dead…"

"I am sorry…" Gene said before he could stop himself, as if he was voicing what Mai's twin would have said to her. Then again it was the same thing Gene wanted to say to Noll, he was sorry for leaving him alone. "I promise…"

"Second…" Mai's tone changed, no longer melancholic but serious and firm. "Protect him from us… and when the time come… Gene you should…"

 **Run… run away from this sky with your brother,  
before… you and him are trapped in our curse… **

Once again he fell to deep sleep but Gene couldn't recall what he said to that second promise. However he was pretty sure he said something Mai didn't want to hear considering she yelled what an idiot he was.

Even though he was just being honest, even with his waning link with Noll he could tell what Noll wanted, what he felt was the same… Mai had no idea that he and Noll in spite of blaming each other all the time for dragging their twin into trouble, the fact remain they were prone to get in trouble together.

That was why Noll came to Japan after all, and if sky that was Mai was the trouble they got themselves into now… it was just how he and Noll rolls as Davis twins.

* * *

 **The next day…**

"Midori… tanabiku~ Namimori noooooooo~ "

It was a morning assembly that threatened to invade their sanity one way or another. Naru ignored the regent haired squad standing in attention like soldiers as a group of their specially bred canary singing an anthem, and focused on the file he was reading in the base tent. Mai also didn't seem bothered by the strange assembly outside and continued cooking breakfast on portable stove in the makeshift kitchen Foundation prepared for her. Lin being Lin dutifully overseeing their equipment. Bou-san lamented why he was the only one who was weirded out by the morning routine of Foundation members.

However for some unknown reason Mai refused to look at Naru in the eye since this morning for who knows why, in fact she looked like she want to shout at him and glare. Naru was oblivious of all this or he just didn't care.

"Nothing?" Naru echoed in disbelief when the assembly was over and Kusakabe came bearing the information they requested. It was already afternoon, and as much as they wanted to save energy for the night researching always took time and energy.

Kusakabe nodded, "Hai… during operation of Kokuyo Land there is no report of anything remotely supernatural. The park was closed due to economy crisis few years ago… not to mention…" He glanced at Mai. "Because we lives in neighboring town if something supernatural happened we would have known because news traveled very fast around this area…"

Naru narrowed his eyes, "Mai mentioned you guys had visited Kokuyo after it closed, why is that?"

Kusakabe already foresaw this so he answered, "A bunch of delinquent who disturb the peace in our town use this place as their hideout… so we're dispatched to arrest them and turn them over to authorities."

He raised an eyebrow at Mai and the brunette smiled sheepishly, "We were in student council you see~ so of course we join our Disciplinary Committee… just in case!" She averted her eyes, which mean it was something she didn't want to elaborate.

"Mai! That's dangerous!" Bou-san chided her.

"Well~ misspent time of youth?" She offered, another answer that was not an answer.

Naru sighed at that, "Nothing supernatural happened then?"

"Nothing like what happened now for sure." Mai answered honestly, looking anywhere but at him.

Naru cupped his chin and began to think, "Hm…" He turned to Kusakabe, "Then… did you guys break anything like temple, statue or stone when you began demolishing this place?"

Kusakabe frowned at that, "We have to ask our workers… though most likely not, because we're concentrating on tearing the building apart instead of cleaning up anything resembling what you said… then again we didn't watch over them all the time so…" He trailed off. "We will ask our workers as soon as we can if they find anything like that…"

"Please do." Naru was pretty pleased with this case so far, considering their client was very cooperative this time. So different from Yuasa High.

As soon as Kusakabe exited the base, Mai asked. "You think our workers disturb something they shouldn't?"

Naru nodded, "That's what I have on the top of my mind in why nothing happened when this park was still in operation… or something happen in between your last visit and the reconstruction…"

"Hm…" Mai fidgeted a little, "For some reason, something has been nagging my mind."

"Have you tried to call these two mediums you mentioned before?" Naru asked inquiringly.

Mai sighed at that, "I have… Chrome is easy to contact but Mukuro is on business trip, he is always hard to contact… at the time like this he is always missing anyway." Because of secrecy he had to maintain. "It would take a while… to get in contact with him."

The dark haired psychic frowned at that, "And… Chrome-san?"

"I asked… she mentioned some spirits followed her to Kokuyo even though she tried to ignore them." Mai explained with a sigh. "Chrome… hates to be harsh with helpless spirits, so she just avoid them whenever she could… Mukuro dealt with what followed her most likely."

Naru frowned at that, "Why didn't she help them?"

"Because Mukuro doesn't like meddling with spirits…" Mai stressed seriously. "He has this strict policy in not indulging them _at all_ , I think he has given some favor to spirits before… helping them even but they keep coming and it annoyed him… he didn't want Chrome to deal with them either, so she ignore them too."

If Masako was here she would be indignant there were two mediums with power ignoring pleas of spirit, but Naru understood that not everyone with power liked the burden or the power itself. It didn't surprise him there were mediums like them who viewed their status was no reason to burden themselves with spirits, they didn't owe any favor to supernatural entities just because they could see and hear.

Most mediums were like Gene and Masako, they felt compelled to listen and help. Oddities like Mukuro and Chrome in Naru's book was simply a different variable. Gene was just too compassionate. Masako was not as bad if hearing her comment on avoiding place with high possibility of haunting like beach and mountain was anything to go by, she would help them but she was not going to throw herself to their nest either when she had a choice.

"I see…" Naru murmured to himself.

Bou-san who had been pretty quiet so far chimed in, "Just curious, Jou-chan…" He called Mai's attention to him, "Could these mediums perform exorcism or purification?"

Mai became thoughtful, "Hm… I never saw them performing exorcism, but spiritual power wise… I think both of them have the capability…" Their flame was more than sufficient for that task, "As for purification… that was obviously given considering their medium status, but while I can imagine Chrome doing it… Mukuro has zero patience for it."

Bou-san winced, "So what you meant with he dealt with spirits that follow this girl around…"

Mai smiled sadly, "He is not a heartless person... "

"Sorry Jou-chan." Bou-san winced guiltily, "I mean he is your family member…"

She shook her head, "I didn't say he is not a bad person either… not completely bad at least, but very selfish. He is _very_ protective of Chrome… he hates it when spirits bothering her so…" He only cared to very few selected people, which was how Mukuro rolled. She took a deep breath, "What nagged my mind is… Mukuro is perhaps related to what happened here but please don't mention this to any of Foundation members… he has reasons."

"Why?" Naru queried.

"Let's say…" Mai trailed off. "Kyo-san and Mukuro have a long standing rivalry, and a little grudge mixed in. Mukuro was a delinquent and Kyo-san is in disciplinary committee…"

It didn't take a genius to get the connection. "Ah." Didn't Mai said, their trip to Kokuyo few years ago was related to delinquent problem?

"But still…" Mai cupped her chin, "I couldn't help but confused what two mediums could have done to create this much chaos when they're no longer here?" It would make more sense if Mukuro was here, but he was not even in the same continent as Kokuyo now.

Bou-san frowned at that, "Hm…they sounds pretty powerful from what I heard, Jou-chan… but you're right. No matter how powerful any supernatural power from long distance would be purified by large body of water… the ocean." His eyes narrowed, "So most likely it's not related to your friends at all…"

"Yes… but also, even if Mukuro know what happened here it's not his style… to be honest he will just ignore this project, especially since I make him pretty busy lately I don't think he will make time just to bother Kyo-san…" Mai sighed at that. "Beside… if he did this as a prank rather than Kyo-san…"

"Hie!" Bou-san yelped at how menacing she looked.

"I will be the first to make him to regret this, he can pick a fight with Kyo-san but he shouldn't meddle with family matter!" Mai growled in murderous tone.

Naru blinked at her, "Mai… you can chew your subordinate later if he is responsible, investigate first."

Mai huffed. "Right!"

"Maybe we should call Masako and ask." Bou-san suggested innocently, "You know… maybe she has an idea of what…"

At this point everyone was used to Naru's sour expression whenever Masako's name was brought up to join their investigation. Now was no different, you would think Naru was already resigned with their usual companions after three cases together. Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. Three times… you should give up on the fourth as it would become a routine.

It seemed Naru had not given up the fourth.

Naru closed his eyes, "Judging from what Mai said… Mukuro-san is a more _resourceful_ medium than Hara-san." Most likely superior too, at least when it came to protecting himself from spirit. "Not to mention… judging from Hara-san's accomplishment so far… she is more likely ESP medium. She attracted spirit too but not with the same natural pull pure medium possessed… Hara-san wouldn't have better idea of what this case is than us…"

Mai sighed, "I think she still can talk to those spirits to know…"

"…" Naru gave her an annoyed look.

Mai sighed again, raising her hands up in surrender. "Alright~ we wait for one more night to decide anything." She decided. "But I warn you Naru, I have a very bad feeling of what's going to happen tonight so we have to keep our guard up even more than usual."

Naru sighed at that, "Then… Bou-san, Lin… tonight I want both of you to patrol the area, especially around the theater building where the activity is most likely focused on."

"Hai." Lin already knew what to do. "I will order my shiki to patrol the area for tonight."

Bou-san grinned, "Finally some action! Leave it to me!"

Mai blinked at that, "Theater building?"

Naru handed her a file and Mai began to read. "Maybe because the whole area was so active last night you can't really tell with your senses, but according to our data that was the first place where the temperature dropped rapidly. Not necessarily the most active area but… there must be a connection." Looking at Mai who blanched as she read the file, Naru became confused. "Mai?"

Mai turned to him. "Erm… how to say this, Mukuro's main living quarter back then was the theater building."

Naru narrowed his eyes at that, "This can't be a coincidence then." He stood up, "Let's go to check this building, before the sun sets…"

* * *

 **Palermo, Vongola HQ**

Chrome was thinking really hard of what her princess just told her, about her old home in Kokuyo. She recalled a couple of persistent spirits she accidentally locked eyes with in the past followed her to Kokuyo Land, it was not happened often but she lived there for quite sometime and that couple of times was the whole horde of them. Unlike Namimori, which was avoided by spirits for obvious reason.

Namely their twin bosses.

Kokuyo had no such restriction, it was littered with a lot of spirits and Chrome suspected some were refugees from Namimori. It was unfortunate back then the chocolate sweets she liked was only sold in Kokuyo so she had to go there, not to mention grocery in Kokuyo came in cheaper price too. The necessity got herself in trouble sometimes.

Most of the time she had Ken and Chikusa, but they were no spirit repellant. Mukuro-sama was just another spirit magnet and even worse than her, so spirit flocked them whenever they went to Kokuyo Town. But still…

How come Kokuyo Land was infested with spirits now even though back when she lived there with Mukuro-sama, it was spirit free? She was sure Mukuro-sama did something so spirit won't be able to enter Kokuyo Land back then. Even if the defense measure fail after they left Kokuyo Land, they were no longer there to attract spirit either so why?

"Chrome-chan."

The dark haired girl turned around, and found the three closest girlfriends of hers. "Ah… Hana-chan, Kyoko-chan… Haru-chan. What is it?"

Kyoko-chan smiled at her, "You looks concerned tonight… is it because Mai-chan's call?"

"Hibari-san wanted to demolish Kokuyo Land, ne?" Haru chimed in, "Are you sad about it?"

Chrome shook her head, "Kokuyo Land used to be my home, but that's because Mukuro-sama and the others live there with me."

Hana sighed at that, "If you say so… but seriously, what were you guys thinking? Living in that dump until Mai-chan snapped when she heard about your living condition."

Kyoko and Haru sweat-dropped, recalling how Mai blew Kokuyo gang's door off of its hinge with her sky flame then proceeded to lecture them about proper living condition. Kokuyo gang were subjected to torturous and guilt inducing lecture for three hours until Tsuna arrived to their rescue- a late rescue because he was held up by family business- and convinced his sister they had enough.

Tsuna then convinced Mukuro and Chrome to move to Namimori, arranging an apartment for them to stay. Convincing Mukuro was easy enough, all Tsuna had to do was mentioning how troublesome for a girl to take a bath in public bathhouse all the time, and considering Chrome's body condition she should live in clean and proper house.

Mai was the one who convinced Hibari to let the pair of mist guardian to Namimori, reminding him that starting a fight would destroy their beautiful town. If they wanted a fight they should take it elsewhere that wouldn't disturb public peace.

That was why the two Mist left Kokuyo Land before they left for Italy.

"So you don't mind Kokuyo is demolished?" Hana pressed on.

Chrome shook her head, "No… where you live is pretty fleeting, said Mukuro-sama."

Haru sighed, "Chrome-chan, both you and Mukuro are _not_ nomad."

Kyoko nodded in agreement. "But still… if something happen there and…" She looked at Haru.

"And… Mukuro somehow responsible… " Haru continued.

"In a place Hibari has claim as his territory now…" Hana added. "Mai-chan wouldn't let Mukuro to get away with a lecture this time."

Chrome paled at that. "I…" She turned around and ran toward the hangar of her private jet. "Everyone! Please take care of everything! I am going to Japan!" She exclaimed.

As soon as Chrome was out of sight, the three secretaries of Mai sighed in unison. "She shouldn't need any convincing, she wants to go anyway…"

Kyoko nodded,"Chrome-chan is shy like that… she didn't speak her wish out loud most of the time."

Haru shrugged, "Even so… what we said just now is reality, you know…"

The curly haired girl groaned, "Seriously those two! Guardians shouldn't fight with their comrade at the time like this! They are the oldest and yet… worse than their junior!"

The sister of sun guardian just smiled at her, "Well… it's Hibari-san and Mukuro-san, they listen to Tsu-kun and Mai-chan most of the time but… I think they will not give their rivalry up. As the great skies of Vongola, I don't think…" She closed her eyes, "I don't think they who understand their guardian the most and accept everything would want to change them…"

Hana sighed, "I guess their accepting nature is why Ryohei and the rest of Vongola guardians are drawn to them…"

Because Tsuna and Mai accepted the guardians just the way they were. The great skies of Vongola as befitting of their throne, Rain, Storm, Cloud, Sun, Mist, and Lightning, The sky influences all of them. It was to understand and accept all of them.

"By the way…" Hana trailed off. "Keep this as a secret from Mai-chan, she is too overprotective like her brother to their guardians…"

Haru fidgeted. "Do you think we did the right thing with pushing Chrome to do what she wants?"

"Right for Chrome at least." Hana answered with a sigh. "Mai would be furious if she know… Mukuro too, but in the long run as her boss and lover Mai and Mukuro should know it's no good in the long run to coddle Chrome too much. She has grown some backbone but Chrome still think what they said as the law of her life…"

Kyoko smiled at that, "Mai-chan is just scared she will lose her guardians after Tsu-kun… even Hibari-san and Mukuro-san couldn't deny her for that one thing."

Hana sighed at that, "Seriously… Mai, we're not so fragile to the point you… our great sky have to lose your faith on us…"

She wished Mai didn't have to learn that the hard way, then again Vongola never learn anything the easy way. It was like a curse…

* * *

 **Japan, Kokuyo Land's old Theater (Naru's POV)**

Mai tensed the moment we were about to enter the old theater building that from how it looked was surprisingly intact, there shouldn't be any worry it would collapse on us. Mai's reaction to this building was definitely not natural danger, she was not afraid to enter the building but hesitant.

"I don't think… we should go inside." Mai told us.

"But we have to." I said pointedly, "See if we find something." So she relented.

We have surveyed the living quarter that could be summarized simply as a dump with remnant of broken furniture, surprisingly they had a fridge and TV inside. In short nothing fascinating, in fact there was no trace of anything supernatural. If Mai didn't tell us, we wouldn't know this was once a home for two rare pure mediums like Gene.

The first thing that fascinated me the most about the theater building was the broken door of living quarter Mai said was where the two mediums used to live. It was a commonly used metal door with insulation used in any theater, but what was unusual was its broken state. The rust was expected, so was the broken hinge. However its current state suggest something akin to bomb explode on it and blew it off of its hinge.

What baffled me however it seemed to be a very controlled explosion because nothing around the door seemed to be broken in the same way the door was. At first I thought someone attach a small bomb on it, but there was no mark of something attached on the door exploded so that ruled out the possibility. It was like… someone shot something with explosive force at the door, controlled in such way so nothing but the door was broken.

Something like massive PK energy controlled so expertly. Not even I with Gene's help could have managed this, I could have blown the door off of its hinge but even with Gene my control was not this fine to only harm one door but not the other.

"Naru-chan?" Bou-san called me. "You know… trinkets Mai-chan's friends left is more interesting than that door."

Speaking of Mai's medium friends, the two left assortment of indescribable objects in their old home. Most of it were made of leather, some disturbing skull ornaments and yoyos. Mai didn't even bat an eye at memento her friends left behind, and thought they were normal things for her friends.

"On contrary… it's very interesting." I corrected him. "It broke by unnatural cause, it can't be human's doing."

Lin approached us, and looked at the door. "Hm… it looks like something exploded on it."

"Why would someone explode a door of an abandoned theater?" Bou-san wondered. "I mean the construction worker would just tear it off with their equipment instead of something like bomb."

Then I realized in spite of this fascinating piece of puzzle made all of us crowd around it curiously, Mai was not interested and pointedly ignoring us. So I called her, "Mai."

She turned around to face with unreadable expression.

"Do you know why this door…"

"My intuition said." Mai interjected in driest tone she could muster, "You should leave that door alone, it's not related at all with our investigation."

She… knew and she didn't want to explain.

I smirked at her, "Is that so? Are you sure it's not related."

"No." Mai answered me firmly, "It's not."

"It looks like it's blown off by something supernatural." I informed her, and Mai admirably didn't even twitch at what I implied. "Something with explosive and yet controlled power… "

She smirked back at me, "Well… considering what we saw yesterday, it didn't seem there is any spirit that could cause something like that. So it's not related to our case…"

As usual she didn't lie but opted to dodge question and misdirect the conversation instead, "Oh really?" I wondered out loud. "It's still very interesting… I couldn't help but curious, what could it be?"

"My… your curiosity should be set aside, considering we still have to investigate the supernatural activity in this place." Mai once again didn't answer my question.

Lately she was very generous with giving me bits of her personal information but it seemed this was something she wouldn't back off. "Is that so?"

"It's so." She retorted with a smile on her lips.

"Mai." I was getting annoyed.

Her eyes narrowed at me, "Naru, I _warn_ you."

That was my cue to give up here so I held my hands up in placating gesture, "Alright… I am sorry, I will not ask." I didn't say sorry to anyone often, if not ever because I rarely wrong but Mai was… different. She always was since the first time I met her.

* * *

 **SPR Base** (3rd POV)

That was a shock to see Naru-chan all of a sudden picked an argument with Jou-chan. There was no warming whatsoever, they just talked about the broken door and Naru-chan for who knows why was getting pushy with her about it. Then Mai put her foot down firmly and draw a line Naru shouldn't cross and the proud boy even said sorry to her. Bou-san was used to see Mai indulging Naru, in fact sometimes he thought Mai spoiled the dark haired teen most of the time.

Which was why in Bou-san's opinion while Mai was not in love with Naru, at least she was taken by him.

"Aah…" Bou-san eyed the two teen who was busying themselves with their own task, Naru was reading a report while Mai was cooking a simple dinner for them.

"They are just teenagers and yet, their relationship is damn complicated." He said, loud enough to be heard by Lin who for once was overseeing the equipment by himself while the other two phantom members of SPR were out for scouting the perimeter.

Lin sighed, "They are both complicated persons." Sometime Sawada-san seemed to be a simple caring and bright girl, but only on the surface, deep down she was as complicated if not even more than Naru.

"Hm…" Bou-san hummed, "You see… teens their age when it comes to relationship should just confess and then it will just be yes or no, but they seem to cat and mouse-ing each other." He craned his neck to the dark haired Onmyouji. "Lin, do you support Naru-chan with Jou-chan?"

Lin just shrugged, "I'd rather to let them develop on their own."

In short he didn't support them but he was not disagree with the idea either.

"There is also Masako." Bou-san grumbled, "But well… her chance was nonexistent considering Naru-bou avoided to get her involved unless our investigation hit a dead end. Then again… after the last case, she must have disappointed him greatly."

The Chinese frowned at that, "Everyone can fail, especially a spiritualist like us." He was not defending the girl, just stating a fact.

Bou-san nodded, "Agreed… well since we're already off topic from these two, I wonder what do you think about the two mediums Mai-chan spoke of?"

Lin paused his typing at that, and voiced his reply. "The boy by the name Mukuro sounds to be a formidable medium and spiritualist but… I wonder if he is a better medium than Hara-san considering his lack of compassion to spirits."

He concurred, "Yeah… maybe it's ironic for me whose exorcism technique bring harm to spirits, but well… I wouldn't just get rid of any spirit just because they bother me a little…" The monk drawled on. "So it disturb me when someone like this Mukuro kid treat spirit so lightly."

"…"

"…And also from what Jou-chan said, she is most likely right these two mediums are pure type like Eugene Davis from England." The haired monk continued, "They are rare from what I heard…"

Lin nodded at that, recalling in his long career as spiritualist he had met a number of medium but Eugene was the only pure type he had ever seen. "They are… but it seems they didn't appreciate their gift." Then again a lot of people with power did not.

His eyes rolled and then narrowed skeptically, "Regardless… it still bothers me, what Jou-chan said."

Lin caught right away what the monk meant, "You mean… the part on he dealt with spirits that followed him and the medium girl? Sawada-san didn't specify what he did…"

"Yeah… knowing Jou-chan, she didn't lie she has no idea about it… " He pointed out, "The girl… Chrome seems to be a closer friend to Jou-chan, you know girls… even though she talked about Mukuro more…"

"Most likely because she already felt the girl has nothing to do with it… but the boy most likely related to this phenomena…"

"But still…" Bou-san trailed off, "It's still weird… I mean I am no medium but on my side as a spiritualist I have no idea how a medium can cause an outbreak of supernatural phenomena where he used to live without being there… he is not even in this country to boot now."

Lin agreed with him. "Not on my side either…if this boy Mukuro is the cause, metaphorically he set a time ticking bomb in this place. However to my knowledge such method didn't exist."

"But still…" Bou-san eyed Mai who was plating their dinner. "Jou-chan!"

Mai looked up from finished plate of dinner, "Yes?"

"Does your medium friends know this place is going to be demolished now?" He asked loudly.

Mai put the pan down on the stove, "No, I myself make sure they knew each other's whereabouts as little as possible." Mai answered, "Beside… Foundation is very _independent_ in their operation unless it's something drastic not even I would be informed of what they're up to." Seeing Naru's curious look she added, "Sometime there is a need for a group that could work on their own without asking for our approval every single time."

A very large organization with smaller ones under them,

"So these medium friends of yours…"

She nodded, "They have no idea what is going on here, when I called her… I can feel Chrome is as confused and even more so."

"Did she tell you what Mukuro-san did to the spirits that bothered them in the past?"

Mai snorted at that, "I don't think if Mukuro did anything akin to exorcism he would tell Chrome, as she dislike violence so it would make her upset…"

Bou-san had a feeling these had a pretty twisted relationship, and didn't push further.

"Still…" Mai made her way to the monitor, "The sun almost sets… I wonder what those spirits would do." She rubbed the side of her arm. "I have a very bad feeling…"

That made then tense, for Mai to outright telling them she had a very bad feeling. Her sensed were attuned to danger so most likely… someone would get hurt tonight.

"That sounds like something interesting will happen then." A cold voice said, startling the SPR team members except Mai who frowned at the newcomer. "You noticed?"

Mai sighed, "Kyo-san… you seems to have fun."

The cloud just smirked in return, leaning further to the doorframe. "I have a feeling this is something that bastard left for me."

"That bastard…" Mai tried to correct, "Is part of our family, I don't ask you to like him but…"

He snorted, "Same old lecture… Hime."

"Because none of you changed…" She closed her eyes, "Then again…" Both of them had learned to accept them, even animosity Kyo-san held against Mukuro. "Never mind, but this just our second day here and you're already getting impatient."

"I am never patient."

Mai narrowed her eyes, "I don't approve of this recklessness."

"I thought under my position's description means I don't need your approval." He returned.

"At my current state…" Mai gritted out, "I am not sure I can haul you out of whatever mess you will get yourself into…" She warned him.

The cloud just narrowed his eyes at that before walking away from the base.

Mai groaned, "That brat."

Did she just call that intimidating man a brat?! Bou-san thought in shock. "Uhm Mai-chan… that's our client?" That was one dangerous man, and he looked the same age as Naru-chan and yet… just from a brief encounter gave him goosebumps.

"Yes."

Naru frowned at her, "You're going to let him exorcise spirits tonight with Qigong and most likely jeopardize our investigation in the process?"

Mai shook her head, "I can't order him to stand down as I please even if I want to…" There was a reason why he was the cloud guardian.

"You sign his paycheck I presume."

Mai snorted, "If only it's that simple… I am just technically his boss, he didn't take order from me. " Paycheck? Sure she did sign Kyo-san's paycheck but that was just formality of their cover as a company, but in family the sky allowed the cloud to wander as they please within their vastness.

But still… this feeling of dread…

Mai reached for her pocket watch and opened the clasp, it was almost seven and anytime now the spirits would appear. "Worse comes to worse…"

"Sawada-san." Lin-san called, "Tojo said this is not odd but…" He began hesitantly.

Tojo who sat beside Lin just shrugged. "It isn't…"

"Hibari-san walked to old picnic area and sleep there." Lin informed her.

That drew confused look from both the monk and psychic, so they looked at the camera surveying the old picnic area and indeed Hibari Kyouya was laying on a patch of grass with Hibird sleeping on top of his head.

Mai just sighed at that, palming her forehead in exasperated manner. "Let him be…"

"But this is one of the most active areas." Lin pointed out.

"Which is exactly why he took a nap there and wait." Mai explained, rolling her eyes.

This was why their cloud was so…

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

It was never a good idea to let our cloud loose but something was urging me to solve this case as soon as we could. This morning and the day before this sense of trepidation didn't feel like it was going to swallow me but now… it was like I could already sense the water of incoming high tide on my feet. If we didn't get this over when the tide was low, we would be in great danger!

Kyo-san felt this… most likely why he didn't wait any longer.

So I announced, "I'm going out for a while."

"Mai-chan!" Bou-san called me out, "The sun almost set, you shouldn't go alone."

I shrugged, "I'm going to talk to Kyo-san, please don't follow me…" I said as I waked off, the moment I closed the door I could hear Bou-san arguing with Tojo and Shima who held him back from following me. I mentally thanked them and walked to where I sensed the presence of our cloud.

It didn't take long for me to walk through the mostly intact concrete path to picnic area, and found black tuff of hair in midst of green. Typical of Kyo-san to sleep in dangerous place as he pleased with his small animal friend, Hibird.

"What is it?" He queried, not even opening his eyes to look at me.

I sighed, "This is getting worse than what we expect… at this rate we have to demolish the whole area and called in cover-up and clean-up crew…"

Kyo-san cracked on eye open at that, "Thought so… if it's just one or two measly ghost I would have handled it myself…"

"You do know we can't just exorcise any ghost as we please." I warned him. "Ghost… spirits… after all is leftover of life force we as holder of Trinisette maintain..."

He groaned at that shifting, "Hn… I'm no fool to not choose my fight, this is why… what a twisted and complicated world. In animal kingdom life is much simpler…eat and eaten, hunt and hunted…"

I snorted at that, "Kyo-san… we human is the most complicated animal on earth."

"And you Vongola is the most complicated human on earth." He retorted back. "Small animals… with sharp teeth with their own ways of fighting… wreaking havoc on order mafia herbivores and carnivores created…"

I bit down the laughter bubbling on my throat, "Alright, I get it! Back at the matter in our hands now… make sure you didn't go overboard."

"This place is deserted and we _are_ demolishing it."

"Kyo-san… we don't need a crater I am sure."

"Hn."

"Still…" I trailed off, narrowing my eyes at our surrounding. "If this gets out of control, I am going to pull you out… this is not negotiable." I stated sternly as I pulled my pocket watch out, dangling the precious artifact as I closed my eyes and murmured softly the song that carved to our mind.

 **"** **E'la nostra ora incise sull'anello,  
** **solo per un momento** **farò girare la clessidra congelato,  
nel mio sangue e il nostro peccato... Settimo" **

I set the watch, and both hands began to turn backward to 00:00 beneath the closed lid. Then I spoke the name in a whisper... and the image of hourglass in my mind was melted by my flame, and I could see a man in his forties in standard black suit wielding twin gun descended to my astral world.

He tipped his hat to me with a smirk on his lips. _"Bene, what a troublesome descendant we have..."_

 _"_ _It's in our blood..."_

I cracked my eye open and greeted by annoyed look from Kyo-san whose ring lighted up with sky flame from my watch. "You..."

"Are you going to deny me from keeping you with us in anyway I could?" I asked him.

He tensed at that and I could tell an objection was on the tip of his tongue before he clamped his mouth shut and gave me a silence I could take as a silent agreement. Kyo-san was a prideful and selfish person most of the time, but after what happened to my brother…

Not even Kyo-san would deny me from keeping them safe even at the cost of their pride. We couldn't afford… losing anyone, no more…

"They're coming…" I murmured softly to him and his eyes snapped open in instance. " _In bocca al lupo..."_ I said to him, Italian version of break a leg. _In the wolf's mouth_

He rose from his nap, Hibird flew high to safety of the sky. "Crepi il lupo." Which perhaps one of few Italian phrase he deigned to return, _May the wolf die…_

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

Mai returned to the base as if nothing amiss and indulged the Monk who fuss over hear like a mother hen, maybe because Matsuzaki-san wasn't here to distract him. Still… Mai was oddly restless in this case, most likely because it concerned her family members. I would have chided her for being unprofessional but when family was concerned it couldn't be helped.

"Bou-san, have you warded this place?" She asked suddenly.

He nodded, "Yeah…" He gestured towards the charms on the four corner of our base.

"Is it the best one you can put on?" She pressed on.

Bou-san looked shocked at her question, "Erm… I can make a better one, but it will consume a lot of my spiritual power and I can't sleep because I have to maintain it consciously."

She checked her pocket watch again and I could see in her expression that she was mentally calculating. "Hm… Can you do it then, Bou-san?"

"Now?"

"Now would be the best." Mai told him. "I think we will need them."

I walked towards her, she looked serious and seemed a little ruffled for some reason. "Why do you think we need a barrier? Anything stronger than what we have now?"

"I think we will need them." She repeated her answer to me, I narrowed my eyes at that and she sighed. "Tonight I don't think we can afford watching in leisure, somehow… coming to theater building set the entities off." She shook her head, "I am not sure… it feels like a dam is going to burst…"

That was all I need, "Bou-san… Lin." I called them and they turned their attention to me. "Prepare your best barrier now…"

The Monk and Onmyouji quickly rushed to their luggage, Lin was pulling charms and his other tools while Bou-san pulled a tokkosho, a Buddhist ceremonial knife.  
Mai was still looking restless even though Lin and Bou-san were building spiritual wall over our base and she was ordering Foundation members through her phone to get the hell out of Kokuyo as soon as they could.

"Naru-bou…" Bou-san called me once he finished setting up his barrier. "If it will make Mai-chan feel better, do you think we should call the others?"

I frowned at that, "What make you think their presence will make Mai feel better?" I asked back. "Regardless of what I think about them." I was referring to Hara-san mainly, Matsuzaki-san complained a lot but she and John always did what she was told regardless. "Mai's restlessness stems from impending danger this place impose towards us… calling more people won't help her."

"Maybe not… but familiar faces…"

"Everyone here is familiar face to Mai." I said pointedly. "She trusted them… she has more faith in them than on us because she knew them better." I craned my neck towards the monitor showing Hibari Kyouya who had pulled a pair of tonfa from somewhere. "I don't think she will allow any of us to be out there on our own."

Not even me… as much as I loathe to admit it that was the plain truth. Mai sensed my power but because of secrets we kept from each other and aware of them, there would be always a wall between us. It never bothered me to keep a wall that separated me from others, but with Mai… I couldn't even tell how thick the wall she put up between us.

It frustrated me because she seemed so open and yet…

"Naru-bou." Takigawa-san patted my shoulder, a gesture that much to my irritation was quickly becoming familiar to me. "Mai is still getting to know you, she has intuition but you're not the easiest person to know but from what I see… she tried her best to know you regardless so that means she wants to trust you as much as you want her to have faith in you." He smiled at me. "You guys have it… mutual trust."

"Not as much as she has on Hibari-san." I said pointedly. "Apparently…"

Tojo didn't hear us for sure because he was far in monitor area but then as if on cue he asked, "Hime… you're really going to let Iinchou to do this alone?"

Mai snorted, "I wish I could convince him otherwise but cooperating with others is something I don't fancy to try on him… beside it's not like there is anyone who can work with him in this place, anyone else would just get caught as unfortunate collateral victim…"

"Hime…"

"It's not about how much faith I have in his strength… I trust him with my life in the past. But faith is not going to stop me from..."

BANG! WHAM! CRACK!

Sound of rapping and knocking interrupted Mai and I ordered Lin to connect the speaker to the base. It was so loud so I had to tell Lin to mute the audio, the ground was started to shake a little even.

"This is not a building and yet…" Bou-san was having a hard time to stand straight.

I rushed towards the monitor area and surprised to see instead of temperature in picnic area dropping it was raising by five degrees by now. To be specific the surrounding area of Hibari-san, in thermographic view it was if he was shrouded by a sphere of hot air.

He was using Qigong and something else as he tore through the hoard of spirit. There were so many of them coming from different directions towards him, and yet he always attacked them with his chi covered tonfa one step ahead as if he had no blind spot.

WHAM!

"Doesn't seem like he needs any help." I couldn't help but commented. "However…"

Mai palmed her forehead. "Half an hour… he has been fighting them that long and this wave of spirits is not abating at all…"

Bou-san squinted his eyes, "How the hell this boy still standing after all that? And how the hell he saw that coming?!" Bou-san pointed at the spirit that tried to ambush Hibari-san from behind only to get a swift attack that banish it from this realm.

"Spirits here…" Mai murmured, hand over her ear as if she tried to listen something better. "They are not united at all… unlike in Morishita's house, there are so many of them and yet… they're not bound by the same purpose…"

I crossed my arms, looking closer. "Yes… not all of them even try to attack him." In fact only around half did and Hibari-san only attacked those who attacked him first, as if he was fighting for self-defense. "This means their presence here is not because they're bound to this place…"

Mai narrowed her eyes. "This is getting nowhere…" She took a deep breath and said. "It's fortunate all of this equipment is ours…" She was not loud at all in fact I wouldn't know what she was saying if I wasn't looking and reading her lips. Then she turned towards me. "Well… I guess I can't avoid a little show…"

It was almost inhuman how he could stand continuous assault for so long with only superficial wounds and tears in his suits. His breathing barely looked labored even from close up look. Fong Xiao Lang was practitioner of both martial art and a Taoist, so Hibari-san was well trained in both body and spirit…

It was twenty minutes later Hibari started to show his exhaustion, which was no wonder because while obviously he was a talented Qigong practitioner his body was that of an undeveloped young man. Lin told me no matter how talented their body would limit them, this man… Hibari Kyouya was no exception.

"He was getting tired…" I pointed out.

"Hey! Shouldn't we help him already?" Bou-san suggested warily. "I mean the kid is strong but at this rate they would overrun him!"

Mai narrowed her eyes, "No need…" She fished her pocked watch out and said. "Time's up."

Suddenly something explode and fire engulfed the area briefly. Then all monitor in the surrounding area of ground zero went blank.

"What was that?!"

It seemed like the fox fire Gene showed me through our psychic link but instead of giving off eerie feeling it made me felt overwhelmed.

This feeling… I felt it once… in the past. When? Gene was with me but…

"Their party for tonight is over then." Mai's voice snapped me out of my thought.

I whirled around and saw the flame had disappeared from the screen that at some point was back online, showing Hibari-san who looked a little battered but mostly fine. He had discarded his suit jacket and tie haphazardly on the ground. He looked at the camera direction, scowling before he walked away towards a mostly intact patch of grass and unceremoniously fell to relaxed position.

For a moment we thought he fainted and even dead but judging from the folded hand behind his head and expression he was just taking another nap after the rough fight with the spirits.

"He is napping again?!" Bou-san exclaimed in shock. "I get it he is tired but… how the hell he could fall asleep there! It's a dangerous place!"

I turned to Mai who was making noise in the background, while we were puzzling over the enigma called Hibari Kyouya, Mai was busy filling bento box with rice and side dishes then she pulled a blanket from nearest shelves.

"Where are you going?" I asked even though I knew the answer.

Mai rolled her eyes, "Giving that overgrown brat over there his dinner and blanket, after all this time he still think it's a good idea to take a nap wherever he please."

Then she closed the door of our base and marched towards where Hibari Kyouya was napping. Much to our shock we didn't see Mai on the screen but we saw a bento box was thrown at Hibari Kyouya's head. The aloof man groaned before glaring at certain direction before another object was thrown at his head, this time it was the deep purple blanket which covering most of his head and upper body.

Lin was about to open the audio channel when Tojo tried to stop him. My guardian jumped in shock and we could hear Mai's muffled voice from his headphone, considering I was a few feet away and the sound was set pretty low I couldn't imagine how loud Mai was screaming at Hibari Kyouya.

We caught some words, cloud, carnivore, childish, cold and proper meal before Tojo muted the channel and Lin quickly took his headphone off of his ears.

Apparently he was on the receiving end of Mai's infamous lecture. I was not sure what to feel that apparently Mai mother other guys too. She was such a…

Once again Bou-san gave me another comforting shoulder pat I had no idea what I should take it for, however I should push this thought further to the corner of my mind.

After all… we have a case to solve.

* * *

 **Sorry it takes so LONG and it gets me in a slump for a while... Hibari is so hard to write. I hope I still get his aloofness right, I want to show a little caring side other than bite to death side of him ^^ well! We get some action from Hibari he he he...**

 **Q: Sphere of higher temperature air around Hibari?  
A: It's his cloud flame radar his TYL self used in canon against Genkish, it's very thin and invisible. **

**Q: Hibari is more talkative than in canon?  
A: Tsuna let him get away with using their intuition as convenient way of one sided conversation, Mai is not as indulgent about it. She let him get away with a lot of things but she is not as soft to let him make she sounds crazy with holding an one sided conversation so he has to talk or else she will nag him about it. **

**Q: The Vongola boss Mai summoned this time?  
A: Fabio, Settimo Vongola who is known for his destructive power and weak flame. **

**Because this chapter is suppose to be after Yuasa and I can't fit the timeline right I just split one chapter to two parts of omake. The park case... with the funny young woman and Masako XDDDD**

 **BTW do you think I should include Gene X Mai? Well... all we need is a bigger enough bed XDDD ho ho ho~**

* * *

 **OMAKE: In which Mai had a date with an older man, Naru was jealous and confused. and Bou-san was enraged. (Part 01, Case 03.5)  
**

It was the first December and school as always was pretty fun but pretty monotone in Mai's opinion. Then again she always felt like this about her ordinary high school life after a short trip to Italy. Hectic life back home made her felt out of touch with this normal life, chatting with friends, doing homework and archery club she barely attended as honorary member. There was always ghost hunting life, but Mai felt it was not included to her schedule as ordinary high school student.

Was it her third identity as Ghost Hunter in training? So ordinary high school girl in the morning, Ghost hunter in the afternoon and Mafia princess at night? That sounded very Vongola… a complicated and chaotic lifestyle.

"Ne, Mai." Michiru called Mai who was in the middle of jotting down what to do next week on her log book.

Mai craned her neck, smiling at the long haired girl. "Hai? What is it?"

"I wonder if… Shibuya-san can investigate something for me?" Michiru fidgeted as she took a seat behind Mai's.

Mai blinked owlishly at that, "You want Naru to investigate something?" She echoed. "Hm… tell me what it is first."

Michiru beamed at that, "Thank you Mai! You see… I had a date with Kenji-kun in nearby park."

Mai recalled that park was pretty popular for couple to hang out, whenever she walked around the area she saw couples all over the place. It was also full of single men hitting on girls in hope the amorous atmosphere helped their chance to get a girl. Mai herself had been hit on guys too many times to count after she was back from shopping groceries there, because that park was a good shortcut to her apartment. Although lately she chose to take longer route because after a couple of shopping trips in which Naru volunteered to tag along –simply because his pride as a man hurt to let a girl carrying groceries for his meal all the time- they became the center of unwanted attention when walking through the park with amorous atmosphere.

Mai never got around to cut her hair yet, thus her appearance was still attention grabbing. Naru was simply too good looking to not draw attention. It was oppressive to feel the stare on their person so Naru dragged her to take longer route.

"Then out of nowhere when we walked around the park, water from above drenched us…" Michiru shuddered. "It's very cold and ruin our date…" She said somberly.

"Could it be… a prank?" Keiko wondered.

Michiru shook her head, "No one was there…" And apparently she and Kenji was not the only unfortunate couple who fell victim to be drenched in cold season like this.

So the case was in that park? No way would Naru deign to step onto that place, even if the case was interesting enough for his research. It was not unfortunately.

Mai cleared her throat, her tone was apologetic. "SPR is a research facility so even if it's supernatural we will not take just any case if it's not worth researching." Mai said to her friend, and Michiru deflated.

She looked like she wanted to cry, "But that's place is important for us! We had our first date there and… because of this, the park become a creepy place and…"

Mai gave her a comforting hug, "Shhh… it's alright, even though SPR won't take this case didn't mean I can't help you." She perked up at that, "We have a number of collaborators, who can act without Naru's order so-" I put a finger on my lips, "I can contact them behind Naru's back for you."

"Thank you, Mai! I want to have a date in that park again!" She said wistfully.

Speaking of a date… Mai recalled she had one soon ne?

* * *

 **SPR's office**

Mai was on the roll to finish all available tasks in the office as soon as possible, and Naru wondered what make her so eager to go home early. He was sure they had shop for their grocery just yesterday, so Mai had no reason to finish up early to earn her early leave. She was a fast worker, but when she could take it slow she wouldn't rush herself.

"Mai?"

His assistant craned her neck as she finished the last filing properly as expected of her. "Yes?"

"You're leaving early today?" He asked.

Mai nodded, "Yes… I have an appointment." She informed him, "Shouldn't be a problem as long as I leave everything in order, ne?"

Naru had learned to be flexible with Mai's working hour, knowing Mai also run her own company. A company that apparently was still wasting paper for paperwork. Mai's explanation on that, it was a _tradition_ to torture their boss with the sight of a very real towering paper instead of virtual paper on computer they couldn't see.

"Right."

Mai paused as she put the file on the shelf and then asked, "Naru, have you heard of the story of the park we used to walk pass from shopping?"

Naru frowned at that, "The Park that is full of foolish and amorous flock of flamingos that couldn't mind their own business?" He was still vexed the last time people stared at them and commented what a young married couple they were, assuming from their grocery bag they were living together. Next door yes, really together, no.

Obviously Mai caught on what he had in mind quickly, "Erm… while I don't enjoy their staring either, could you please don't so subtly imply they're bird brained?" Mai sweat-dropped, "You see… lately it seems supernatural entities keep playing prank on couples in that park, pouring torrent of water on their head and ruined their date. Not too dangerous but nowadays the weather is so cold."

"It's none of our business if they caught pneumonia or a bad cold." Naru retorted coldly. "You know very well this kind of meaningless prank doesn't worth researching."

Mai shrugged, "Right…"

"Are you going to investigate on your own?"

Mai nodded, "I am just going to check if there is anything there for now, no exorcism and the likes~ I will just call Bou-san or Father Brown if I sense anything."

Naru sighed at that. Mai was too caring again, troubling herself with someone else's business.

"Hey! This presumably spiritual entity ruined Michiru's date! She is not someone else! The least I could do is checking if it's supernatural or just a human prankster!" Mai huffed.

Deep down Naru couldn't blame anyone who was tempted to pour water on those lovesick birds to cool their head down.

"Naru… No one deserve to get their date ruined, seriously… their staring and pointing is annoying at best." Mai once again didn't realize she just read his mind, or guessing it whichever... Or they had one sided conversation and Mai acted like it was two sided.

"Whatever… do as you please, but before you go… make a pot of tea for me."

"Hai~"

Few minutes later Mai had prepared a pot of freshly brewed tea and set it on Naru's desk, he was still reading a map, he almost missed brief sadness that appear on Mai's face at the sight. "Mai?"

She shook her head, "It's nothing."

Naru sighed at that, something he shouldn't ask again. "I will walk you to the door at least."

"My…" She giggled at that, "You don't have to."

"I have something I want to read from your shelf, the observation file on Yuasa High School population." Naru reasoned, "School is also a frequent haunting ground in Japan so I would like to know how their population work…"

Mai shook her head as she followed Naru out of his office. "Seriously Naru, not all school is Yuasa… they're a peculiar case."

"Then start a file on Japanese school in general." Naru ordered as Mai went to her shelf and pulled the file on Yuasa High.

Mai handed him the file he requested, smiling exasperatedly at him. "Alright~ I will use my school as a model, I believe our environment is normal enough to be general."

"I guess…"

Mai was about to leave when she turned on her heels and smiled at him as she got closer, Naru was not surprised anymore when Mai tiptoed and planted a soft kiss on his left cheek and then the right.

The door chose to open in that very moment, revealing a wide eyed Masako Hara who got a full view of the seemingly intimate moment. Naru didn't care what Hara-san thought, to both of them it was just simple sign of familiarity and Mai was very affectionate to people close to her. Never mind the light headedness he felt that gradually became a welcomed pleasant sensation to him.

"See you later, Naru." Mai said as she waved her hand, stepping away with a smile. "Ah Hara-san!" She beamed at the doll like girl, "Good afternoon! A shame I have an appointment, see you!" Mai gave the medium a deep bow and excused herself out of the office.

Usually Mai would avoid this kind of gesture in front of their Japanese coworkers, but Mai as usual was distracted with the idea of serving justice for her friend so she forgot Masako was a Japanese and rightfully shocked by the intimacy.

Click!

The door behind her was promptly closed, and that snapped Masako back to reality. "Just… just now? Are you dating Mai-san?"

Naru quirked an eyebrow, "That's none of your business…" He answered vaguely. "What do you want Hara-san? I am very busy." Naru said as he held the file on his hand up to emphasize.

Masako clenched her grip on her kimono, "But… she kissed…" For a prim and properly raised Japanese girl like her, that was a very bold thing to do. She might have caught them by accident but Mai looked nonchalant about it.

Naru snorted, and made his way towards the sofa. "In case you forgot Hara-san, both of us are foreigners in Japanese point of view." Learning from Mai, Naru became aware twisting truth was always more favorable in the long run than an outright lie. "We're _very_ familiar with each other enough for such gesture…" Not that he would ever kiss Mai, he was not an affectionate person.

While Hara-san shamelessly blackmailed him, Naru was well aware she was still a reserved and traditional Japanese girl. She had conned him to go on dates with her, but in the end she was too timid to use the advantage to dictate his personal life. It was annoying but so far what she wanted from the dates was just chance to get closer, not outright blackmailing him to be her boyfriend.

Which in Naru's opinion was a very strange form of decency in Hara Masako's part.

"I… I have a request!" She stuttered. "Investigation…"

Well, at least it was not a date.

* * *

 **City Park**

In the end it was a date and Naru was not pleased with Hara-san's harebrained scheme to get it with using a case as a cover. At least previous ones was called as a polite invitation for tea and the likes, and now she got lower to call an investigation for a date. If it couldn't get any worse the case was the same as one Mai mentioned, apparently Hara-san's acquaintance, a director wanted to shoot a drama here but his actor and actress kept getting drenched on the scene. They should have just changed location, and he didn't buy Hara-san's excuse on how the location had to be this park because obviously one park was no different than the other. Just tress, grass, benches and so on, it won't make any difference if they used other places.

"So this is the location?" Bou-san eyed the seemingly normal looking park skeptically.

John followed his example, "This is one odd case, don't cha think? I mean... why couple? And drenching them?" John said in his signature kansai-ben Japanese, coupled with his Australian accent he sounded hilarious. Although at this point no one in SPR team bothered to comment as they got used to it.

"I know. Spiritual phenomenon that attacks couples..." Bou-san said with a huff, "I wonder why this spirit get a kick out of this prank?"

"We have yet to determine if it's a spirit or not." Naru said pointedly, annoyed he was dragged into this kind of case.

"I assume that's what we're about to investigate, right?" Monk laughed out then looked around again. "Uhm... where is Mai-chan? And Ayako?"

"Mai-san is not here?" John joined, eyeing their surrounding warily.

Naru sighed at wary look on both John and Bou-san's face at the lack of Mai by his side, one case went awry without her and now they freaked out when she was not on sight. Unknown to Naru what they were wary about was him not the case. "Matsuzaki-san had been called but she is late... Mai went ahead because her friend is one of the victim before Hara-san came in with the same case."

"By herself?" Bou-san asked incredulously.

Naru pointedly ignored Hara-san's souring face at Mai's name, "She just want to check this park herself first, if she sensed anything she plan to ask you or Father John to take care of it..." In which he was more or less implying to the girl beside him that they didn't have to go through trouble with her plan, Mai was more than capable to handle this, if they were lucky Mai would even scared the spirit off of this place with her presence alone.

"You didn't tell her we're coming?" Bou-san pressed on.

Naru raised an eyebrow, "In case you forgot... this is Mai, most likely the moment we came to this park she already..."

"Minna-san!" Speaking of Mai, she was running to their direction as waving at them cheerfully. "I sensed you coming so I wonder what are you guys doing here?" She said as if finishing Naru's sentence the moment she skipped to a halt in front of them.

Naru shrugged, gesturing towards Mai. "See... calling ahead is pointless."

"Oh." Mai tilted her head to the side cutely. "You know, I always value courtesy Naru..." In which, please call for the heck of it even though it was pointless.

"Hn."

Bou-san hollered, "Even so! Her intuition shouldn't be taken as convenience to you Naru-bou!" This boy was really bad at socializing! He couldn't even got closer with the girl he liked naturally! After everything they had been through, Bou-san expected this introverted genius to take a hint at least, but noooooo he and Mai were close but not the way normal couple was! Did he expect Mai to read his feeling out of him instead of confessing?! Oh wait, he didn't even get what he felt for Mai!

"Hara-san came with the same case." Naru informed Mai curtly.

Mai cupped her cheek, "Ara... you don't have to go through this trouble."

Masako looked like she wanted to growl at Mai but her Nadeshiko persona didn't let her. "Of course he did... _I am_ the one who ask him to investigate."

Mai eyed Masako, most likely reading the girl and she quickly backed away. Bou-san wondered why Masako was still unnerved by Mai's eyes on her person, at this point no one but her felt bothered. Mai's ability was something passive and couldn't be turned on and off as she please, it felt intrusive at first but Mai never used her intuition against them. She knew her place and boundary. Beside... Masako was obvious enough, even they could tell she was jealous of Mai.

"Actually... I did sense one spirit." Mai informed them. "She is not hostile or strong enough for me to mark her as a danger so... I didn't scare her away." Apparently Naru tested this spirit repellant ability of hers, it seemed it would only scare spirits with bad intention or strong enough for Mai's intuition to presume them as a dangerous entity. If they were harmless Mai would instinctively leave them alone.

Naru leaned forward curiously to Mai, getting closer to her instead of Masako. "Is that so... considering the entity just pour water on people, most likely it's pretty weak and cannot do more harm than that to human."

"I think so too... most likely this spirit deceased recently." Mai gave her input. "It's very weak..."

It was another thing about Mai and Naru, Bou-san observed was their tendency of close proximity. They seemed to be not minding each other's presence in their personal space, although unlike most couple they were too... relax about it. It seemed to them three meters or so close and their shoulder almost touching were no different. Naru, who Bou-san was already sure had special feeling for Mai didn't seem to react differently to the close proximity. Maybe because both of them were foreigners even though they looked Japanese?

Bou-san knew he was nowhere as smart as Naru or as observant as Mai, but he was not stupid and ignorant. With Mai, he wouldn't notice if she didn't go back to Italy and reveal she was one fourth Italian. She was fluent in both Japanese and Italian, with no trace of accent that could give her pedigree away. Naru however didn't hide the telltale as well, more like he couldn't do so. In their job it couldn't be helped English and other foreign term to be used, it was not too obvious but Bou-san heard how Naru pronounced the term perfectly like a foreigner. That was not enough to give him away though, the clincher was in measuring session. This one was Mai's caring nature that gave it away, she always wrote the measuring in both meters and feet. He also took a peek on her psychology log on their clients and spirits, it was _all_ in English for Naru to read.

Even without all that, Naru's deep blue eyes were obvious enough for him to tell the boy had mixed blood like Mai. Even so... Bou-san couldn't help but think even by foreigner's standard, their close proximity was odd. By Japanese standard... it was very bold and Masako looked ready to explode.

"Then where is this spirit you sensed?" Masako demanded, her tone was almost rude.

Mai obviously knew why Masako was ticked, "Erm... Masako-san? The spirit is hiding..." Obviously also, Mai was sure Masako felt the same thing, so why she even asked?

She blushed a deep red when she realized as a Medium she shouldn't have asked such thing. "Of course I know!" She turned her face away and asked to Bou-san. "Where's Matsuzaki anyway?! She is late..." Masako asked the monk.

Bou-san shrugged, wondering why Masako asked him of all people. "You know how she is," He grinned sheepishly. "She'll came in here and say something like, 'This is _clearly_ the work of an earth spirit!'" He mimicked Ayako's pompous tone with perfection.

Mai giggled at him. "That sounds just like her... Bou-san."

Then, speaking of the devil and she shall appeared. The red haired miko walked up to their group and announced, "This is _clearly_ the work of an earth spirit."

Mai, Bou-san and John giggled at the perfect time she appeared, she had a great timing! "Care to fill me in on what's so funny?" Ayako demanded.

Naru was not in the mood to waste their time, the sooner he got this done the better. Mai stopped giggling at his frown and rolled her eyes. "Alright guys~" She clapped her hands, "Let's work so couples in love can have their date here again."

That got their attention quickly, and saving them from Naru's ire in the same time. Bou-san patted his chest, relieved Mai had softened the next blow. Naru sighed, "Let's begin the investigation..." His tone was stoic but not cold and threatening, "This is a case about a phenomenon that only happens under specific circumstances, which means that you all have to-"

"Yeah, we know, get to the point already," Ayako interrupted. "We'll exorcise the spirit, right?"

Mai waved her hand in negative, "Ara... Ayako-san, if all the spirit did is pouring water on people I think that's too harsh."

Bou-san nodded in agreement, "If you want to don your miko outfit and waving your stick here, go ahead." He gestured towards the people around them, enjoying the park.

Ayako changed her mind, "Erm... on second thought..."

"For this case exorcisms will not be necessary," Masako assured them, shooting another glare on Mai who just sighed at hostility she didn't deserve. At least she thought she didn't deserve it.

"Then what would you want us to do here?" John asked curiously.

"The plan is to have you all act as live bait," Masako said smugly.

"Bait?!" They all asked at once.

Mai just blinked at the idea, "Ara... we have the same idea, if I know you guys are planning the same thing I wouldn't ask my date to push our appointment time ahead..."

If they were surprised by Masako's idea, what Mai's said shocked them out of their wits. "DATE?!"

Bou-san could tell Mai who was looking at another direction was obviously distracted enough to not notice the dark expression on Naru's face. So she went on, "Yes... we should meet by six somewhere else, but since this case came up I asked him to meet me earlier." She informed them, still looking at nowhere and not at Naru.

Then Bou-san noticed she was wearing a very cute cream colored trench coat, the double breasted winter jacket kind with black laces on the skirt. Her long voluptuous legs wrapped by black knee length stocking and cream colored boots. She was also wearing a very light make up. Totally like a girl planning to go on a date.

All of them started to shiver, and Bou-san had a feeling the temperature drop was not natural and not because of the spirit either. Mai who most of the time was very sensitive for some reason was blissfully unaware. Because she was a Vongola and a flame user, her body temperature was higher than normal human so she was not as sensitive to cold.

But she noticed something else, "Naru... why you're glaring at my back?" Mai asked out loud, her eyes was still at specific direction that wasn't them.

So she noticed his glare at least.

"I thought you're investigating, _not_ dating." He kept his tone cold but Bou-san could tell he was boiling inside.

"Well... two birds with one stone, beside~ it's a waste of time to go back home so I also ask my date to bring some clothes for me."

"...Clothes?" Ayako echoed. "Why?"

Mai snorted, "While I have full confidence in my reflex... I am not going to investigate a spirit with ability to drench people without preparation. This is beginning of December, it's cold!" She huffed.

That was when all of them noticed the serious flaw in their preparation, none of them had initiative to bring change of clothes. Naru didn't share the same idea. "Well... I do bring change of clothes with me." Naru informed them, which explain why he had a small bag that obviously water proof with him.

Both Mai and Naru were prepared, they didn't. Masako blushed deep red when she realized she was not prepared either.

"Ah... there he is..." Mai beamed and waved at someone in the distance.

At once their regret on not bringing change of clothes vanished and replaced by curiosity. Soon a man entered their range of sight, he looked to be in his mid-thirties, with black hair on the back half of his head and blonde hair in the front. He was wearing stylish dark green trench coat, that partly open so they could see the white dress shirt he was wearing beneath.

His stride was elegant as he stopped in front of the petite girl and bent down to kiss her hands fervently, "Hello, it's been a while… dear princess..."

"Yes, it is..." She giggled at the newcomer. "I am glad you can make it, I apologize to make you come earlier than planned."

The man straightened himself, a charming and indulging smile on his lips. "It's nothing Hime... I will even take a bullet for you, coming earlier to bask in your presence if anything is something I will not miss." He said suavely.

Mai giggled again before she gave the older man a kiss on both cheeks, and in the background the Japanese gasped in shock. "My, aren't you getting better at smooth talking, Ganauche... "

"MAI!" Bou-san hollered, inching away from Naru who was fuming and by now the temperature drop was getting too cold to ignore. "You can't just kiss a guy like that?!"

Mai seemed like she just remembered they were there, and smiled sheepishly at them. "Ah, sorry... I forgot that in Japan this kind of thing is unusual!" She laughed, "I was still in Italian mood, te he~" What the hell she meant by Italian modd?! "It's just a greeting among people you're familiar with! Don't mind it too much!"

"Mai." Naru narrowed his eyes at the Italian man, and in return the object of his glare raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Who is he?"

Mai blushed in embarrassment, "Oh! I almost forgot to introduce him to all of you... This gentleman over here is Ganauche III, he is one of most trusted family members of my grandfather."

"And Hime's date for today." He winked at them, "Nice to meet you." Ganauche said in perfect Japanese, there was slight accent but it gave him an appeal. "Hopefully... you don't mind a bit of water, Hime." He brought up a waterproof bag he had, "Because I wish to see you in a dress I have chosen just for you."

Mai just laughed, "I hope you didn't choose anything too expensive... "

"Everything seems priceless when it comes to you, Hime." He said as he showered her with attention.

Bou-san and John frantically tried to placate Naru who seemed to not hear them at all, and continued to glare at Mai and Ganauche. Masako and Ayako stared at the handsome older man and blushed profusely. This was their first time to see such a caring and suave gentleman. He had this older man's sex appeal that different from Naru.

Naru bit out, "We come here to investigate supernatural phenomena, not flirting... if you..."

Mai raised an eyebrow at him, most likely she didn't get what pissed Naru off or she misunderstood. "True." She looked up, "Where is the water?" She tapped her foot impatiently.

She was flirting on purpose to get the spirit to appear?!

"Oh." She blinked. "It's here."

Ganauche smoothly pulled out an umbrella out of somewhere and opened it, saving both of them from torrent of water from the sky. The umbrella he had however was not big enough so his shoulder got a little wet.

"Ganauche... your shoulder." Mai pointed out.

He just smirked, "It's nothing, Hime."

Mai just laughed at that, then turned towards dumbfounded Masako. "So, where is the spirit?"

"Oh, well..." She looked around and was about to point at one particular direction when,

Mai tensed again and this time she pulled her own umbrella to shield herself from water coming from her left, "My~ This spirit is persistent to get us wet."

"Indeed." Ganauche agreed then said, "By the way, are you guys going to watch us drenched or what?" He quirked an eyebrow at them.

Naru was about to retort when he heard another sound of water torrent, "Mai!" He rushed towards her.

"Eh?" Mai blinked in confusion. "Naru! Wait!"

Naru stepped forward in front of her the moment two torrent of water from above and left stopped but replaced by one much bigger from the front, Ganauche only got his right sleeve wet but Naru and Mai got the full brunt of the water torrent. "Gah!"

"Agh..." Mai moaned as she looked at her state, inwardly relieved she never wore heavy make-up so she didn't look like a clown. "I applaud this spirit's tenacity..."

Naru glowered, running his fingers through his wet locks. "Don't compliment it, Mai."

"Hime! Are you alright?" Ganauche asked worriedly as he handed her a towel.

Mai accepted the towel, "It's just water... do you have another towel?"

Ganauche chuckled softly as he tossed another to Naru who glowered in return instead of being grateful. "You're on courageous man to step in front of a lady..." He complimented, "Too bad you're a bit impulsive... considering Hime still got wet."

"I didn't see you try..." Naru retorted back coldly.

"Well." He shrugged, then said without a hint of guilt. "I am sorry Hime, it seems you get to wear the dress I brought for you." That was his reason?!

Mai snorted to the towel as she rubbed her wet face dry. "Never mind... so the spirit?" Mai whipped her head to a direction.

Masako huffed and pointed at a direction, "It's here…" she said. "She is there... a woman. She's young, looks to be in her mid-twenties…" she trailed off before collapsing on the ground.

"Hara-san!" John approached the fallen girl.

"What happened?" Bou-san asked, concerned.

"I don't know, she just collapsed," John said, checking her condition.

It didn't take long for Masako to wake up and she giggled like a loon.

"Erm, Hara-san?" John inched away from her warily as the medium broke to full blown laughing fit.

"Serves you right!" Masako said in higher pitched voice, half of her face was shadowed and paler than usual.

Great, even though it was her job as a medium... Naru couldn't help but wonder how the hell this girl was so defenseless from spirit possession. If this was the best medium Japan could offer, it was no wonder Japan was so spiritually active.

* * *

 **I bet no one see that coming! I always love Ganauche's easy going attitude... it's like he is the only guardian of Ninth who approve Tsuna's attitude and amused by his innocence and naivety. I don't hate Coyote but he is an easy target for Mai to hate, Ganauche in the other hand is someone she really likes... a gentleman.  
Yes... Naru is getting used to get kisses on his cheeks from Mai, as shown in canon Naru tend to give exception and treat her in special way, small things. Mai likes familiarity and being affectionate to those she was close with, and since she already know Naru is not Japanese she is the closest she can shower this kind of familiar gesture. Lin is Chinese so he is out... Bou-san is Japanese and John is not as close to her.  
He has let her cook his meal, small kisses seems menial and it makes Mai happy... and so is Naru LOL **


	17. Case 04, Part 03

**Case 04, Part 03**

 **2** **nd** **Night (Mai's POV)**

It was one exhausting night, calling Tetsu-san over to pick Kyo-san up and sent him for medical aid. The problem was Kyo-san thought it was a good idea to let his injuries be, superficial or not it needed proper treatment. Seriously Kyo-san was such a brat sometimes and I couldn't help but wondered if he really thought he only need to lick his wound like predator in the wild to get it healed?

In the end Tetsu-san managed to convince him to go to Namimori Hospital with a promise to drive him back to Kokuyo Land by tomorrow morning. After watching their retreating backs, and assured myself Kyo-san was not going to do anything stupid I went back to the base. I was not surprised at dumbfounded look SPR team, or at Naru's inquiring look he shot at me.

"It's like the tide…" I murmured softly but loud enough for everyone to hear me. I took a deep breath, "It took a while but… I get a reading of this place, the feel… I didn't get the last time I visit this place."

Naru frowned at me, recalling what I said about location of our previous investigations. The old school building that plagued by poltergeist to me was like a burning building, smelling of smoke with Kuroda-san as the fire. Morishita's house was like a prison. Yuasa High was a grassing field of a herd that surrounded by predators…

Current Kokuyo Land in the other hand…

"A dangerous seashore… now the tide is low but when the high tide come… the wave will drown us…" I murmured softly but loud enough for Naru to hear me, "If we don't build a dam soon, we wouldn't be able to handle this anymore…"

And the moment that happened…

"Unfortunately… if we let the tide be, it will spill over and flood beyond Kokuyo Land…" I closed my eyes, my breath was getting raged. "This means… if tomorrow night didn't work out, I have to take an extreme measure."

Naru suddenly was right in front of me with unreadable expression, or more like to me there were so many emotions swimming on his eyes I couldn't tell them apart anymore. He was anxious, he was a psychic so he must had a strong sixth sense and my words rang an alarm on his mind.

"And what is this extreme measure of yours, Mai?" He asked in skeptical tone.

So he could already feel he was not going to like it.

"You don't have to know unless tomorrow it gets from bad to worse." I stated firmly and walked towards the monitor where I could see Kyo-san were walking with Tetsu-san towards the exit of Kokuyo Land. "I hope it won't get to that point…"

Naru didn't take my answer well, "Mai… if you're going to make Hibari-san pull SPR off of this case, I am not going to let that happen."

Well, he sure learned about how my mind worked pretty fast. "What choice do I have?" I wondered out loud. "Let's see…" I turned around, resting both of my palm against the table to support my weight. "My intuition tells me this case is going to turn worse than our previous cases… this is not angsty teenage girl's poltergeisting, not collapsing old building, a bound spirit hell bent in search of her daughter with her army of children spirit or a high school teacher hexer…"

"…"

"This is a nest of spirit… drawn by something, they're not bound by anything… they're just here as if it's as natural as water to be in ocean… now they're just making a nuisance and soon they will start something worse…"

"…"

"Now… I am your client, you trust my intuition all this time and I said… you can't handle this so? What can you do Naru? What can you do to convince me otherwise?" I tried to not let desperation to slip to my voice, but it sounded like I was mocking him much to my shame.

Naru narrowed his eyes at me, for a moment I thought he was going to start a shouting match with me but instead he was smirking. "What can I do?" He echoed me, "I can prove you wrong, you and your intuition…"

My eyes widened at that, "You took my warning as a challenge? I can't believe you…"

"You will." He stated confidently, "We're always dealing with an unknown Mai, this is no different… are you going to back down just because your intuition said so?" He challenged me haughtily.

This man…

I closed my eyes and inhaled sharply, "Well then… show me your resolution tomorrow, and see if you're not changing your mind by then…"

Naru turned towards Bou-san. "You heard her… are you going to back down here?"

The monk scoffed, "Young men here are staying, both Naru-bou and that Hibari-guy too… how can I an adult leave now?"

I sighed at that, "Don't let your adult pride did the talking Bou-san."

He smiled sheepishly, recalling how it turned out for Yuasa High School's teacher when they let their pride ruled them. "This is not a senseless pride, Jou-chan… beside you said if we let this park be it would endanger the surrounding area! I would never be able to forgive myself if I run when I can do something…"

"If you say so…" I sighed again and announced. "One more night… this will get worse."

Always getting worse when we… Vongola was involved.

* * *

 **Palermo, Vongola HQ (3** **rd** **POV)**

"Your jet is having a technical problem?!" Hana gaped in shock.

Chrome looked very disheartened, "Yes… something with the navigation system."

All of their personal jet was installed with auto-pilot program, so even though the guardians had no knowledge on how to drive a jet they had no problem using them. The guardians with skill to drive was Hayato, Mukuro and Hibari himself as in they could drive any vehicle safely. Ryohei and Yamamoto had the skill but they were no safe driver as for Chrome… she totally incapable to ride any.

Which was what drive Hana to the wall with how Mukuro won't let Chrome driving by herself. Then again… perhaps it stemmed from the thought of this kind of occasion, in which Chrome would run off by herself.

Damn Mukuro… he didn't mind Chrome to be self-sufficient as an illusionist, but why couldn't he let her drive her own jet?!

Well Hana couldn't either… Ryohei was as dense as a rock and yet he was so caring about this kind of stuff, a lady shouldn't drive and what not. Gah! Why did she date a guy from Vongola again?!

"Wait… maybe it's a good idea after all." Hana grinned. "Ne, Chrome…" The mist inched away from Hana and whatever she was scheming on her head. "You're the mist after all so~ Let's do something sneaky befitting of your role as Mist Guardian."

That was Mukuro-sama's forte, Chrome was content to be the non-cunning one and…

Hana pulled her phone out and called, "Ryohei honey~ would you mind lending us a hand?"

Chrome could almost imagine their sun squirming in the other end at Hana's tone, the sweet voice dripping with promise of pain if Ryohei dared to say no to her request. Mukuro-sama always said she had to be more confident in herself, and he would be more assured of her safety… maybe he wanted her to be a little like Hana?

Unknown to Chrome, Mukuro thanked whatever God cared to listen to him that Chrome was nothing like Hana when he saw how whipped their sun was. It was saying something considering Mukuro never had faith in any God or Buddha before.

* * *

 **Japan, the next morning… (3** **rd** **Day)**

Tojo was calling SPR's collaborators to gather in Kokuyo Land. Mai disagreed with calling more people, it won't help them tonight from danger and just getting more people into this mess. Then again knowing those three, namely John who was too nice to refuse offer to help SPR, Ayako who was baited with the prospect of backing down from a dangerous case Bou-san chose not to, and Masako was infatuated with Naru…

In short all of them were coming first thing today and Mai could only accept more people participating in this case.

Mai was on the phone with Shouichi, in hope the nagging premonition on her mind was proven wrong. "So Chrome is still in Italy?"

 _"_ _Yes… as you ordered, I… tinker a little with the navigation system of her jet so she couldn't go anywhere with it."_ Shouichi assured her, _"Chrome wouldn't dare using commercial airplane anyway… I have make sure that_ _La nebbia inafferrabile, private jet of our mist is not going anywhere..."_

That was one thing off of her shoulders, _"And Chrome?"_

 _"_ _I think she and the other girls are out for shopping in Milan... something about new winter coat for you."_ Shouichi informed her and in the same time typing something in the background as she could hear click clak of his nimble fingers on the keyboard.

Mai raised an eyebrow at that, "Like I need more coat... the others?"

There were three guardians living in Italia constantly, Hayato who was in charge of managing most of their affair, Chrome and Lambo. The rest scattered all over the world and constantly travelling back and forth to Italy. Ryouhei was an odd ball as he was on his last year for honorarry doctorate in medical school, and managing foreign affair for Europe so his schedule was a little odd. He spent half of it in Italy and another half travelling in his schedule.

 _"_ _Hm... Lambo is in school, Hayato is on a meeting with the old folks..."_ Mai winced at the news of Hayato whereabouts, _"Mukuro is still out on mission… So is Yamamoto, I think he is somewhere in Rome now and Sasagawa-san… Erm, wait why did Giornata di Sole is out of its hangar?"_ Shouichi wondered out loud.

Mai blinked at that, "Isn't that… Ryou-nii's private jet?"

 _"_ _I sent him an email, asking where he is going and he said… he is going to India? Something about buying fresh holy basil for medicine he was making…"_ Shouichi read out the reply he got from the sun.

That was strange… Ryouhei was never a pharmacist, he thrive more on surgery as they had Shamal on medicine development.

"Why didn't he ask someone from his division to pick it up for him?" Mai wondered out loud. "Or we can just mail order it."

Shouichi had no idea either, _"Saa~ He is already half-way there anyway, unless you want me to hack his jet and turn its direction."_

"I… wouldn't go that far… " Mai rubbed her temple, "I let Kyou-san to fly off anywhere as he please anyway…" Although that was part of being the cloud, the others didn't have that much leeway to go off on their own. "Inform me if he is back to HQ."

 _"_ _Si, il mio Cielo…"_

Click!

That was very off of their sun to go off somewhere unannounced and to pick a rare medicinal spice of all things to boot.

"Shouichi, I presume?" Naru asked, coming out of the base as Mai was making her call right outside. Mai just nodded, knowing Naru he had courtesy to not eavesdropping her call at least. "So… when you're not in Italy, Shouichi is the one keeping an eye on your family and here I thought it would be Hayato."

She snorted at that, "Hayato is on a meeting with our old folks… you know the meddling old men type."

He raised an eyebrow at that, "I guess his hatred for adults is not so unreasonable after all…"

"Especially when one of those old folks is his grandfather." Mai pointed out, and hoped Ganauche and her grandfather would help Hayato out, or it would end with Hayato and Coyote butting heads. She couldn't get why Coyote always had to be the thorn on their side.

Naru winced, he had heard Hayato ranting about his grandfather to Gene and how much he wished the old man to drop dead soon. "Sounds like a meeting that will turn ugly."

"Of course." Mai sighed wearily, "This is just how family business turns out… when your working relationship is not strictly professional."

Naru wondered if Mai instinctively had an idea about SPR was more or less a family business too.

"Mai."

"Hm?"

Naru crossed his arms, "Why you're so against calling this… friend of yours, Chrome-san… right?"

Mai sighed again at that, of course Naru noticed she was strangely insistent in not involving their female mist. "She has a medical condition… car accident that almost took her life…"

Naru tensed at that, recalling what happened to Gene.

"She is fine now but, one thing go wrong her life will slip away…" Mai looked at her palm, recalling the dreaded moments in her life whenever Chrome was in danger of losing her illusionary organ. They were slowly helping Chrome artificial organs, but some organs even with their great technology couldn't be replaced…

"Ah."

Mai smiled sadly at him, "Maybe it's selfish but I don't want to endanger her life…"

"Apparently you're capable of selfishness." Naru said before he could stop himself.

Mai blinked at that, "What do you mean apparently?"

Since the first metaphorical punch was already thrown, Naru decided might as well roll with it, "Exactly what I mean… again your selfishness concerning other people in the end."

"Excuse me? Not everyone can be as self-centered as you Naru!"

"And most people can mind their own business… unlike someone."

"Human by nature is social creature… you odd ball!"

"There is social and there is…

"Well!" Mai cut him off before he could finish, "The fact remains that…"

A cough interrupted her and the two whirled to see Ayako who was dressing flashily as usual snapped a picture of their dumbfounded look with her cellphone and said. "It's nine in the morning, and you guys start it with smart ass argument?"

"Ayako-san!" Mai hissed at her, "Delete that!"

The miko put her phone inside her handbag and clasp it close. "Hell no! Next time you guys make a fool of me I will pull this pic out to console myself…" She said as she walked pass them, unaware Naru's hand brushed her handbag and send his PK to the electronic device inside.

Blam!

Looking at the closed door of the base, Mai turned her attention back to Naru. Her mood was picked up well after a round of argument. "That's definitely an abuse of your PK, you're going to be in trouble with Lin-san."

Naru smirked, "Don't worry… my control is getting better, her phone is mostly intact but recent data is toast…"

He was getting better at handling delicate use of his PK.

"This is so not what we have in mind with helping you to control your power…" Mai rolled her eyes.

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

It was noon when John and Hara-san arrived in Kokuyo Land. As expected Hara-san was not reacting well with the situation of this area, and John had to piggyback her half-way to the base until Mai asked one of the foundation members to pick them up with a golf cart.

She almost tried using me again as her crutch to walk around the area, but our client namely Mai and her subordinates were pros at accommodating and offered a wheelchair if she had that much trouble in walking.

"Erm… I… I will walk on my own!" Hara-san stuttered.

Matsuzaki-san snickered, "Serve her right to act like an invalid." Shaking her head and whispered something to John. "Seriously… this is getting sad."

"Do you think we should tell her that Shibuya-san…" John whispered back.

"Masako is not an idiot." Matsuzaki whispered back hastily, "We should just let this trainwreck be… nothing good come from meddling with them."

Bou-san leaned in and whispered, "Oh well… we have first row seat and this is going to explode on our face, well this case will first I think…"

I cleared my throat, drawing their attention to me. "As you can see from copy of file we gave you… in history Kokuyo Park was built around twenty years ago and closed around eight years ago because of economic crisis… there is no record of anything supernatural happening here but since one month ago when Foundation start a construction here this place…"

It took a while to brief the three spiritualists but they were paying attention.

"Any question?"

It was Matsuzaki-san who raised her hand to ask, "Out of curiosity… are your sure kids, students… didn't use this place for anything like Kokkuri-san or test of courage?"

In short she was implying students doing obscure occult ritual for their amusement.

"There is a possibility of that… but it didn't explain why the activity only start since last month." I answered smoothly.

Hara-san was strangely quiet when she read the file on what we found so far. I presumed she already got to the part about Mai's two medium friends. Hara-san was always secure in her status as one of the best medium in Japan, it must be a shaking revelation to know someone superior used to be so close.

Someone like Gene…

"We have enough equipment however… I'd like Hara-san to try communicating with spirits here. If you see them in swarm, make sure to avoid them…"

She nodded firmly, her eyes seemed set to prove herself. "Alright… I can see spirits here clearly, no problem."

After what happened in previous case I'd rather have you a little humble and cautious instead of trying to compete with people that was not even here.

"Matsuzaki-san and John-san, you two go with Hara-san for her protection." I ordered them, especially John in case Hara-san got herself possessed by accident.

"Roger-desu." John answered.

Matsuzaki-san shrugged, "Alright… I will be Masako's bodyguard again."

"A useless one." She harrumphed, "But you're good enough to be my meat shield."

Matsuzaki-san raised to the bait quickly, "What did you say?! This coming from the medium who said-"

I was about to cut their argument off but Mai was faster as she handed them a map of Kokuyo Land. "Here."

Hara-san as usual was still unnerved by Mai's presence for who knows why so she took one step back while Matsuzaki accepted the map. "Hm… you mark them."

Mai nodded, "Areas I marked in red are off limits… mostly because the structures of those building is already in bad condition and the spirits were swarming the area, yellow ones… are not as bad but I recommend you to avoid them… please stay in area I marked in green color… it's harder to find spirit there for Hara-san but it's safer…"

Hara-san frowned at that, "How did you know which area is more crowded?"

I answered that for her, "Reading from our equipment of course and what she sensed from the area… after all Mai spent hours after she wake up early this morning to survey the areas herself… and ignore how dangerous it is to go off by herself before sunrise."

Mai blushed at that, "Naru!"

"Next time, bring someone with you." I told her in warning tone. "What if something happen?"

She huffed at me, "Nothing happened, and that's it." She rubbed her temple, a habit of hers when she was anxious. "At any rate… I need to go to Namimori for a few hours. Call me if you need anything…"

I frowned at her, "What for?"

"Kyo-san had a meeting in Namimori with someone important, but… after what happened last night he should rest as much as he could…"

Kusakabe-san who was standing beside her fidgeted, "But Hime… I thought Kyo-san is allowed to work today… if he know…"

"Then he can complain to me." Mai said pointedly, "You're the one who said he can return this morning, not me."

In short, since she was his boss… and Kusakabe-san was Hibari-san's subordinate. It was his words against her…

"Hime… this is why you let me last night to convince him to go to hospital?" Kusakabe-san groaned.

Mai just smirked, "Well… it's not my fault he keep forgetting I _am_ his boss." She said smugly to Kusakabe-san `

"But Hime… what if Kyo-san."

"You know… he keep forgetting about our so called supplement's side effect…" Mai whispered to Kusakabe-san. "Unless you want him to see Momokyokai-san in a mood."

Kusakabe-san groaned at something Mai said and raised his hands in surrender, "Fine… Hime, Kyo-san is going to be in bad mood tonight."

"As if I am not used to that already~" Mai rolled her eyes. "Naru, I am off… I will be back in two hours."

BLAM

Once again we were reminded that high school student or not, Mai was a boss… and she had a knack to wrap even someone like Hibari Kyouya around her finger.

* * *

 **India (3** **rd** **POV)**

"No flight to Japan today?!" Hana hollered at the poor travel agent.

The Indian by the name Soma, said the tag on his chest nodded frantically, "We're so sorry but… no more free seats on flight to Japan today, but we can book the first one for tomorrow!"

Chrome fidgeted beside her. "Erm… tomorrow is fine." What they were expect anyway! This was a peak season and late in the afternoon in India already!

"But Chrome!" Hana groaned.

"It's fine…"

She rolled her eyes, "Alright! Tomorrow, first flight… get her the best seat!"

"Of course dear customer!" God! At last he was free from this crazy woman.

The door of their office cracked open and a tanned man with short silver hair poked his head inside, "Erm… Hana-chan, Chrome-chan are you EXTREMELY done yet?"

Hana growled at him, "Indoor voice, please…"

"BUT HANA! IF-" If Tako-head found out he sneaked Chrome out of Italy, he was toast!

"Ryouhei-dear…" Hana narrowed her eyes at him.

Ryohei nodded frantically, "Of course…" His voice became much smaller, "Whatever you say…"

Hopefully Hime would understand there was no way he would go against Hana's wish. Sometimes he wondered why he fell in love in Hana, of yeah… because she was extremely extreme woman!

* * *

 **Foundation HQ (Mai's POV)**

I understood Kyo-san loved his root in spite being part of Italian Mafia family, but I still couldn't comprehend his need for a traditional Japanese HQ, tea ceremony and traditional attire to top it off. However in Foundation even his boss had to follow Kyo-san's regulation so I had to wear furisode-because that was the only kimono I left in HQ- in this place.

So here I was, sitting in seiza in front of Momoi Satsuki, the daughter and heir of current boss of Momokyoukai. Who apparently also substituting her father for this meeting. It was peculiar for a yakuza princess to be the heir, but Momoi-san was cunning and very capable in spite of her young age and they expected under her they would enter their golden age.

"My… I don't expect to be graced by Sawada-san herself…" Momoi murmured softly as she set her cup down, covering her smiling lips with pale green sleeve of her kimono in a manner that reminded me of certain medium. "Not that I'm complaining, because… if it's Hibari-san he will not let me talk much, I have to state my business and leave as soon as I finish…"

Not complaining? You were complaining to his boss now, in short please teach Hibari-san some manner and courtesy for the sake of his diplomacy.

I took a deep breath, "That's just how our Kyo-san works and it suits him… I am sure you know we value peculiarity." In short we didn't accept complain on how our guardians did their business.

On the background the sound of bamboo hitting stone and pouring water of deer-scarer echoed loudly in our ears like a ticking clock. Filling the silence with eerie atmosphere.

"Well then." She broke the silence, sighing exasperatedly. "Let's get to business, shall we?"

Momokyokai nowadays forfeited their shady business in extortion, drugs and smuggling. It was not like they were completely clean, but they dared not to cross Kyo-san and Foundation. So they did their shady business elsewhere and not in Namimori. As much as I hated yakuza's politics, I had no right to do anything about it unless we wanted to subjugate all yakuza in Japan as well.

Well… Kyo-san was up to it for sure but considering current situation, we'd rather not.

"My… what a pleasure doing business with you, Sawada-san."

I faked a demure gesture, mirroring hers. If anyone watched this they wouldn't think we were talking about mafia-yakuza business instead of two proper Japanese lady talking about flower and tea.

"I am flattered…" Now that our family business out of the way I cleared my throat. "Momoi-san… your family hold most of history record around this area… so I wonder…"

Her eyes glinted dangerously, and it made me wonder how many idiots fooled by her peach colored hair and beauty, "My… what an honor to do a favor for the great sky of Vongola."

She already called whatever I had not asked yet a favor, this… yakuza princess!

"It's about Kokuyo Land… or rather that plot of land…" It was a favor anyway, so let get this over with. "Do you know anything… tragic happen there?"

She frowned at me, "Hm… I will personally look through our record if that's what you want."

No doubt she was disappointed all I wanted was information of a plot of land, nothing big enough to be used as leverage to be used against Vongola.

"However… is it possible for you to help us out to form an alliance with Triad6?" She asked me sweetly.

Triad… damn that was Kyo-san's area because of his ties with Chinese Triad group… "I will see what I can do about it, Momoi-san…" I relented.

She gushed, "That's why I love you~ Sawada-san."

I was about to retort when silhouette of Kusakabe appeared on the shoji door. "Hime… a call for you."

That was my cue to leave.

* * *

 **Kokuyo Land**

Hara-san was missing, and apparently when Ayako-san and John were distracted- if we could call turning their attention somewhere else for ten seconds was distracted- the medium wandered off on her own, most likely being drawn by something and went missing.

Foundation had dispatched search party for Hara-san but they couldn't find her, she was not seen in monitor either. So I was called in to search for her.

I was called for nothing in the end because just when I was about to spread my senses over Kokuyo, a pissed off Kyo-san walked towards us and carrying Hara-san bridal style towards our base. Hara-san looked terrified but I had a feeling she was weak on the knees after whatever ordeal Kyo-san saved her from and rightfully in need to be carried. I could imagine the girl latched on him because of her shock, perhaps… a little delusional with mistaking him as Naru…

Well, they had similar dark and dangerous aura to most teenage girl perhaps.

Kyo-san was not happy with his predicament, especially Masako's hands around his neck. So the moment he was close enough and about to do something I didn't want him to, I warned him. "Kyo-san… she is a girl so please treat her gently, and that's including handing her over and not throwing her at anyone."

Tetsu-san exasperatedly took the frightened girl off of Kyo-san who quickly walked away to opposite direction, scowling like an enraged tiger.

"Who let him out of hospital?" I asked to Foundation members who stood ramrod straight at my query.

"Well…" Tojo started hesitantly.

Why I even bother to ask? "Forget I'm asking, _he_ let himself out." Shaking my head exasperatedly I announced, "I am going to change."

Bou-san halted me, "Why you're wearing a kimono?"

Ayako-san crossed her arms, "It looks good on you but I prefer your western clothes, I will feel silly if in this group we have two kimono wearing girls…"

I sighed at her, "Foundation HQ is a traditional Japanese building… and their regulation state anyone have to dress in Japanese traditional attires…"

Bou-san grinned at me, "I would love to see you walk around haunted place on that like Masako, Jou-chan."

I rolled my eyes, "Absolutely not… unlike Masako-san I'm not used to walk around in kimono and geta… beside this is furisode." I gestured towards the wide flowing sleeve. "This clothes is impractical for me, and I will only wear this kind of thing in occasion… I like wearing clothes that easy to move in."

Bou-san stepped away and said. "So this means you rarely wear this kind of thing? Kimono… gown and other hard to move kind of clothes."

"Yes, why do you ask?"

SNAP! SNAP! SNAP!

He took my picture with his phone, and declared. "Saved! Jou-chan's rare photo in kimono~" Then he clasped his hands together before I could scold him for taking my photo without permission. "Please let me keep it, Jou-chan!"

I sighed, "Since you asked nicely… keep it."

He beamed at me then skipped towards Naru who for some reason had been very quiet since I came back. He looked fine though so I walked away to nearest place to change my clothes, missing grinning Bou-san stole Naru's phone and sent the picture he took to Naru's phone with Bluetooth because Naru didn't give his email to anyone.

However I did hear Bou-san taunting Naru to erase his good will, which made me wonder what the guys were up to.

* * *

 **SPR's Base (3** **rd** **POV)**

"Ignoring you?" Ayako echoed incredulously, "Spirits in this place ignored you?"

Masako looked indignant, "Yes… most of them seems like they can't see me, or rather unaware of my presence… or so I thought at first…" She corrected herself. "It's more like… they didn't want me…" She looked put off about it.

Naru crossed his arms, frowning at that. In his experience Spirit were drawn to either type of medium, they wanted to be noticed most of the time. "Then how did you end up separated from Matsuzaki-san and John?"

She blushed, "I was distracted when I followed one spirit that looked like he was the oldest I've ever seen so I… tried to follow him but then I lost consciousness and when I wake up… I was somewhere dark and cold…"

"That's underground supply area located below the glass house of flora exhibit…" Mai informed them, "That are is off limits… because half of exhibit above already collapsed… and the passage out of that storage is already blocked."

Masako frowned at Mai, "Yes… I was there and the spirits… I think around five… they start to talk, not exactly to me… they're wondering about the light…"

"The light?" Bou-san echoed, "Then surely it means they want to move on."

She nodded, "I tried to talk to them to perform purification but… they're not listening to me at all…" She gripped her kimono, she looked frustrated. "I don't know why…they just…" Masako took a deep breath. "So I tried to get closer, standing right in front of them and called them out but they just slipped pass me… it went on and on until I passed out…"

Mai narrowed her eyes and Naru could tell what she was thinking, their medium was down and judging from what she said, talking to the spirit to move on peacefully is out. Their option was getting even more limited at this point. She was silently asking whether this was when they would back off.

Naru was about to open his mouth but Ayako beat him first with raising her hand up, "I will handle the purification~ now, since if we wait for night to arrive and they get rowdy it would be dangerous so… I will do it now when they're laying low."

It was surprising to them that Ayako of all people confidently volunteered herself.

Mai stepped forward and in instant she was right in front of the Miko, scrutinizing her. "Hm… "

Ayako grinned at her, "Do you see something you like Mai-chan~"

Mai smiled at her, "I am looking forward for your purification… Ayako-san, I am very curious of what you keep on your sleeve."

The miko crossed her arms, "Oh… so you can already tell I wasn't lying back then?"

Mai just laughed softly, "Ayako-san… I really like you, simply because… for the last eight months not even once you speak a lie to me."

Her eyes widened at that, "Oh…" She shook her head in exasperated manner, "Cheeky little girl! After this I will leave you in shock and awe in my amazing skill~" She promised.

* * *

 **One hour later~**

"I love this place!" Ayako-san looked very close to tears, "all these trees are so healthy and full of life!"

Mai looked amused at her antics, "We care the trees well around here, and in fact we only cut down young trees and will keep the rest intact for greenery of our facility."

Masako frowned at Ayako-san who was rubbing an old and thick spruce tree affectionately, "Is Matsuzaki-san alright? She looks like she is losing it."

Ayako heard Masako but she didn't care, this must be one of the most beautiful forest she had ever came across. Their trees were healthy and lively, as if the bustling cities around them didn't affected their health like how it happened in other cities she had seen before.

How strange... Oh well, she would milk this for all its worth!

"I am starting!" She announced almost giddily, pouring holy water on the branch of sacred tree she planted on the ground. Then she clasped her hands together. "Please cleanse this ground, I sincerely implore you..." She began to chant her norito, Shinto prayer.

"Mai?" Naru noticed Mai's eyes were widening and her pose straightening.

She was smiling, "Wow… she is a miko after all…"

"I ask so for my humble plea may be heard, that may peace and calm may be granted upon this place…" Ayako continued.

Bou-san was confused but then straightened himself, "The air… even though it's Ayako's usual norito."

"The air is getting clearer… clearer..." Mai murmured softly but loud enough for Naru who was standing beside her to hear. "It's easier for me to breathe…"

Naru was sure she didn't mean it for him to hear, as she inhaled deeply and enjoying the sacred atmosphere in the air. _'Mai? What do you mean?'_

"May the deity of all corners come together…" Her hands shifted, forming another hand seal. "Rin, pyo, to, sha, kai, jin, retsu, zai, zen!"

Mai exhaled long and Naru couldn't help but lean closer to hear what she said. "They're coming…"

Naru almost asked what was coming but then he understood, Ayako was a miko of Shinto religion. A belief that derived from Buddhism but closely affiliated with nature, especially… trees. So it was no wonder when spiritual entities resembling old men came out from the trees the miko watered beforehand, and the miko solemnly waited for the tree spirits to came to her and went to the sacred branch.

She pulled the branch off of the ground and held it up.

Then spirits started to gather around them and all spiritualists including Lin became alert, ready to face the spiritual entities. Naru stayed rooted on his spot, considering Mai was too calm in this situation most likely the miko was in complete control of this activity.

"Come." She beckoned them, "The time to put you to rest have come…"

They came closer and the spiritualist almost attacked them when Mai shouted. "Stay still! Ayako-san get this!"

In instant all of them stay put, including Lin who looked shocked he did as ordered.

Ayako mentally thanked Mai as she waved the tree branch, the bell tied to it chimed a beautiful melody. The spirit began to disappear in time with the chime of her bell, slowly and steadily…

It seemed to be forever until all spirits that had come forward to her had disappeared. Ayako seemed bothered by something as she waited for a few moment before shaking her head then planted the branch back to the ground. She clasped her hands together and the bell tied to the branch slipped off to the ground.

"Haaah…" She exhaled deeply then turned towards the waiting team as the air slowly turned to normal. "Well… what do you think?"

Mai clapped her hands, "I am not disappointed Ayako-san… you're one genuine and amazing Miko."

John nodded, "Amazing! Matsuzaki-san!"

"Mai." Naru said in chiding tone, "While that's one impressive display of purification _at last_ I don't think biting her bait for compliment will help her ego…"

Ayako growled at him, "You really don't know how to compliment people!" Then she turned towards Mai. "However… you and Masako most likely know, we're not done…"

"Wait!" Bou-san raised his hand, "Why did you hide such an amazing skill?! I mean…"

Ayako snorted at him, "You of all people should have known… I am a Shinto." She said pointedly, "I am a miko thus… I don't have much power myself, so I borrow the power of tree spirits… you know, the old men spirits coming out from trees around here?"

"Oh."

"Near the hospital my family owned there is one great tree spirit who taught me a lot of things… and some _it_ shouldn't have told to a little girl." Ayako laughed, recalling how furious her parents when her tree told her their patient won't last. "It's one nice tree with sacred rope, deitified tree… and there is not a lot of tree like that nowadays. When I said alive… I didn't mean alive in scientific definition, tree nowadays starts to lose their spirit and to me they're no different than mummies…"

Naru mentally noted what the Miko said, it was no wonder she didn't display this kind of skill considering the case they took so far. Mai who was standing beside her looked… guilty?

"Lately… it's getting worse, for the last one and half year I think?" Ayako-san murmured to herself, "I wonder if it's because of pollution or what… but looking at them made me wonder what the world is coming too."

BADUMP!

Mai swallowed at what she heard from the miko, apparently spiritualists with affinity for nature like Ayako could notice what happened to their world. She couldn't squash the guilt on her heart, well aware this was the result of their decision.

The world was dying… together with them and trinisette… _If only… it was me and not my brother perhaps!_

"Mai." His voice snapped her back to reality. "What's wrong?"

"I…" She blinked out the tears that formed on her eyes. "I'm fine… just…" She shook her head, "I'm just a little sad." She told him with a sad smile.

Naru stepped closer so his face was mere inches from Mai's. "Are you sure?"

"Sure."

Bou-san cleared his throat and the two teens whipped their head towards him, "Erm… I hate to interrupt your moment but you know… Ayako is telling us we're not done yet with cleaning this place from spirits."

"Please get a room." Ayako chimed in with a grin.

Masako fumed, "No! How could you suggest such shameless thing?!"

Mai looked at them in confusion. "Erm… what moment? I am just not feeling well a little and Naru only asked about it…"

Completely normal thing to ask when your friend looked unwell.

Naru sighed, he didn't care of whatever they cooked up in their delusional mind. "So… what about not finish yet with this place, Matsuzaki-san?"

Ayako rolled her eyes and wondered why a teenager was more interested in parapsychology than the girl beside him. "Well… as you can see I borrows the power of tree spirits, so I can basically go on longer because I am not using my own… so it's not for the lack of spiritual power I can't completely purify all spirits in this place." She gestured towards the forest behind her. "Usually I need to let the tree I called around half a year before I can use them again but as you can see…"

She looked smug and giddy like a little girl in sweet house. "We have the whole forest of lively trees here! I can't belie…"

Bou-san groaned, "Ayako… I know you love your trees and you're very happy here but back to the topic please."

She looked embarrassed as she cleared her throat, "When I perform this purification ritual I can sense the whole area under influence of our power…" Namely her and her tree spirits, "However spirits that came to me are those who lost their way."

Masako frowned, "Ah… you mean confused spirits who didn't know they're already dead or lost… which mean they want to move on as long as we show them the way…" She muttered softly. "Generally this kind is easy to move on, in fact I managed to convince a couple myself… it seems they're here because they were drawn by high concentration of supernatural entities here."

Ayako nodded at that, "The problem is… some who most likely also ignored Masako too, they ignored my invitation too. I would call them bound spirit but not quite either… they're not bound to this location actually, they have unfinished business in this world and they're here to get it…"

Naru frowned at that, "They want something? All of the spirits that left here?"

The miko nodded, "It confuses me too… I mean this place is actually nothing special. It's not sacred or anything!" Ayako looked frustrated and a little offended. "I don't get why they flock here either myself!" She growled at no one specific, "I am giving you guys a free lift here! And yet!"

"Ayako…" The monk patted her shoulder in a hopefully comforting gesture. "There is no point yelling at them…"

"Well! In my whole career as a miko, this is the first time I got rejected!" She shouted in frustration, feeling righfully offended by the whole ordeal.

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

We returned to the base that once again warded heavily by both Lin-san and Bou-san. I was overwhelmed with dread as I began to understand what was going on here. Part of it at least, I didn't get the whole puzzle solved yet but it started to make sense on why they ignored Masako's and Ayako-san's attempt to purify them.

They had something they wanted in this world… something that would be left unfinished if they moved on.

"Mai."

I knew that tone, he suspected something. At least he already figured it out the gist of what I already knew. I panicked a little, wondering how the hell I should explain to him, I owed them this much for risking their life with staying here but…

"I…"

BADUMP!

I stood up abruptly from my seat, shocking Naru and the rest of SPR team. "Why is she? She is… coming here?"

One of our pair of mist, Chrome was coming here... straight to the dead trap made of lost spirits.

* * *

 **Wow... next chapter is Chrome's official meeting with SPR team ^^  
Yes, I reveal Ayako's tree spirit purification earlier to earn her some respect from her peers. It's a sore point to me why she wait so long to get her time to shine ^^ **

**yes... as you can see I put hint of what was happening in mafia world and trinisette and why Mai is so miserable... and here is omake.  
**

 **OMAKE:  
In which Mai suggest a creative vengeance,  
Ganauche explain their non-romantic date.  
and Naru began to understand Mai.  
**

 **(Case 3.5 Part 02-END)**

"Serves you right!" Masako said in higher pitched voice, half of her face was shadowed and paler than usual.

Mai blinked, "Ara... so this how a possessed people feel to me." Aside from Chrome this was her first time.

Naru eyed Masako curiously, "How it feel to you?"

"Like a overlapping image..." Mai informed Naru as she continued to rub her wet locks to dry. "She also feels pretty fuzzy to me~ unlike when Minnie was possessed. Maybe because Masako is a living human so..."

"I see... maybe to you their wave energy is..." Naru trailed off, wondering if pure medium like Gene would be seen less fuzzy to Mai compared to Hara-san who was not.

Bou-san couldn't believe this, "Oi! This is so not the time for scientific observation!" These two Ghost Hunters! "You're corrupting Mai-chan!"

Masako suddenly stopped laughing and turned around, spotting both Ganauche who was smiling indulgently at her and Naru who observed her with keen eyes. She latched on Ganauche first, "Wow! You're so hot! Is this the older man sex appeal I heard so much about?!"

Ganauche just laughed at the possessed girl who held his arm hostage. "You're a very forward for a Japanese girl, very cute."

"But! You looks like a player! I hate a guy like that no matter how hot he is" She decided suddenly and about to latch on Naru's next but she was stopped by Mai who grabbed the back of her kimono collar.

She sighed, and said. "Alright... that's enough." Bou-san wondered if this was a sign Mai was jealous considering she didn't stop Masako from latching to Ganauche, his hope was crushed soon when Mai said. "I don't think Masako-chan deserve to shame herself any further, especially in front of someone she has crushes on. So can you please settle down?"

Mai was more concerned on Masako's dignity than Naru apparently in this case.

Naru didn't seem to notice the girl he liked put Masako above him, and proceed to interrogate the possessed Medium. "Well, will you tell us truthfully... are you the one who is responsible for raining water down on people who come to this park?"

"Yes that's me!" Mai let go of Masako and she chewed on her kimono sleeve in frustration. "They can all just die of pneumonia for all I care!" She declared.

"Erm... why is that?" Mai asked.

"Because I hate them!" Masako declared, "I hate them coming here and flaunting their love in front of me! Why must they mock me when I hurt so much?!" Masako continued to lament on her misery.

Mai crouched down so she was eye to eye with Masako, "Hm... why their love hurts you? Will you tell us?"

Ganauche coughed, "Hime... as caring as ever." Naru glared at him again and the older man smirked knowingly in return.

As usual, people and even spirit seemed to be unable to resist pouring their heart out for Mai. "Do you really want to know!?" Masako latched onto Mai's hands, tearing up dramatically. "Oh thank you, I'll tell you every detail. It's the most heart-wrenching tear-jerking story of lost love you'll ever hear!"

Mai just smiled at her and patting her hands comfortingly, "Please tell us." She encouraged the spirit.

"This very park is the place where I first set my eyes on him. I was walking home with groceries when some leeks fell out of my bag~" She sighed wistfully, her eyes glazed over. "He stopped me, and it was love at first sight! Fate brought us together that day," Masako had a dreamy quality to her voice.

Mai blinked at the story, "Leek?" Sensing the spirit was not paying attention Mai craned her neck to Naru, "Remind me we run out of leek."

Naru rolled his eyes, "Whatever..."

Bou-san wondered what that meant, _we?_ He understood if Mai and Naru run out of stapler and other office supply but leek?

"Erm, your grocery aside... her story sounds like coming from lame old black-and-white movie," He couldn't help but commented.

"We would often meet here at the park for the most romantic dates..." Masako continued to rant, ignoring their commentary. Did this spirit thought they were peanut gallery?

"Everyone around us would get so jealous over how close we had become…." Then Masako suddenly turned around, her teeth was shark like. "Even so... HE!" She raised her voice before it lowered to a growl, "He… He…" Mai patted her back comfortingly, and Bou-san wondered if it was her way to make the spirit coughing up more detail or comforting.

"I was walking home with groceries again. I saw him with another woman! I can't believe he cheated on me, and I dropped my bag in shock…"

"So that jerk was two-timing you?!" Bou-san shouted in sympathy.

Ganauche nodded sagely, "Hm... what a shameful man."

"Yes it's true! I loved this park before I met him and now it only brings up bad memories!" Masako cried out, not noticing she just agreed with a man she accused as a player like her ex-lover.

"So... why water?" Mai wondered out loud. "Not that we want you to do something more harmful than a bit of water..."

"Yes." Naru joined in, "What's your reason to use water?"

It was starting to worry Bou-san how Mai and Naru shared the same wavelength lately. "Erm..."

"I confronted him then and there!" She declared, growling at the memory. "He told me to get lost, and that I was bothering his girlfriend… And then he poured his water bottle on my head!" She cried, biting her kimono sleeve again.

Mai frowned at her, "Then this person is simply horrible and he didn't deserve you."

Ganauche nodded sagely. "He deserve a painful retribution, back home in Italy such action against a lady would earn him a one way ticket to Vin-"

"Ganauche…" Mai warned him.

"You can say that again," The spirit drawled on somberly "I was so lonely and depressed over this guy… I decided to end it all right here, in these gorgeous gardens that once held only my most beautiful memories…"

"In short suicide." Naru summarized crudely.

"What a tragedy!" Ganauche murmured softly.

Mai frowned deeper at that, "Hum... you know, if you were his girlfriend I am sure you know where he lives~ and there is this trick to create smoke without fire. You can make his place wet in no time with triggering the sprinkler at his house."

"Mai-chan!" Bou-san chided her, "Don't give her ideas!"

Ganauche just laughed as he took the towel on her shoulder and rub her still wet hair gently, earning the older man another death glare from Naru. "Hm?"

Masako moaned. "Is that so?! I should have done that!"

Mai nodded sagely, "So... what did you do to kill yourself?"

"I tried multiple ways…" She confessed, "Hanging myself, poison… but I failed every time, but once I gave up and started walking home, I got frightened by a cat going through a bush… I lost balance and fell on the curb. I'm not sure if I had snapped my neck when I fell or if I had too much brain trauma, but either way, that's when I died. It was almost eight months ago."

"Which is when the first occurrence happened," Naru completed as he had took the towel from Ganauche and drying Mai's hair, Bou-san in the other hand had stopped caring of the story and wondered how the hell Naru didn't notice he was competing already for Mai's attention.

"And now I'm stuck in this awful limbo…" Masako sighed somberly.

"So why don't you just like, go up to this guy and haunt him directly?" Mai asked, her criminal mind on work so she didn't see anything wrong with getting back on a jerk. "Flood his apartment~"

"Now Mai-san, that wouldn't be a very good idea," commented John.

Ayako scoffed, "Mai's idea sounds wonderful and just what he deserve!"

"That's what I thought, so I tried to haunt him… trying to curse him, hanging over his shoulder…" Masako said, then began to explain what she tried. Most of it was classic haunting way from old horror fiction, rather than scary it was hilarious. "Maybe I should have flood his apartment like you said..."

"This guy seems pretty insensitive…" Bou-san commented, "And please don't agree with Jou-chan's plan."

"I couldn't bare going through this pain alone, so I decided to haunt all the couples that came here, and let them know how I feel…" Then she sent a torrent of water that drenched Bou-san and Ayako.

"Dammit!" Ayako said. "I'm not his girlfriend."

Bou-san groaned, "Buddha... now I am wet too."

"Ahahaha! Serves you right!" She cackled.

Mai sighed, "Don't do that... trying to get people to suffer like you will not make you find peace." The spirit turned her attention to her. "No one deserve what you did to them, your pain is that guy's fault but you have to know staying here the way you are will only bring harm to your soul."

"You know, she's right. If you keep this up you'll become what's known as a 'site-bound spirit'," Ayako added.

"Trust us, you'd be much happier crossing over now than trying to get even," Bou-san chimed in.

"If you'd like to do that, there's still time," John assured her.

Ganauche gave his own two cents, "You see Miss, life is short... drowning in heart brokenness is just too painful."

Masako latched on Ganauche again, "Then will you be my new love."

The Italian just laughed, "You're a charming young lady however... value yourself more than love. Maybe not in this life but on the next I am sure you will find a better one..."

She nodded at that sadly, "Then I am rooting for you instead of the pretty boy." She drew her own conclusion.

Bou-san wept inwardly at how even a loony spirit noticed, and Naru-bou didn't.

Mai blinked at that. "She is rooting for Ganauche? What for?"

"… Then it is time that I moved on…" She decided.

"Wait," Mai interrupted. "You have to cross over but... leaving your ex-boyfriend scoot free seems unsatisfying, think about the next girl that would fall victim to him!"

Ganauche sweat-dropped, "Uhm... Hime, sometimes it's better to forgive and forget, you know _he_ always said that."

Mai scoffed, "I think this case didn't deserve to be forgiven or forgotten~" She decided, grabbing Masako's hand determinedly. "Right?"

Bou-san sighed, "There is always karma, I don't think he will get away either."

"Spoken like a true monk." Ayako chimed.

"I am a monk!" Bou-san said pointedly.

Mai scowled, "Fate?! What is that?" She looked like she was about to laugh, "You decide your own fate!"

"Hime..."

"Mai..." Naru rubbed his temple.

She seemed to make a decision and was about to say something when she stopped and gasped. "It's him…" she pointed at a brown haired man, walking leisurely across the park. "On second thought! I wanna teach that dirt bag a lesson he'll never forget!" Masako said bitterly. "For my own peace of mind and so no one will suffer what I've been through!"

"But you've already tried that before and it never worked. How will this time be any different?" Ayako asked.

"Well..." Mai eyed the oblivious guy with predatory gaze, "Let me chat with him a~"

"Hime!" Ganauche held her back, "Please don't take a leaf out of our mist's book now! I beg you!"

Naru raised an eyebrow? Mist? What a weather phenomenon had anything to do with Mai wanted to mess with someone's mind? Was that a name code for something?

"Come on Ganauche~ Let me have some fun!"

"Hime!"

Mai rolled her eyes and blinked when she felt Naru grabbed her and pulled her away from Ganauche, "Erm..."

Ganauche laughed at Naru who glared in return.

"Well... how about this then." Mai suggested something else.

 **Few minutes later~**

Considering what Hime had suggested, Naru and Hime were told to stay put and hidden from view. Ganauche enjoyed seeing the boy trying to glare holes at him, knowing very well why. He was no stranger to jealous gaze of a possessive teenage boy, and it was hilarious and scary in the same time. Scary only because this was one powerful boy. Although... it was strange how the boy acted around Hime, obviously this was one of many powerful person that got caught by their great sky but...

It was strange how this boy had that _kind_ of feeling for her, usually people who was naturally by the sky would develop familial attachment not romantic love.

Speaking of love... the group Hime had with her was scarily good at this task, the jerk should be thankful Hime didn't have a mist flame user around or it would be worse for him.

The monk passed by him silently before stopping a few feet behind him, then creepily said in monotone. "Hey you..."

The jerk ex craned his neck in confusion.

"You recently did something very cruel to someone who loved you..." He finished in eerie tone.

This next was the priest with strange accent, "I sense an evil aura surrounding him..." Such a harmless looking boy, and yet he had it in him to pull one scary voice.

"I can see it," The red head who apparently was a miko came in next. "The spirit of a woman who was lead to suicide by you…"

"Who are you people?! I don't know what the hell you're talking about!" the guy shouted in shock.

 _"In bocca al lupo..."_ His princess said.

He grinned at that and said in return, _"Crepi il lupo!"_

That was Ganauche's cue to appear in a flash behind the guy, patting his shoulder. "My... you look pale my dear friend, do you hear the truth in their words? Of course you do!" The boy coiled from his killing intent and didn't notice Ganauche swapped something from his pocket.

"You practically killed her," Bou-san continued as he slowly turned around.

"It's said a woman's curse lasts a hundred generations," Ayako informed him with an evil smirk, as if she wanted to curse the guy herself.

"You should have her exorcised as soon as possible," The priest said, it seemed deep down the priest was enjoying this. Always the quiet ones... like their great skies... thought Ganauche.

"You people must have me mistaken for someone else. I-I mean, why would I need an exorcism?" The guy stuttered out in fear.

And for the finale~ the medium girl herself.

"Hey, you're-" the guy seemed to recognize her. "Hara Masako?" As Masako had not said anything he was confused why a famous person appeared before him.

Masako gave him an unsettling smile, and returned the favor in form of water pouring over his head. "Fu fu fu..." For a moment Ganauche feared it was the current mist who was possessing her, "Isn't a wet clothed man very hot? Although... for a scum like you, instead of hot you looks like a drowned rat, honey~"

He blanched, most likely the affectionate way the medium called him triggered a vision. He saw her image overlapped with Hara Masako's. "You!"

"How does it feel to be wet, my dear?!" the woman's voice rang over the medium's as she spoke.

The man broke down as he knelt, begging for forgiveness. They were so focused on his breakdown and him on his fear, no one noticed Ganauche openly messing with a cellphone on his hand in lightning speed.

They only noticed when the guy ran away and Ganauche helpfully dropped the cellphone on the hood of his hoodie and exclaimed. _"È fatta~"_

Mai giggled at him, _"Ben Fatto~ Ganauche."_

"Erm..." The monk watched the bastard's retreating back. "What did you do to his phone, Ganauche-san?"

The lightning guardian grinned, "Oh... that kind of man usually always keep photos of his conquests on the phone, and keep his girls' number in one folder... and he did exactly that~ So I send a little something to all of them so they know what kind of man they were dating. He has three women in relationship with him now, and I can imagine by tomorrow he will get another just desert."

Masako hugged Ganauche and almost tried to kiss him, "Kyaaa~ I fall in love again!"

"Then please look for me in the next life, young lady..." Ganauche said to her smoothly, stopping her from planting her lips on his easily because he was much taller than he was. "I am sure you feel much better now to move on."

"Oh, I feel so much better!" Masako said as she held Ganauche's hand tighter. "And yes! I will look for you in my next life."

Mai groaned at that, "Again..."

Masako turned her attention to Mai, "Now I can cross over without any regrets. Thank you so much…" Then she passed away in golden light while Masako fell over and caught by Ganauche before she kissed the ground.

Mai cracked one eye open at Ganauche, "If that lady come back looking for you as a cow, you have to be responsible."

Ganauche just laughed sheepishly at that.

* * *

 **SPR's office**

"I tried to kiss Ganauche-san?!" Masako squeaked in embarrassment, blushing furiously.

The Italian just laughed, "It's fine young lady... it's not you, and I only have my eye on my date tonight."

Naru glared at him, "Excuse me... I _think_ it's highly inappropriate for a man old enough to be her father to-"

"Actually..." Ganauche cut him off, "Hime's father is just a few years my senior~" That was not helping him to support the fact Naru just pointed out that he was old enough to be her father.

Bou-san followed Naru's example, "And yet you date a girl as young as Mai-chan."

Ayako eyed Ganauche approvingly, "Well... I can't say Mai's taste is bad, age didn't really matter..." Ganauche just smiled charmingly at her.

"That's not the point here!" Bou-san hollered.

Mai chose to enter the office at that moment, she was changing her wet clothes in the office next door. "What point?" She asked, revealing herself dressed in sleeveless white dress with small black ribbon adorning the center of her bosoms, the skirt of the dress stopped above her knee and laced black. It was a simple dress that emphasize her petite built and fair skin, she tied her long hair on loose low ponytail with red ribbon, giving her elegant and more mature look.

Bou-san tore his eyes from the sight in favor to stare at Naru who once again forgot to breathe. Ayako and John did the same and once again the miko-monk pair cursed their conscience because they couldn't laugh at poor Naru. "Er... Naru-bou, earth to you~"

"You looks stunning, Hime!" Ganauche said as he pulled a bouquet of colorful flowers out of nowhere and handed it to his princess. "I am glad my eyes is never wrong!"

Mai looked amused, shifting the new cream colored trench coat hanging over her arm. "Are you complimenting me _or_ yourself?"

Ganauche smiled at her and kissed her fingers softly, "Of course... I am complimenting myself for taking the chance to bask in your presence tonight."

"Then, you deserve a compliment." Mai giggled softly.

"Shall we go?" Ganauche offered the crook of his arm.

"Of course..." Mai accepted the offer.

"Wait." Naru said before he could stop himself. "Are you..." He trailed off, unsure what he wanted to say to Mai. It was not like he had any right to stop her. "You... seriously planning to go on this date?"

Mai blinked owlishly at him, "Naru... seriously I do, Ganauche is a complete gentleman and I know him since I was twelve~"

Bou-san joined in, "Where are you going then?!"

"Why do you want to know?" Ganauche asked with a smirk, this one was more familiar, a worried brother figure. He knew that glare anywhere because he had ever seen around ten pairs of those glaring at him when he went to take Hime out for the first time two years ago. Compared to this man, he had suffered worse from Neo-Primo himself. He still had nightmare of that sometimes.

"Kazuya-san!" Masako stood up, "I'd like to get you some tea to thank you for all the help you've given me today!" She declared. "So will you..."

Suddenly Naru had a brilliant idea, "Since everyone have been helping today, I guess all of us can go out for dinner... so I hope you don't mind us joining you Ganauche-san?"

"But!" Masako tried to protest.

"I second that!" Bou-san loudly declared, crashing Mai's date was a wonderful idea. "It's a job well done!"

Ayako raised her hand, "Wonderful! A dinner with hot guys~ except Bou-san of course."

"Hey!"

Mai just sighed, "Oh well... Ganauche, can you arrange it then?"

Ganauche just laughed in amusement, "I will make a call to Casetta dell'Orso, we will need a large table."

* * *

 **Casetta dell'Orso**

Surprisingly the restaurant they were going to was not grand or overly luxurious, the interior had rustic feel with white washed wall and warm atmosphere. However it was obviously classy looking at how sharply their waiters dressed, a gentleman with brown hair came to welcome them. "Buona Serra... Signor Ganauche... and it's been a while Signorina Cielo..."

Mai smiled at the waiter, "Si, Buona Serra... Claudio, I am so happy when I heard you and Nicolletta decide to open a branch in Tokyo. I miss her anti-pasto."

"Cielo?" Naru leaned in so he was right beside Mai.

"My Italian name." Mai informed him.

"Please." Claudio beckoned them, "We have arranged a table for you."

They had full course Italian dinner served before them and Bou-san and John started to feel guilty for joining in because obviously the price was more than what their wallet could afford. Ayako and Masako were rich young lady so they were not worried. Naru was not concerned either, Mai and Ganauche went on with their conversation.

"You know the head waiter..." Naru said, unaware he was trying to get Mai's attention away from Ganauche.

Mai looked at him who was sitting on her right side, "Yes... their main branch is in Rome, the head chef Nicoletta is the daughter of the owner. She married Claudio and moved to Tokyo to be independent... Casetta dell'Orso is my favorite restaurant whenever I visited Rome."

A young woman with short red hair appeared, and Mai beamed at her. "Buona Serra... Mai, it's been a while."

"Your Japanese is getting better, Nicoletta." Mai complimented.

They gaped at the young chef, she looked like she was on her early thirties or late twenties and her husband looked around in his late fifties! What a gap in age, could it be… Mai also had a fetish for older man?!

"Grazie..." She winked at Mai, "Here again with Ganauche I see, this sure bring memories..." Nicolette smiled at them. "I am Nicoletta, the head chef and owner of Casetta dell'Orso. This is the first time Mai bring so many friends with her, usually she is here on a date with Ganauche."

Naru's expression darkened at that, "Is that so?"

Nicoletta giggled, "My..." She eyed Ganauche discreetly, "I see..."

Ganauche smiled sheepishly, "Claudio is a lucky man... I hope I am as lucky as him to marry young sweet love."

Suddenly temperature in the room dropped again and Nicoletta excused herself to check on their heater, Mai was confused because she didn't feel the air was colder. Ganauche didn't feel it either and continued smirking to his wine. _'This is great!'_

After dinner they had dolce, Italian desert. Ganauche tapped Naru's shoulder and pointed to secluded area, the indoor garden nearby the Casetta dell'Orso. Mai eyed him skeptically, Ganauche just winked as Naru followed him closely, glaring a hole on his back. As soon as they were out of sight and hearing range Ganauche laughed.

"Ha ha ha ha... your glaring is impressive! It's been a while I got one this scary when it comes to our princess."

Naru frowned at him. "What are you talking about?"

"Shibuya-kun ne?" Ganauche gathered his bearing and grinned, "You see... when I first brought our princess to this dinner date, her brother seemed ready to kill me with his eyes alone. He could have set me on fire back then... until I explained myself."

That confused him, "Explain yourself?" Another bit of information on Mai, her brother was very protective of her. No big surprise there.

Ganauche nodded, "Hime would have told you if you just ask, but I will enlighten you... I have no romantic interest in Hime..."

"Then!" Naru bit out, "You're playing with her feelings?!"

Ganauche sighed, "Seriously Shibuya-kun... Hime has no such interest in me either, to her I am like an uncle or an older brother at best."

"...And yet she go on dates with you?" Naru was still skeptical, as it didn't make sense.

The lightning guardian wondered why this boy was so dense, and here he thought the boy was as smart as Hayato at least. "You know that she is a daughter from a powerful family right?"

"Yes." Naru answered.

Bou-san walked in that moment to them. "May I join in? Mai is like a little sister to me and-" He pointed at Naru, "I know too."

Ganauche snorted, "Sure... I see Hime got herself another brother figure here." He shook his head, "You see... Hime was raised in a powerful family, so naturally a lot of men is interested in her because of her name and wealth." She was pretty too of course but her name outshone her to those men.

Classic, but Naru didn't see where this conversation went.

"But that's a minor problem you see... we're powerful enough so we don't concern ourselves much on marrying to the right family and so on." Ganauche drawled on, "However, judging from her attitude around guys... her familiarity I am sure you have noticed she grew up in family full of male relatives both blood related and surrogate." He jerked his thumb at himself. "I am also one of them... we adore and spoiled her rotten, it's a wonder she grows to be a caring and selfless young lady~ ha ha ha..."

Bou-san suddenly got an epiphany where this was going, "You mean?"

"It means... Hime is very familiar with guys, she never lack attention from opposite genders since she was born... so unlike most teenage girl, to Hime... to be lavished with attention from guys is nothing special!" Ganauche explained.

Naru was still confused, "Are you saying... she didn't care about romance?" He guessed.

He nodded, "My dates with her is also strictly non-romantic, you see... one day she wondered how dating feels! So, I offered my service... her closest relatives spoils her, but didn't mean they treat her as a lady. So I volunteered to give her experience to deal with a gentleman, the kind of man she was not familiar with back then..." He shook his head, "Well, it's all according to our plan."

"What plan?"

Ganauche grinned sheepishly, "You see... while we don't mind really who she choose, we're worried of what kind of man it would be! It's not really a plan either but... it just turns out like this! She didn't crave attention from guys, so obviously getting their attention is nothing special to her. With me giving her a play date to know how it feels to be treated as a lady... she is pretty much immune to any type of guy, our perfect and _unattainable_ princess!"

Bou-san gaped at him, "THAT'S CRAZY! Are you trying to make her end up as Christmas cake?!" A.K.A girls who married late like Ayako.

"It sounded like a good plan back then." Ganauche defended himself. "You didn't get to see how many guys wanted her for many reasons back home! Of course we didn't think really straight!"

Then again when he thought about it, the plan to make their princess unattainable was... farfetched. Considering anyone dared to try anything with their princess without her consent would be on the receiving end of a spiky tonfa, dozens of dynamites, electrical horn, five feet long sharp steel, and the most gruesome illusion known to man, and not necessarily in that order either. Of course there was her brother, their great sky who was a living saint most of the time but turned to incarnation of disaster when his seemingly limitless patience snapped. Yep, definitely a farfetched idea they had back then.

"You admit it's a harebrained idea!"

"Well! We didn't think as far as what _if_ a guy who truly in love with her appear!" Ganauche reasoned, eying Naru approvingly. "I mean... she was thirteen when we thought of it!"

"Well... I kind of understand..." Bou-san nodded sagely.

"See!"

"But still…" Bou-san trailed off, "Looking at how she is not cold to any man make me think she is not that…uhm… unattainable! I mean she accept gift, she thanked me sweetly when I bought that funny keychain of shiisa after my tour to Okinawa!"

Ganauche snorted, "Of course! She sees you not as a man but a family, beside it's just sincere gift with no string attached! Do you have any idea what she did to gifts with romantic intention back home?"

At this Bou-san and even Naru leaned in curiously.

"In her words to us or whoever is free to do it for her, please _dispose_ of everything in orderly manner!" Ganauche quoted with a roll on his eyes, "Eat the consumables after we check it for poison and other drug, pour the perfume and other liquid to nearest toilet and flush it, return the too expensive stuff with a no thank you note and donate whatever we can get away it to charity~" He listed on.

Bou-san's left eye twitched, "Wow… even branded stuff?" He thought girls, especially Italian like Mai would love them.

"Branded stuff?" Ganauche snorted, "Hime could buy them for herself if she feels like it, what she wore everyday if not gifts from us is made by her girlfriends who loves to make clothes for her."

"Jewelry?"

"Have you seen her wearing any?"

"Dolls?"

"No~"

In short almost all kinds of gift were out of option.

Naru at this point left two of Mai's older brothers to argue because it seemed both forgot he was there, beside... if Mai was not going to be interested in any guy that way it was good... good? Then he... no, it was good if she wouldn't be distracted by romance. Why he felt strange pain in his chest when Ganauche called Mai as unattainable? That was odd and illogical, he shouldn't think too much about it.

"Naru!" Mai called him, "Your Dolce is melting!"

He sighed and went to sit beside her, she had a piece of chocolate desert on her fork and it was very close to him. Overcoming by an illogical impulse Naru bit the piece of sweets much to everyone's shock, "Hm... it's not bad."

Mai blinked at him then demanded, "Give that back." She glared at him like any sweet loving girl who hate to share her sweets.

Naru obliged and cut the same bite sized piece from his portion and offered it to Mai who bit it straight from his fork. "Now we're even."

Politely ignoring the gaping and staring Naru now understood what Ganauche meant with being overly familiar with guys. Even back home in England, this kind of gesture would make other girls blushing furiously, he had seen the same scene once when he was eating his meals in a cafe between a couple. Mai didn't even think it was something special.

Naru glanced at Mai who was enjoying her Dolce blissfully.

Unattainable even though she looked so close? That was just like Mai, like the vast sky above... so close yet unattainable.

* * *

 **Q: Mai's western name**?  
 **A:** **In case you're wondering Mai and Tsuna hillariously in my mind share the SAME first name due to Iemitsu's lack of creativity... They have different middle name though. There is a GOOD reason why they didn't use their western name in daily basis LOL**

 **Q: Momoi from KnB?  
A: Momokyokai~ I can't resist! A yakuza princess, Mai's rival LOL**

 **Now I hope you get why Mai is so dense about boys...**

 **Q:**


	18. Case 04, Part 04

**Case 04, Part 04**

Chrome… she was in Japan! She was coming! Why? No… Chrome, stay away! Don't come near, this place…

The door opened, revealing Kusakabe who looked a little ruffled. "Hime! Momoi-san sent us…"

"Tetsu-san!" My mind went haywire as I could feel our mist coming, oblivious to the dead trap she was walking into. "She is coming." I didn't know since when but I was already in front of Kyo-san's second in command.

He blinked at me, "Who?"

"Chrome!" I was getting frustrated, my intuition went haywire on me. "I don't care how! Stop her from entering Kokuyo!"

It took a while for Tetsu-san to process what I was getting at, "Chrome-san but!"

"She is coming to this place?" That was Naru, who sounded confused.

"One of the mediums…" John murmured.

Bou-san looked as confused, "Is this a good thing or not?"

"The spirits…" Masako began to panic, "They're getting excited for some reason."

I didn't hear any of them, all I knew was our guardians… our mist was in danger. "I have to go! I have to…"

SLAP!

For a moment I felt like I was seeing stars and then throbbing pain on my forehead as someone slapped me hard there. I blinked and saw our cloud of all people towering over me with one hand raised.

"Kyo-san?" My voice was strangely small, since when he was here and what a miracle he deign to join the crown in the base.

"Have you calmed down yet?" He queried with steely glint on his eyes, "We can't have you losing your composure here… or your mind for that matter."

I blinked again, "My mind? I am not-"

"You just told my subordinate to stop that girl." He told me pointedly. "You must have lost your mind if you think they can… and then you want to go on your own?" He quirked a mocking eyebrow at me.

I blushed deep red, "I…"

"She must be coming here on her own…" Kyo-san pointed out. "You're going to turn her away?"

Turned Chrome away? No, she had abandonment issue she had not get over with yet! I could still her timid voice asking my brother and I whether we wanted her still even though she was not Mukuro.

"I…" I made my decision, "We have to get to her first… then we get this over with."

He opened the door, revealing the darkening sky outside. It strangely gentleman-like of him, but considering Kyo-san he was just indulging me. "Then, let's go to hunt…"

"Let's…"

"Mai!" Naru grabbed my arm, startling me. "You're not going anywhere out there! It's too dangerous."

"It's dangerous for Chrome out there." I corrected him. "They don't want me… they will leave me be."

He was not convinced. "Then I'm coming with you."

"Naru!" That was Lin-san. "That's too reckless! You shouldn't!"

"We're going." Naru decided firmly. "Beside… I remember someone ask me to prove my resolution tonight, I am not going to back down now."

I was shocked when I could feel the hand holding me sparked with his power briefly, "You-"

Kyo-san smirked at Naru, "Wow."

If I was not concerned with Chrome's safety I would be tempted to whack our cloud for being impressed by Naru's display of power.

"Fine." It wasn't like I had time to argue with Naru when Chrome was out there. Then I turned towards Lin-san. "We're going out, don't worry Lin-san… I will make sure everyone make it out alive tonight."

Then without warning I grabbed Naru and dragged him out of the base without waiting for Lin-san's permission, followed by amused Kyo-san who slammed the door close on Lin-san's face. He was still annoyed with Lin-san for asking about Fon it seemed.

"Let's go Naru!" I tugged Naru who was still dazed by what just happened but instinctively running to keep up with us through the concrete path of Kokuto Land. "Don't worry… Lin-san would be too busy to chase after us."

He picked up his pace, frowning at me. "What do you mean?"

"Let's say… the moment _I_ am out of the base, the spirits would flock around the base too unlike the previous two days…"

His eyes widened in shock before he composed himself, "Well… fortunately Lin and Bou-san has fortified the base with their barrier."

I nodded at him, "Yes… but considering what a wreck the surrounding area by now, Lin-san has no choice but stay… aaah~ and here I thought Lin-san start to open up to me. He will be so mad at me for dragging you to danger he worked so hard to keep you from…" I moaned to him.

"This is my own decision." He stated.

"Which mean." I grinned at him, "You will be the only one who got scolded by Lin-san later… not me."

He stared at me exasperatedly, "In case you forgot by the time we're back, all adults…" I could imagine on his head he was cursing his minor status. "Will try to scold us, Lin will… don't forget Bou-san and Matsuzaki-san either."

Kyo-san who was running ahead of us snorted.

"I warned you." I reminded Naru, "This is going to be one hellish night."

* * *

 **(3** **rd** **POV)**

It was not hard to know where Chrome was, not because of Mai's intuition but because the stream of high tide the spirits made was going to one direction. Mai was very tempted to go to panic fit, fearing for Chrome's safety but then she reminded herself that Chrome was one of their mist and not a helpless girl.

She had been around Masako so long, and their image started to overlap or something… Not all medium were soft hearted like Masako.

Then the spirit began to act confused again, apparition visible even to them who normally couldn't see spirits. They seemed to loselost whatever compass that pointed them at Chrome.

"Ah… She is hiding." Most likely the moment she entered Kokuyo she did, the spirits sensed her coming and now confused because of her cloak of mist.

"Hiding?" Naru echoed in confusion. "Using some sort of charm?"

"Not really…" Mai stopped running, her breathe was still even while Naru was already panting.

Kyo-san looked amused at Naru, he was pretty fit but compared to them physically he was not as strong. "Hime."

Mai inhaled slowly, "Well… I still can find her of course." She beckoned them to follow her.

* * *

 **SPR Base**

"Masako…" Ayako looked worriedly at Masako who was trying her best to cover her ears, even Lin was sorry enough to lend her a headset to help.

Masako winced, "They're so noisy… calling out for someone." She relayed what she heard to them. "They're talking about mist, light and… begging so desperately…" She inhaled sharply, "I feel like I am going deaf from all the noise… the rapping and knocking feels like they're going to burst my eardrums…"

"Shh…" Ayako didn't like Masako but she was sympathetic enough to hug the younger girl close as if her body could shield the medium from the cries of spirits.

"Maybe we should put some music to cover the noise?" Bou-san suggested.

Ayako snarled at him, "Like Masako need more noise?!"

John nodded in agreement. "I don't think music will help Hara-san…"

"I would be happier if you guys shut up!" Masako snapped, acting out of character but she could be excused considering she was on the verge of getting deaf.

* * *

 **Back with the other team…**

Mai stopped on her track, inhaled sharply as she once again surveying their surroundings. It confused Naru a little why Mai had to stop and think, it was if she was trying really hard to find this girl. Strange considering Mai seemed to never have trouble looking for objects or individual she wanted.

"Because she is not looking for ordinary person." Surprisingly it was Hibari who answered his silent question.

A medium who could hide herself? Naru frowned at the cloud, surprised this person even deign to talk to him. They had been here for three days but this was the first time this man said anything to him. He was even more silent than Naru and the psychic thought he and Lin were quiet. This man was even more so…

It was no wonder Mai was not bothered by Lin's eerie quietness, if she grew up with a guy like this around.

"Found her." Mai smiled in relief. "She is coming here… in fact…" Mai walked towards nothingness ahead, it was the night of crescent moon but there was enough light added with construction light around them to illuminated the path.

"Mai?"

The brunette sighed exasperatedly as she reached out to nothingness, "You don't have to hide from me at least… ne? Chrome…"

Much to Naru's shock and Hibari's amusement a pale hand appeared out of nothingness and reached for Mai's. "A spirit?"

"No…" Hibari seemed to enjoy Naru's reaction towards the spectacle that was something usual in their daily life in Vongola. "She is very much alive… no matter how ghost like she and her mate could be."

Then a solemn voice Naru could barely recall from Yuasa case echoed, "My apologies… Hime…"

* * *

 **Italy (Vongola HQ)**

"So… what can you say to defend yourself?" Hayato was never cruel to his fellow guardian, being a jerk yes sometimes… especially at the beginning of their familial relationship but cruel? No~

Shouichi who was sitting in front of him glanced to the side where Ryouhei decided Italia or Japan, carpeted floor or tatami mat, he was still a Japanese so when he was apologizing he had to sit in seize and doing a dogeza.

Boy… he was so glad their private office was private to their generation inner circle only, so there was no chance his jerk of grandfather would walk across this kind of display of improper behavior from current guardian.

"I AM EXTREMELY SORRY! TAKO-HEAD! IRIE!"

Shouichi sighed, "Anoo… we told you to say something to defend yourself… not-"

Hayato raised a hand, reminding the red head there was no way he could convince Ryohei to comprehend what they asked from him. How the hell this guy managed their foreign affair again? He was surprisingly diplomatic and endearing to their allies for who knows why, maybe they thought his idiocy was charming or something…

"What the hell possessed you to think smuggling Chrome out of Italy is a good idea?" Hayato asked again, changing his question.

"Well Ha- I mean…" Ryouhei's voice was surprisingly small, well… more like normal people's level of indoor voice but this was their sun.

He was covering up for someone… and there was only one person he would cover up and made his voice lowered to the level of normal human. "I see…"

This was why he didn't like the idea of dating, it made guys stupid! Ryouhei in spite of being a pretty good doctor was never the sharpest tool on the shed, so dating Kurokawa Hana just made him dumber.

"Alright…" Since their bosses weren't here, he and Irie were entrusted to manage everything in their absence so liked it or not he had to learn to be more patient with them. Well… he could be patient with most of them, excluding Mukuro and Hibari because those two were just so…

"ALRIGHT?!" Ryouhei echoed louder.

He took a deep breath, "I know you, and I know Kurokawa Hana… you guys did impulsive things but not Chrome… if she decide to go to Japan it's her own decision…" Some pushing might be involved but she was no pushover when it comes to important things. "Just so you know… if even one strand of hair on her pineapple head is harmed, Mukuro will hold you responsible…"

Then again Ryohei was more scared of Hana than vengeful Mukuro. "I EXTREMELY RESPONSIBLE!"

Irie sighed, "And then… what should we say to our predecessors about how one of our mist went out of the country without permission and might endanger the secrecy of our princess?" He asked Hayato.

Hayato raised an eyebrow at him, "You're sneakier than I am… Irie."

He sighed louder at that, "Alright… I will cover everything up but inform Hime and the others that they have until the end of this week, less than three days… to finish whatever business and back to HQ! Longer than that… I can't guarantee the ninth generation and especially _your_ grandfather will not find out… and we're toast!"

As in hauled for a lecture none of them was fond to hear

"YOU'RE OUR EXTREME MAN, IRIE!"

The scientist glared at Ryohei, "I'd rather be a simple head of technology department!" He cried out before he clutched his aching abdomen. "Ugh."

Hayato rolled his eyes, grabbing a case of antacids from his pocket he carried around because nowadays he was always around Irie because of their shared duty and threw a couple of the pills to his mouth.

Irie almost choked before he swallowed his pill.

* * *

 **Kokuyo Land (SPR's Base)**

They -except Lin and her two phantom comrades- were almost screaming when the 'warded' door opened but no one outside opening the door knob and a hand, then two appeared out of thin air. They screamed in the end, Ayako and Masako did, while John and Bou-san admirably stepped forward with holy water and prayer beads in hand.

"Wa-"

John reacted first and threw holy water at the presumed spiritual entities. "In the name of-"

"John." Familiar cold voice said, "We're not ghost."

That stopped everyone on their track, and then 'something' was lifted so they could see Shibuya Kazuya and-of all people- Hibari Kyouya in all their dripping wet glory. The water hit them square on the head and since both were around the same height, they were both drenched from neck up by holy water.

Ayako secretly thought they were hot like that and kept it to herself, Masako shared the same opinion and blushed at her indecent thought.

BLAM, the door was slammed close and silence fell in the base.

"Kamikorosu…" Another cold voice said, breaking the silence this time. It was Hibari whose eyes were still closed as if he was trying really hard to control his temper.

This one line invited different direction from occupants of the base, the Japanese wondered if they misheard Hibari as the boy was threatening to bite John to death or was it a play word of Kami (God, Hair, Paper) and Korosu (Kill). Lin wondered if this was a Japanese idiom he didn't know again. Tojo and Shima ducked to the farthest corner of the base and prayed there would be enough of John Brown left for them to send back to Australia. Naru didn't care because it was obviously a threat and wondered why no one offered them a towel yet to dry themselves.

John paled in shock as he stuttered an apology. "I'm so… sorry…" He didn't understand what Kamikorosu either, was that a dialect like Kansai-ben? He owed Shibuya-san and Hibari-san an apology anyway so he did.

Hibari Kyouya cracked on eye open, and looked at John who was trembling in fear with fingers crossed in prayer on the face of his doom, blue eyes wide and on the verge of tears. He looked like a pitiful small animal. He inclined his head slightly at John, muttering something under his breath and walked towards Tojo who had emerged from his hiding place with a towel in hand.

John blinked as he echoed what he heard from Hibari when the cloud walked pass him, "Small Animal?" He echoed in confusion.

Mai poked her head out from where she was standing right behind Naru, "Well… congrats for your new status Father John~ I almost thought I need to save you."

Naru who at last got his towel from Lin frowned, "Small?"

Well… John was indeed small for a Caucasian male his age, but his size didn't explain why he was saved from Hibari Kyouya's wrath. Naru doubted it was because of John's sincere apology.

WHAM! KNOCK! WHAM!

"The knocking is getting worse!" Bou-san announced, reminding them about their 'under attack' situation.

Lin whistled, sending his shiki out. "At this rate neither my barrier nor Takigawa-san's will hold on!"

Mai looked at the girl who was standing beside her, and that was when they realized they had a new company. She was petite, slightly shorter than Mai with fair skin in lighter tone. She had big violet eyes and dark hair with indigo sheen under the light that went down slightly pass her shoulders. Her hair had odd looking spike on the top of her head and parted in zigzag, it kind of reminded them of pineapple. She was dressed in similar fashion as Mai at the first glance, but she was wearing black suit jacket and indigo vest on top of her white undershirt.

She looked shy but curious as she inspected all of them with her doe eyes. Or rather one eye… one of it was covered by a black eyepatch, which was adorned with silver skull. Well, that explained the skull accessories they found.

"Chrome, if you please." Mai gave the vague order they didn't get.

The girl who was revealed as Chrome smiled at her boss and curtseyed. "Si, il mio Cielo…" Holding some sort of shakujou with spear like end, she hit the other end to the ground. **_"_** **Cortine Nebbia."** She whispered.

They felt something fell on top of barrier they had put on, Bou-san and Lin couldn't really comprehend what was this sensation to their sixth sense. It was like gentle and thin veil wrapped around them gently, obscuring them from the spirits. The air in the base also felt different for a moment, as if it was getting heavier and warm.

The knocking and rapping had not stopped but it as if there was sound absorber in place, which was odd because they never heard of barrier that cut off supernatural noise.

"Hime…" Mai turned towards her, "They're still knocking the barrier, so I will drive them away."

The sky sighed at that, "I will leave them to you."

The girl nodded, "As you wish…" She opened the briefcase she brought with her and pulled out some sort of small device with small lantern like attachment on it, three of them. **"** ** _Creo qualcosa dal nulla e nulla da qualcosa…"_**

Mai inhaled sharply, her… their mist who create something from nothing and nothing from something. It was such a luck that mist flame had such a low density and Chrome had a very fine control to the point when she used her flame it could be borderline invisible to normal human.

Then again all mist flame user had to have fine control because of mist flame's instability.

Chrome opened the door briefly then threw the three devices that opened its mechanical wings before it flew off to the depth of night sky. Then she promptly closed the door and heaved a sigh of relieve.

"Well done… Chrome." Mai complimented the mist.

She smiled shyly and then sensing the attention she got from SPR team she ducked behind her princess, as if Mai could hide her from their eyes. Mai just smiled in amusement at the irony of mist trying to hide behind the sky.

"Ah… Chrome is a little shy, please don't stare at her too much. She will get nervous."

Naru was about to say something when Lin called him. "Naru! The spirits are leaving this area, splitting to three directions away from our base!"

"Nani?"

The dark haired psychic followed by his team except Mai rushed towards monitor area. Their eyes widened in shock when they saw the spirits marched towards one direction in swarm, three of them like a spirit parade. Their shock didn't end there when they saw one of the bird camera, which carried by one of Hibird's flock-mate caught the sight of Chrome, three of the same girl who was hiding behind Mai in this base was running ahead of the three spirit swarms to different direction and in separate locations.

As one all of them looked at the girl who once again ducked behind Mai, "I told you to not stare!" Mai hissed in warning.

Naru pointed at one of the Chrome in monitor and asked, "What is that?"

In other situation Mai would have laughed at how confused Naru looked, "That's… oh, it's our decoy puppet."

"Puppet?" Naru echoed, "Something like hitogata?"

Mai nodded, it was easy to not lie about this and not revealing anything she shouldn't. "Yes… it's something like technology enhanced hitogata. It's a result of a join-project between Shouichi, Spanner and another researcher… Professor Verde."

Until today both Mai and her brother were still wondering how Mukuro convinced Verde to get together with their two mechanics to create invention like Flame Decoy Puppet and that glove of his…

Naru's left eye twitched, "Oh… the modern Da Vinci of mechanic?"

Mai blinked at him. "What a surprise… I thought you who call Shakespeare a bald old man wouldn't know of Verde…"

"No thanks to Shouichi, he raved about it at us on email for _weeks_ until I threatened cutting ties with him if he didn't shut up." Naru said coolly. "So the barrier?"

And here she thought he would be satisfied with the decoy puppet, "Yes?"

"Chrome-san… put another barrier on top of Lin's and Bou-san's." Naru craned his neck up, "However… it should be just another barrier on top of another but why they left the base alone completely soon after, even before she threw those decoys out the spirits already start to leave…"

Chrome's hold on her arms tightened slightly, alerting Mai that Chrome wanted to talk herself. "Go ahead… Chrome."

She nodded shyly then said, "Ah… it's because the property of my barrier, to be honest in comparison of the other two it's not much stronger but… my barrier bewilder their perception… deceiving them that this base is nothing but a stone they should leave aside for the decoy…" Some didn't leave and circling the barrier because they suspected Chrome was still around until the decoy misdirect them.

"…"

"…"

They tried their best to not stare but they couldn't help it, Bou-san broke the silence with raising his hand and Mai wondered why it became some sort of tradition in SPR to raise their hand like students in school.

"Yes, Bou-san?"

Bou-san tried his best to not looking like staring at Chrome as he gestured at the girl who was still hiding behind Mai. "Mai… this is the medium girl you were so _worried_ about for? A _very_ capable spiritualist who create a barrier hiding us from spirits and then drive _all_ spirits in this place away by _herself_?"

Chrome blinked owlishly at the compliment, and Mai rolled her eyes. "Yes."

"But… then…" Ayako stuttered, pointing at Chrome and then the monitor. "I thought she was…"

"I never said Chrome is incapable…" Mai told them pointedly. "Just because she has the capability doesn't mean I will just recklessly call her to come."

Chrome tensed at that, "I'm so sorry Hime… I just want to help because I thought…"

Mai sighed at her, "Chrome… I am not angry, but I'm worried since you went out on your own from Italy to Japan…"

"Naru!" Lin called his charge, "Erm… there is an urgent video call from… Irie Shouichi-san."

Mai groaned at that, "Well… that's faster than expected, sorry Naru… it's because I didn't bring my laptop with me."

Naru just sighed as he opened his laptop, and a window of video call popped up. "Hello Shouichi… what did I say about hacking my laptop again?"

Shouichi sighed, "I have no time to be sorry to you, but sorry and where is Hime?"

Mai walked towards Naru and his laptop, followed closely by Chrome. "Hello Shouichi… how bad it is at home?"

The mechanic groaned to his palm, "Well… how bad it is when someone of Chrome's rank suddenly went poof?" He wondered out loud. "I manage to cover it up but only for… three days?" He sounded unsure then he crossed his arms. "Chrome…"

She looked like she was about to cry, "I'm so sorry…"

"It's very irresponsible of you." Shouichi told her, "You can't just left our HQ and of all people Sasagawa-san sneaked you out… all of those are without permission from me or Hayato."

"I…"

"You also have no plan how long you will be gone… what I could tell our predecessors if they ask about you?" Shouichi continued on, trying to sound as gentle and patient as he could as even though he hated lecturing people, Chrome had to understand the weight of her recklessness. "And Hime-"

Mai cut him off before Chrome was weighted down even more by this when she was put into equation. "Alright Shouichi… she feels guilty enough and since she is already here, so she is my responsibility."

"But! Hime!" Shouichi cried in shock. "If your grandfather and his guar-"

"Shouichi!" Mai cut him off in warning tone, "Last time I recall all of you… including Chrome are _mine_." To be exact hers and Tsuna's. "You're _my_ responsibility so if they have any complain in regards to any of you, they should say it to _me_ …"

Shouichi was speechless, "Aa… Bu-"

"Shouichi…" Mai called him in gentler tone. "I understand… you and Hayato did your best as my representatives but you have your limits, and if this didn't work out and Coyote wants to blame someone it would be on me and not on any of you…"

Chrome trembled, "But Hime! It's all my fault that…"

Mai sighed, "I did ask you about Kokuyo, _I_ make you concerned…" Mai reminded the dark haired girl, "In the end… all of you are just doing your best for my sake, and it would be unfair if you take the brunt for me… I am your leader, it's my responsibility." Chrome lowered her head at that, "Beside… if you guys are worried about our stuck up old men… then we shall wrap this up before our cover is blown."

"Right!" Shouichi said, trying to sound positive.

Naru resisted his urge to tell Shouichi that he should drink his pill first as he looked like he was in pain. In the end he relented, "Shouichi, your medicine."

The red head popped one in response and sighed in relief, "I… I need to go back to work."

Mai smiled at him, "Thank you for your hard work, Shouichi…"

The red head gave her a weak grin in return before he ended the line. Mai tensed a little when Chrome looked at her with worry, giving an assuring smile to her mist before turning her attention to the rest of SPR team.

"Well… first of all you have to see that and as you can see, it seems this case have a deadline now." Mai announced to them, shrugging. "I'm really sorry but that's how it is."

Naru stood up from his seat, sighing at her. "Mai… we accepted Hibari-san's request, yours… if we have to work on a deadline we will deal with it, we're professionals…"

Bou-san nodded in agreement. "I agree with Naru, deadline is just… another thing when it comes to this job~" He winked at her.

Ayako sighed, "Oh well… at least we have trees here so I help as much as I can…"

John smiled, "We will do our best, Mai-san."

Masako was quiet as she nodded her agreement, her eyes never leave Chrome who was too occupied with Mai to notice the other medium. Mai however did notice Masako's scrutinizing eyes on Chrome, and wondered if this was another premonition for trouble.

"Hime?"

Mai blinked at Chrome, "Yes."

"Am I a burden?" She asked timidly.

She shook her head, "Of course not… I am very happy you come for me, never mind what happened back home… you're my mist, you're just staying where you should be."

Chrome smiled at her, "Thank you for letting me to stay, Hime! I love you!" Then she glomped Mai, which was usual for Chrome when she was overjoyed and followed by a kiss on the cheek which missed a little and land on the corner of Mai's lips.

It was just a peck but enough to stun everyone there at the display.

Chrome withdrew, "Ah, sorry Hime… I missed again."

Mai just laughed and patted the shorter girl on the head, "It's fine… it's not as bad as the last time."

Last time?

Bou-san couldn't help but ask, "What last time?"

Mai rolled her eyes, "Sometimes Bou-san, you're as bad as Naru… Gee, why Japanese is so hang up about this kind of stuff anyway…"

Naru was looking at anywhere but Mai as he didn't even need to ask to guess what Mai meant with 'last time' as obviously what not as bad was this girl enthusiasm for kissing Mai's cheek missed worse than what just happened. Well... it was none of his business if Mai ever got kissed by a girl on the lips.

No big deal at all…

* * *

 **The next morning (4** **th** **Day)**

Because of what happened last night it was decided Naru wanted to interview Chrome, and Mai for once let Naru to do the job.

"So… Chrome-san, what you and Mukuro-san did to defend yourself from spirits?"

Fortunately for Naru, Chrome was used to scary guys and considering Naru was such a civil person-most of the time- he was not intimidating at all to her. "At first Mukuro-sama create a barrier around Kokuyo… but it's not effective and tiring to maintain continuously. So he thought up another method but he didn't tell me what…"

Naru frowned at that, Mai had warned him that they had no way to contact Mukuro who was on mission. "He didn't tell you any hint?"

Chrome tilted her head to the side, "No…"

Naru sighed, "At least do you know anything what could cause the spirits outbreak in Kokuyo?"

The mist lowered her gaze and shook her head, "No… I don't."

He expected this, if she had any idea Mai would have been told first. "In that case…"

Clack

Hara Masako entered the base, her gaze was firm as it landed to her fellow Medium. "Kazuya-san… Mai-san." She inclined her head at the two and then turned her attention back to Chrome. "It's… Kuromu-san… ne?"

The mist eyed the newcomer timidly, before glancing at her sky and then back to Masako. "Yes… Hara-san." She was tempted to call this girl doll-girl, but she didn't think outsider would want to be nick-named by her. Chrome was not sure how she got away with nicknaming Hibari as Cloud-guy herself.

"Can… we talk?" Masako asked, her chin held high. "As fellow medium, I wish to speak with you."

Chrome just blinked at her with stoic looking face but her hand was clutching Mai's. She was not going to let her sky out of sight at a place like this for private talk with a stranger.

"Uhm… if you don't mind me." Mai added sheepishly.

Masako sighed, just from their short time knowing this girl all of them could tell how protective Chrome was of Mai. "Alright… Mai-san can stay."

Naru raised an eyebrow at her and didn't move, wondering if the medium had guts to tell him to leave. She didn't so he stayed too on the base.

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

This was like watching a train wreck in my eyes, and I couldn't say I didn't foresee this. After all Chrome so far had shown total disinterest of moaning spirits outside of the base and dutifully follow me around. Masako-san saw this and even asked whether Chrome was interested to go with her to talk with the spirits. Chrome being Chrome refused the invitation and stayed by my side.

Masako-san of course was shocked and indignant, a medium like Chrome ignored the plea of spirits outside of the base and wanted to confront our mist.

"Are you deaf?"

She seriously opened this conversation with such an aggressive opening? And here I thought she was going to be sarcastic not throwing a blunt question like this.

"I can hear you perfectly, Hara-san." Chrome answered, unperturbed by the offensive question.

Masako frowned at her, "Then, you can hear the spirits outside."

"Yes."

"And yet you ignore them…" She looked like she was about to grit that line out.

Chrome gave her a blank stare and answered, "Yes."

Something inside her snapped at the blunt answer, as if this medium before her had not sensed even an ounce of guilt for her ignorance. "How could you! Someone like you who can listen, see, and talk to them and yet you… have you no shame as a medium?"

Chrome didn't waver, because she knew when faced by this kind of situation as someone who was allowed to dwell within the great sky she shall not show any weakness. She glanced at me, her sky. She was silently asking how her sky wanted her to deal with this girl.

I heaved a sigh and said, "Chrome… Parlare Fuori dai Denti…" Italian idiom, to speak outside one's teeth, in short speak out your mind as you please…

If that the wish of her sky…

"I never once call myself as a medium… Hara-san, even if people called me as one because I have the capability…" Chrome said in solemn voice.

Masako was shocked at the answer, "You don't think of yourself as a… medium."

Chrome shook her head, "No, I don't."

The kimono wearing girl swallowed heavily. "And since you view yourself as such, it's alright to just ignore other's suffering?! Have you no compassion?" She started to raise her voice again.

"So listening to their plea is a form of compassion to you, Hara-san?" Chrome asked back instead.

Obviously Masako didn't expect to be answered by a question as she stuttered. "Of course…"

"How do you help spirits to move on?" Chrome asked again.

Masako once again was shocked, why a medium who seemed to be very capable as Takigawa-san said asking such a basic thing. "You're a medium! You don't need me to tell- "

I didn't want to interrupt but I had to, "Masako-san." The medium jolted, "Just answer her question."

Swallowing heavily she answered, "We… talk about their problem in life that bound them to this world… showing them the way to move on."

Chrome lowered her gaze at that. "Oh… I see, so that's how it is…"

This time even Naru was surprised by her sincere reply, he must be in disbelief that Chrome honestly had _no_ idea about the procedure of purification for medium. So far Chrome was shown as a very capable spiritualist and yet…

"I didn't know…" Chrome murmured to herself, "So that was what they wanted when they come to me… even so I don't think I can help them like that." Her gaze lowered again before she looked up to Masako. "You see Hara-san… I was a normal girl once, or rather my mother hoped I was one… so I shouldn't talk to people no one but I can see…"

 _"_ _Nagi! You talk to empty air again!"_

 _"_ _I'm an artist! A celebrity! I have a reputation! I can't have a mentally ill daughter!"_

 _"_ _I wish you could be like other girl!"_

 _"_ _Why you have no friends?!"_

 _"_ _Useless! Creepy girl!"_

 _"_ _YOU'RE NO DAUGHTER OF MINE!"_

"I was…" Chrome gave the medium a weak smile, "I was very weak person who couldn't even help herself, so how could I help others? I had no one telling me how…"

Masako trembled, _'She had no one to tell her what she should do…'_

Her gaze lowered again, "I had wanted to help… I tried… once to save a cat from a car… a spirit saw me, and he was angry I helped that cat but not him so…"

Naru looked at me who was holding Chrome's hand very tightly, he must have realized this was the incident that almost killed the pure medium I told him before. The spirit was driven by jealousy and anger tried to kill Chrome, just because the girl tried to help a cat… the girl who was an innocent who happened to have capability of a pure medium like Naru's twin, but because of the way she was raised she had no idea what to do to help the lost spirits.

They demanded her to help them just because she was a medium, they wanted her to see, hear and talk… but the spirits themselves were blind and deaf of her suffering. To the point they turned their desperation to anger and tried to kill her…

"I was paralyzed… it entered my body and threw me to incoming car…" Chrome finished her story. "I would have died back then… if not for Mukuro-sama…"

I could tell this was the first time they heard of Mukuro straight from Chrome herself.

Chrome inhaled slowly, "Hara-san… in theory I have the capability as a medium." She glanced at the copies of thesis written by Oliver Davis on pure and ESP medium. The thesis Nar had thoughtfully given to her to read to understand herself better. "Pure or not… Hara-san, I unfortunately have no capability to sympathize with spirits like you… and in that case…" Chrome trailed off.

Masako flinched, trembling as tears began to pool on her eyes and her heart weighed down by guilt.

 **"** **You're a better medium than I could ever be… Hara-san."**

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

I couldn't believe after all that emotional talk, Mai made me go to comfort Hara-san. Of course she didn't word it as 'comforting' more like try to keep the girl out of trouble. She would have gone herself but she said Hara-san would be happier to listen to me and more amiable. Hara-san was uncomfortable around her after all…

Which was why I was left on the base with Hara-san while Mai went out with Chrome to survey the old theater building. Hara-san was still crying so I let her dry her tears first before talking. If Mai expected me to lend her my handkerchief, her intuition must had taken a leave of absence. As far as I would go was providing a box of tissue for Hara-san's use.

"I didn't know…" Was the first thing she said after crying so much?

I sighed at that, "As a medium… a psychic, you should know there is no point to make people to believe in ghost with our personal experience… to see in our point of view. The same could be said with Chrome-san…"

Hara-san lowered her gaze guiltily.

"Unlike you Hara-san… she had no one to show her the way…" I continued on, "She was perhaps… used to be as lost as those spirits that come to her."

The medium nodded stiffly. "She really has no idea how to help them… I thought she was ignorant when actually…"

It was her who was blissfully ignorant of the other medium's suffering. She had callously waived Chrome-san's behavior as ignorance and lack of sympathy, while not knowing the back story of the other girl.

"I have to apologize." She decided firmly.

I supposed that was the conclusion of this, and fortunately she was too shaken to use this 'alone time' to take advantage of me like usual. I was not going to stand letting her to cry on me, shaken or not. Keeping in mind I shouldn't push my luck I made a hasty escape from the base to look for Mai and her medium companion, leaving Hara-san with the two phantom members of SPR in base.

I didn't get far because few steps away from the base Kusakabe-san came carrying a backpack full of paper to the brim, it seemed he was running from the entrance of Kokuyo Land carrying that to our base.

"Where is Hime?" He asked, panting a little. "We just got info on this plot of Land from one of our connections…"

I frowned at him, "More information?"

He nodded, "My apologies… Shibuya-san! We were gathering info on Kokuyo for the last twenty years! We… missed what happened before Kokuyo Land!"

"Before?" I echoed curiously then decided talking outside was not going to help any of us. "Come inside the base Kusakabe-san and put all those files down, and then I will call Mai back to our base."

* * *

 **SPR's base (Mai's POV)**

Of all thing to happen here…

"A turf war?" Naru echoed as I flipped through the file Kusakabe handed to me.

Much to Naru's ire he was not allowed to touch these confidential files Momoi-san lend me, it was for my eyes only so I read it over and summarized it for him.

"Around this area… namely Kokuyo and Namimori, there used to be a number of yakuza gang back in early twentieth centuries… back then this plot of land used to be a large shopping district, large enough it's separated to two turf of big yakuza gangs… East and West, East… belonged to Momokyokai that still reside in outskirt of Namimori until today and the West side belonged to Kuraionigumi… this gang disbanded after their heavy loss against Momokyokai in 1956."

Bou-san groaned, "Momo VS Oni, what is this? Momotaro no Monogatari?"

I cleared my throat, "In that turf war however both sides gained nothing as a big fire burned the whole shopping district and leaving a barren land that was Kokuyo Land before its construction twenty years ago… however casualties of that fire is mostly from Yakuza, civilians in that area had escaped to safety before the war started…"

Ayako-san glanced to the side, "Hm… no wonder the soil around here is so fertile…"

Masako-san looked hesitant before adding, "I think when I saw a number of burly looking mean with tattoos too…"

Naru cupped his chin, while his other free hand tabooing against the armrest of his chair. It was his habit when he was contemplating something. "So… is there any supernatural phenomena happened to Momokyokai people?"

It seemed he already guessed this info came from the Momokyokai gang themselves, this was why Naru was so… dangerous.

I nodded, "Yes… they listed on what happened to their place after the fire, it can be summarized as rapping and knocking… for the first few years before it escalate to pushing peoples, pulling legs and so on… however it was stopped soon."

"Was… stopped?" Bou-san echoed.

"They changed the head of family… not blood related to the previous, and current leader of Momokyokai descended from him… his name is Momoi Taika." I read the name of Momoi-san's ancestor.

Naru frowned, "Momoi?"

"The surname is passed to every family head…" I explained, "His old surname is Shindou." I paused at this, then I wrote a kanji character in the white board. "He had the kanji 藤 in his old surname… of all kanji character."

At Naru's blank stare, I knew the talk about kanji confused him and for once Ayako-san was the one who got it first. "Oh! He is related to Fujiwara clan!" Then as soon as she said it, she clamped her mouth shut.

Masako-san stiffened before she composed herself, "Oh I see…" She was the second one who got the implication. Her eyes closed as she explained, "It's not known widely… but one of royal family's onmyouji descended from Fujiwara Clan, apparently one of their princess married to Abe family and few generations later her descendant married back to Fujiwara… and since the fall of their dictatorship, the onmyouji of Fujiwara had been in service of Emperor's family…"

I prepared myself to get questioned by Masako or Naru about how did I know about this 'somewhat top secret of Japan' but I got none, it was Ayako-san who got it instead. "So… you know him."

Ayako-san winced. "Well… to be fair, it's my family hospital and my guardian tree is never taught how to keep his nonexistent mouth shut about personal secrets of people I don't even know…" Since she was already busted might as well came clean.

Masako frowned at her, "Hmph!"

Sensing Naru's ire for feeling out of the loop I cleared my throat hastily and began to explain for non-Japanese and clueless Japanese like Bou-san. "This kanji is an indication that his family was connected to the Fujiwara clan. One large category of family names can be categorized as "-tō" names. The kanji 藤, meaning wisteria, has the on'yomi tō (or, with rendaku, dō). Many Japanese people have surnames that include this kanji as the second character…"

"Then he is related in term of connection and not by blood?" Naru prodded on.

Masako answered this for him, "It's because the Fujiwara clan gave their samurai surnames ending with the first character of their name, to denote their status in Heian era when commoners were not allowed surnames..."

I nodded at her, "This was enough indication to say… he has connection with an onmyouji, an access to means of solving the supernatural case his gang had that made him ascend to top position."

"Still… if previously the activity happened in Momokyoukai's residence…" Naru trailed off. "Then there is a possibility Momoi Taika-shi did hire an onmyouji."

Then I added, changing to the next file on the pile. "Momokyokai's reign lasted longer around this area… and so they turned this plot of land to a family graveyard." I winced inwardly at how Momokyokai's record keeper phrased that.

"Graveyard?" Bou-san echoed, "I thought there is no record of one here the last time we checked! That's the first thing we're looking for, a graveyard!"

Naru answered his query, "Bou-san… family graveyard is just fancy term for the yakuza to call the place where they dump bodies they didn't want to be found, not where they put their family member's grave... Of course there is no record of it."

Ayako, Masako, John and Bou-san blanched. It seemed Ayako-san found another reason why the soil of this place was so fertile.

"Gah…" Bou-san shivered, "No wonder there are so many vengeful ghost here!"

Ayako-san nodded, "No wonder they have no wish to move on because of their grudge!"

Considering so far they only made a nuisance of themselves and attacked Kyo-san who was very capable to defend himself… they were pretty lucky when faced by a hoard of ghost that in life had lived in world of industry of violence. So far the injury count only Masako's sprained leg, and Kyo-san's superficial wounds… though the collateral damage was pretty big too… all those construction equipment, materials and loss of time…

Then again to us, it won't cost more than pocket change. At the time like this I couldn't help but thankful we were so wealthy… but still, damage aside-

Once again Naru's sharp mind scared me, he was no criminal but he got it right away what I meant by a graveyard. "Right… but then they suffered a decline after Momoi Taira-shi's reign ended. So they sold this plot of land to an investor who built Kokuyo Land…"

Naru crossed his arms, "And I am sure they also faced the same problem back then but not recorded anywhere but by the Yakuza gang…"

I nodded, "Yes… on the first year of Kokuyo Land project, the ghosts residing in this area disturb the construction… and it got Momokyoukai in trouble because their finance depends on Kokuyo Land so…"

"Most likely they called the Onmyouji or other spiritualist they have connection with again…" Naru continued. "Which was why Kokuyo Land managed to be built in such a blood soaked land…"

"There is more… about the closing of Kokuyo Land… it's true they're caused by economic crisis, however… this plot of land changed hand back to Momokyoukai…" I informed them, this time from different file that recorded the more recent event from eight years ago.

Naru frowned at that, "Again?"

"Yes… they got this land back really cheap, even lower than market price back then." I drawled on, and I was sure Naru already got the implication that Momokyoukai didn't get this land back the clean way. "However… they couldn't do anything to this place…"

"The activity started again." He was guessing but it sounded like a statement.

I nodded, "Yes… but no rumors going, they prevented it… because if they can't do anything with this place they at least want some money out of it." I put the last file back to the pile, "Then this place turned to delinquent hangout, but still no rumors." I shrugged. "And that's the last of it, more or less we knew where they were came from… now."

Naru nodded before turning towards his other assistant, "Lin… what do you think?"

Lin turned his chair around, and answered. "It's easy enough to guess the first time Momokyoukai was plagued by supernatural entities… most likely the onmyouji turned this plot of land to a graveyard like in olden days."

"So… the onmyouji somehow led the spirits plaguing the yakuza back to where they died and then sealed this place with a barrier." Naru concluded. "And since then Momokyoukai dumped body to this place without fear of vengeful spirits…"

Lin nodded, "However… the problem lies on the method of second time Momokyoukai gang wanted to get rid of spiritual entities… there were many ways to contain spirits… but considering the great number of spirits in this place it won't be easy…" He coughed, "And there is the other person, Mukuro-san right?"

Chrome who had been quiet since the meeting began perked up, "Ah."

"Do you have any idea how he stopped supernatural activity in duration of your stay here? Chrome-san?" Naru asked, hoping with all these information she had a clue.

Our mist shook her head, "To be honest… I wasn't with him yet when he started living here, and when I was living here… defense mechanism against them is already in place."

I expected as much… it was no wonder back then we didn't sense anything when we fought Mukuro, not just because Tsuna's presence. "Hm…" We had information now but once again another dead end. It was still too dangerous to contact Mukuro even with his psychic link with Chrome as he was in dangerous area. Unless he contacted us first… the chance of that was slim to none considering the cover he had to maintain.

This was first day, we only had tomorrow and the day after left to solve In that case… No, we only had today and tomorrow since if by then Chrome didn't return to HQ, our predecessors would find out. If we lost their trust because of this incident… and alerted them Mukuro might be involved to something like this that endanger our secrecy because of this spirits outbreak… che! His position as our mist was shaky to begin with because of his background, we didn't need anyone who against his appointment as our mist to gain an ammunition!

It was hard enough to get him out of Vindice… if he lost his position and protection of our famiglia…

No! I wouldn't let that happen! I would not lost any of our guardians in Onii-chan's absence! NO!

"Mai?"

Then I realized I was clenching my fists so tightly to the point my knuckles turned white and I had been ignoring Naru calling my name. I inhaled and exhaled slowly, regaining my composure.

"We need information." I stated firmly then looked up. "We have no time to waste… I will… use my post-cognition to get it myself."

Gasp echoed throughout the room, and Chrome latched to my arm with shock and fear coloring her fair face. "Hime! You musn't! Without boss… you shouldn't…"

"Chrome!" I hissed at her warningly, reminding her we were not alone.

She flinched, "I am sorry but Hime… it's…"

I sighed, there was no point getting angry over this now. "It's not like…"

"Mai." Naru was already in front of me, he looked grim. "You don't have to do it."

Unfortunately, I had to Mister Narcissistic!

I frowned at him, "We need information, Naru…"

"I know." He said with a sigh, "But risking you doesn't worth it, you will see something horrible."

That was not the problem Chrome was scared of, or what I should fear from using this ability. "I am not scared of what I will see…"

"Hime!" Chrome cried. "I can't let you…" She whispered the last part to me."

I sighed at her, " _Chrome! It's just around fifty years ago…"_ She was close enough so I used our link to communicate with her.

Chrome stiffened, a little surprised at the sudden use of our telepathic link. _'But without Boss… even though I could act as your anchor, without Mukuro-sama… it's too dangerous!'_

 _'_ _I never tried to pull myself out of my vision! I will do it… and with your help if it's just as far as fifty years…'_

 _'_ _But you will not stop in fifty years Hime! You will jump to at least four point in the past…'_

I sighed to myself, then told her what I had in mind if this case turned to the worse. She gasped mentally, and clutched tighter to my arm. "We have to do it."

"Yes." She at last relented, Chrome of all people had no wish for our family to be torn apart. "As you wish Hime…"

Naru narrowed his eyes in suspicion at us but I could be careless as I walked to the couch we used as place to sleep aside from sleeping bag in base. I sat down there, and leaned my back to the backrest.

"Give me some space…" I asked them. "It will take a while… but please don't disturb me until I wake up." I instructed them as I pulled my pocket watch out, and opened the clasp. "Chrome will be assisting me, so don't disturb her concentration either…"

"Mai…" Naru called me again. "Don't do anything dangerous."

I smiled at him, "I will do my best…" I inhaled slowly, "This is a little different from dream of vision I have before in Morishita's house, in this case I entered the state of trance on purpose…" I tried to explain, at least to calm everyone down especially Naru. "I can go to specific timeline if I so choose… it's like shooting an arrow with rope tied to my body to that point of time…"

His eyes narrowed at me again, "And what is so dangerous compared to the previous vision?"

"In previous one… someone usually a spirit show me the path to get to that particular vision." I answered him, "However in this case as the spirits around us are not cooperative I have to use my intuition to direct me to them myself… the danger is… I will have less control of the vision such as what I sensed in mind and body…"

I purposely left out one more danger… if it all went well, he _didn't_ have to know.

"I see…" He was not convinced yet but he didn't seem suspicious enough of me to stop me from using post-cognition, well… that was what I decided to call it. After all I had no better idea what to call using vertical time axis of Vongola to pry on the past.

I smiled weakly at him. "I am starting…"

 **"** **E'la nostra ora incise sull'anello…"**

Our time that carved within the ring, in this clock… show me what happened in the past recorded in Akashic record, as it was the right of Vongola…  
I tried to relax my body as much as possible, which was not much considering I was metaphorically jumped to endless darkness of vertical axis of time.

* * *

 **Astral World…**

As I close my eyes I could feel myself falling down from the sky of my astral world then to the sea with just one lifeline tied on my wrist… Chrome…

The fall as usual was painless, I was inside… this was where the three time axis crossed, vertical, horizontal and point…. Represented by Vongola, Mare and Arcobaleno… however I only had right to go down or up as a Vongola so I did.

I could hear the sound of bubbling and metaphorical water pressure and I dived down deeper.

 _"_ _Mai. Don't do anything dangerous."_

 _"_ _Alright, Mai-san can stay…"_

 _"_ _Do you see something you like?"_

These were my recent memories… shallow, it was still too shallow… I had to go deeper.

 _"_ _My name is Shibuya Kazuya…"_

 _"_ _Four."_

From when I first met him.

 _"_ _Stay in Japan… Mai, for your safety."_

 _"_ _Iemitsu is right… you should stay away from Italy for some time…"_

Our argument when they sent me away…

 _"_ _Choose wisely… you fool!"_

 _"_ _How could you throw away the chance to be a whole on your own?!"_

 _"_ _Mai… I am so sorry."_

My brother's last words… Checker face's enraged words to me… No! Deeper! Go deeper… to fifty years ago! My intuition stopped me from going deeper suddenly, I had arrived in my destination… 1956, Kokuyo…

In my world, vision appear in form of bubble I could poke to let myself in. This was the akashic record of the past we Vongola were given right to travel down… I imagined in the deepest part of bottomless sea was a clam, and it was breathing… and these bubbles coming from that clam.

I found the bubble I needed, fifty years ago vision so I reached out to enter them.

An old town… white misty lights like Lin-san, Shikigami of Onmyouji. I saw them… shiki, spirits bound to Onmyouji like Lin-san carrying a handful of hitogata with them to Kokuyo and followed by many spirits. Looking from their appearance they were the spirits of dead members of Kuraionigumi. So the Onmyouji used hitogata as bait for these spirits to follow the shiki to the burned remain of large shopping district. It was like a trap fisherman used to catch crab and octopus, using bait and leading them to a cage. In this case a place with large barrier to trap them.

The onmyouji, a man in his fifties wearing ceremonial robe didn't do anything else. He just trapped them inside.

 ** _"_** ** _At day they wouldn't be able to do anything so if you want to walk pass this place make sure the sun is still in the sky…"_** The onmyouji instructed to the yakuza who had the same pink hair like Momoi-san, this must be her great grandfather. Momoi Takai-san….

I was done with this time, so next was… the time when they sold this land, so it was thirty years away. I made my way up through the ocean of time, it was so much harder to swim up. Chrome tried her best to help me up but… it was hard. At last I got to the next point of time, it took longer than I liked but I was here.

 ** _"_** ** _My workers got attacked last night and the night before!"_**

 ** _"_** ** _I told you to not do anything at night!"_**

 ** _"_** ** _I can't finish this project if we don't work at night too! We're losing money here!"_**

This time two men were arguing in half-built Kokuyo Land, and the state of this location reminded me of its present. This must be… Momoi-san's grandfather and the investor who built Kokuyo. The image shifted to another scene, this time they were putting stone… seven of them and carved with seal that looked like whirlpool. Then I saw someone with the same ceremonial robe, younger looking but I couldn't see his face clearly… he was instructing people where to put the stones.

 **"** **Put the stones in formation of Hokuto Shichisei…"**

Hokuto Shichisei? The Big dipper? That was a prominently used star constellation in Japanese onmyoudou… no wonder Lin-san had no idea of it. I could see the spirits around here were bound by the stones, unable to do anything to Kokuyo Land in its operation. It was also no wonder we didn't notice the presence of the stone. The owner of Kokuyo Land smartly disguised it, covering it under statue of Kokuyo Land's mascot. Kuyo-Kuyo, the mascot of Kokuyo was a sunfish… a fat sunfish, so beneath it was the sealing stones.

So it could still functioning as long as the seal on it was intact.

My business done for this point of time I tugged on the rope again and swam up to the next, this time… the closing of Kokuyo Land. The seal was wearing down with time and the activity started around abandoned Kokuyo, the yakuza gang bought the land back but unable to sell it because it wasn't safe. Buyers coming to see the place was attacked by spirits even in broad daylight.

 ** _"_** ** _Oh well, we got this place back in cheap price anyway… Fujiwara won't help us anymore because of our business."_**

 ** _"_** ** _The barrier is still in place so we can use it like old days to dump bodies…"_**

Then they locked the place down, this was eight years ago. One or two more top perhaps… next should be easier. "Hh…" I was getting tired and it was getting harder to breathe, no matter how good my control was… I was the weaker twin with limited capacity so it took a toll on me to do this myself. Going down was easier but climbing back up was another matter entirely.

 **"** _ **This seems to be a nice place, Kufufu fu fu…"**_

That creepy laugh we became familiar with, Mukuro… the vision was becoming blurry to my eyes. I shook my head, rubbing my eyes so I could see. My vision getting clear again, I saw Mukuro dressed in Kokuyo uniform with Ken and Chikusa.

 **"** **Mukuro-san."** Ken looked around Kokuyo warily, **"This place give me a bad vibe!"**

Interesting, so because of his animal like nature Estraneo experimented on he could sense the spirits.

 **"** **While this place looks haunted, I don't think anything will come out Ken…"** The yoyo user said coolly.

Ken snarled at him, " **Shut up Kaki-P!"**

I still haven't figured out why Ken always called Chikusa with that nickname, it was a name of a khaki seed snack I recalled. I had strange to wonder about such a trivial thing, maybe I was feeling better.

 **"** **For once… Ken is not imagining it, Chikusa…"** Mukuro said to the dark haired yoyo user, **"This place is packet with vengeful spirits like sardines in a can, what a foul presence they have… their smell disgust me."**

Ken looked at Chikusa and whispered, **"I didn't smell anything but dust and rust…"**

 **"** **I don't think Mukuro-san is speaking about literal smell."** Chikusa returned to his partner.

 **"** **Oya oya…"** Mukuro approached one of the leftover sealing stone, and the sunfish cover that had falled over beside it. **"This is interesting… hm, this place is warded to keep spirit from leaving. Kufufu fu fu…"**

I inhaled slowly, inwardly urging Mukuro to show me something useful! I had a schedule, damn it!

 **"** **Hm… I guess I will tinker it a little so no spirit can enter this place, too bad I can't get rid of spirits dwelling here… too many of them for myself."** He sighed to himself, **"Oh well… I need to recharge the barrier in duration of my stay, it's not like I will live here for long… just until I get to my target."**

Then I realized the last two lines were not spoken out loud, Mukuro's thought… thanks goodness for our link! I wouldn't be able to hear anyone's thought but his and Chrome's in vision, though… I should keep this to myself or he would be pissed!

 **"** **Chikusa! Ken… come over here."** Mukuro called them as he pulled his trident out, but only the top part. His two followers came to him and bared their arm as instructed. **"This will hurt a little but with this I can hid the two of you from spirits dwelling in this place, they will leave you two alone."**

Mukuro, you… you carved a charm to their flesh?! I knew you were twisted, but was it necessary?! Can't you get a paper and some ink?!

Wait a minute… if he just gave Chikusa and Ken charm to hide from these spirits, how come back when we went to Kokuyo there wasn't any? I couldn't help but wonder, my intuition answered me with popping a familiar smiling face of my brother.

Gah! In the end it was my brother and to a lesser extend me who drive spirits far enough to be out of our range of detection back then! Baka baka baka!  
Wait! This was no time for self-deprecation! I have another stop… on when Chrome started to live with them in Kokuyo…

BADUMP!

It was getting hurt again to me, I just had to swim up some more… my sight was getting blurry again. Damn, I didn't dive down far but… I was making too many stops on my own. Mai… just one more, don't lost consciousness here! Hold on to the lifeline Chrome created for you!

One more…

 **"** **Chrome is also a spirit magnet hm?"**

 **"** **Yeah! She is troublesome byon!"**

 **"** **Ken… it's not like she can help it…"**

I couldn't tell anymore what I saw but three green figures in old Kokuyo. It must be Kokuyo gang talking about Chrome.

 **"** **Hm… a charm wouldn't do for her since she and I are the same… sweet and poor Chrome."** He mused to himself, **"Well… since we will be a while here, I have to step up my game against these filthy ghosts… I will make them pay for disturbing my Chrome."**

What did you do to accomplish that Mukuro? I had to see this no matter what… I rubbed my eyes again, my breath became uneven as I squint to get a better look of what our other mist was doing behind his girlfriend's back.

 **"** **This would do…"**

A stone? He was carving something with his trident on a stone as big as himself then he closed the curtain, obscuring it from view of Kokuyo Gang's living room.  
Came to think of it… back then Mukuro covered something with the torn curtain of the Kokuyo theater for some reason even though there was no window there.

I tried to walk closer to see… but my feet became heavy like lead, I clutched my throat as I couldn't breathe. I was already... and then suddenly I was yanked up by force… back to the surface of my consciousness.

I wake up, and found my lips was occupied by another that was breathing my much needed air to my lungs. My eyes were still closed so I couldn't see who was helping me but this overhwleming power that was different from my brother and faint smell of tea...

Naru?

* * *

AUTHOR NOTE:

 **Q: Post-Cognition of Vongola?  
A: Mai's stand alone post-cognition basically is inspired by 'Laplace function' in Darwin Game manga. I think it's fair for Vongola to gain power of looking through the past instead of just inheritance through generation to generation. The image is basically diving with safety rope on... Mai has no problem before with Tsuna, she also can do this with Chrome and Mukuro, but with them it had to be both not one... So yeah, she is basically bungee jumping with one thin rope in this attempt, very dangerous... **

**Q: Which Guardian Mai was closest with.  
A: Chrome of course! However because of her status as little sister she is closest next to Ryohei and in general older guardians including Mukuro and Hibari. Ironically so... While Tsuna is closer with younger ones because of his older brother status. **

**Q: Chrome's past?  
As: It's so easy to tweak her past to fit her medium status~ BTW in canon there are psychics in KHR universe, but their status in canon KHR is sketchy but most seem to be illusionist. Mukuro and Mammon are canonically acknowledged as one... **

**Q: Mai's own set of guardians?  
A: Sorry for the confusion... but as implied, she is one 'HALF' of Vongola sky... not TWO skies so there won't be another set of guardians for her. **

**I wish I can finish it in four but this case is getting more complicated than expected. At first this case is basically Mukuro and Hibari screwed up... ghost appeared and BANG! A case... then suddenly out of nowhere as I write it Momokyoukai is involved and... we get the whole gang involved. Ho ho ho...  
**

 **Yes, another CPR kiss... no there won't be kiss in every case. I wonder myself why these two in this fic can't kiss unless it's emergency?**

 **BTW believe it or not as I was finishing next chapter, I just realized Chrome got the most epic entrance out of all guardians so far~**

 **In a sense this case can be worse than Rokuryo or Urado... but well, different kind of bad ^^**

 **NEXT:  
In which Mukuro is pissed and Ryohei is dragged around with him,  
Lambo play a good host, while Hayato and Shouichi tried to get wasted with grape juice  
Then Mukuro gave a new meaning to purification, and perhaps Masako should keep her thought to herself.  
**


	19. Case 04, Part 05

**Case 04, Part 05**

 **SPR's Base (Naru's POV)**

Mai told us to give her and Chrome-san space so there was empty five feet space in radius around her, the others were watching her and Chrome warily. Chrome-san was holding the sharp end of her shakujo tightly and we could see faint aura of her supernatural power, which was strange color of indigo. Mai in the other hand... She was on a trance, which reminded me a little of Gene with how their breathing slowed down, their eyes closed as if they were falling asleep.

Which mean…

"Naru-bou!" Bou-san warned me when I strode pass them and positioned myself right in front of Mai, kneeling in front of her.

I looked at her and I could see her eyes were not fully closed, amber gleam of real color of her eyes could be seen peeking through dark eyelashes. "This kind of ESP is dangerous without supervision…" I told them in calmest voice I could muster so I didn't interrupt Mai's and Chrome-san's concentration. "I just make sure her physical condition is not deteriorating…"

Obviously Mai used to do this safely, most likely her brother was involved… but looking at Chrome-san's reaction most likely this could get dangerous for her so the least I could do was to make sure she was safe.

I ignored background noises our coworkers made as I laid my hand on her wrist so I could monitor her pulse. It was steady and a little weaker than usual, normal for someone on trance. I was glad I had experience with guarding Gene on this state if not I wouldn't know what to look.

BADUMP

I almost jumped back in shock when a vision entered my mind, it as if a small torrent of cold water was poured over my head. Mai… I saw her dressed in white long dress falling from the sky –a strange looking sky- then straight to Dark Ocean below her with indigo colored rope tied to her wrist. The vision was cut off when I saw her unbothered with falling down from such height and dived down to the depth of that ocean.

What was that? Her memory? Or was it manifestation of her post-cognition?

I didn't let go and continued monitoring her pulse, she had been on trance for half an hour. Which made me restless because even for Gene it was never a good thing to spend so much time on a vision.

Then I started to feel her pulse became erratic at random times, as if she was startled by something. Then it slowed down again to normal, this happened two more times until suddenly her pulse became very weak even for someone on trance, her chest stopped rising up and down, and she fell over to the side.

"Mai!"

My shout broke Chrome-san's concentration, "Hime!" She didn't move from her spot and gripped her Shakujo harder, wise girl… she was trying to pull Mai out of anything she got herself into and trusted me to check on her.

I already knew her pulse was weakening so I checked her breathing next, placing two fingers under her nose. No… she had stopped breathing.

"Naru-bou! What's wrong with Jou-chan?"

"Mai!"

"Hime!"

"Naru, is she alright?" Even Lin was worried.

No she was _not_ alright at all, but I was not going to say that out loud when the other psychic namely Chrome-san was trying to help Mai in the other end. I quickly loosened her tie and unbuttoned the first two top button of her undershirt, then began chest compression, pumping up and down quickly. A minute passed but she didn't breath still and Chrome-san was still shutting her eyes tight and her aura was getting darker indigo around her staff, it almost flame like.

I didn't notice the spectacle Chrome-san make, my mind was focused on unconscious Mai. I tilted her chin up, pinching her nose and covering her lips with mine and blew as much air as I could until her chest rose. Then I repeated chest compression and followed by mouth to mouth breathing. I lost count of how many times I repeated this procedure but at last Mai began to stir.

She was awake

 **Real World (Mai's POV)**

My eyes snapped open, and I noticed a number of things. First I was not in sitting position but laying down on the couch, and Naru was hovering over me, holding my chin up, and breathing to my mouth in textbook perfect CPR. He noticed I was awake so his lips left mine immediately.

"Haaah…" I inhaled as much as air as I could on instinct then coughed violently as holding my throat. "Cough! Cough!"

"Hime!" Chrome cried as she rubbed my back. "Are you alright?" Her shakujo fell with a clank to the floor.

I smiled weakly at her and about to assure her I was fine but Naru cut me off. "Someone who just stopped breathing have no right to say she is fine."

I glared at him, and I wanted to shout too but my throat was too sore and I was still out of breath to do so. I covered my mouth as I coughed then a familiar metallic smell and taste made me stopped. I looked at my hand and saw blood.

"Hime!" Chrome cried again. "Blood…"

I was not coughing blood for sure… it was a nosebleed, this happened when I overused this ability. Just fifty years down the line and I already got nosebleed? No matter how long had passed since I was reduced to this state it never ceased to amaze me how pathetic I was now.

Naru almost shoved a box of tissue to my face and I accepted it gratefully and wiped my bloody nose. Then I drank my meds, two of them at once.

I must be a bewildering sight now… because I was strangely calm with what happening to my body. I couldn't blame them for staring, and Chrome was clutching my arm tightly as if she was afraid I was going to collapse again.

"Hh… I am fine." I assured them again, and failing spectacularly.

Naru hissed at me, "Mai, You are not fine! No one is fine after they stopped breathing and their heartbeat weakened!"

I wanted to argue but I knew there was nothing I could say in defense, I would just make a fool of myself if I tried. So instead I said hoarsely, "Alright… so the info…"

"It can wait." Naru told me flatly.

I shook my head, this can't wait moron!

* * *

 **One hour later… (3** **rd** **POV)**

At last Mai agreed to sleep after long argument with Naru that ended with Chrome burst to crying fit and begged her to rest. So Mai now was sleeping in other portable house Foundation prepared as their sleeping quarter, while Chrome waited for her to wake up and acted as bodyguard in the same time. It seemed it would be one of those long nap because she overused her ability.

Bou-san and Ayako sighed in unison because once again they saw them kissing, well… not really it was just another CPR. Naru didn't even look perturbed about it, considering he was just saving Mai and returning the previous favor.

Gosh, why couldn't these two kissed for genuine reason? They couldn't even tease either of them because of the severity of the two occasions. This was all their fault! It shouldn't take a life and death situation for them to kiss! Then again CPR was not a genuine kiss in the first place…

Neither of them cared of the romantic implication, even though…

John was blushing furiously, it must be too much for a chaste priest like him. Considering it took a while to revive Mai, they lost track of how many times Naru gave Mai the mouth to mouth breathing.

Masako was in the same state… she was still blushing and looked put off about the whole ordeal. She was sulking obviously… and deep down wishing she was in Mai's place.

Ayako hoped this girl wouldn't try anything stupid to get the same treatment. Then again she shouldn't hope for the same from Naru when Mai was concerned. From how he called the girls was obvious enough, Naru called all of them but Mai with surname and honorific.

Ayako had heard from Mai that Naru called her familiarly because she blurt out a nickname she privately thought of him. That explained the first name but not the lack of honorific, seriously… it seemed Naru was already taken by Mai since they met.

So far they had opted in waiting for Mai to wake up as she accompanied Takigawa to exorcise small group of spirits that obviously up to no good. Vengeful spirits…

"Naumaku san manda bazaradan kan!"

Then followed by her nine cuts, "Rin (臨), Pyō (兵), Tō (闘), Sha (者), Kai (皆), Jin (陣), Retsu (列), Zai (在), Zen (前)!"

On the other side of Kokuyo Park, Lin for once was out to exorcise with John instead of following Naru.

"In the world was life, and the life was the light of man." The holy verse drove the howling spirits straight to Lin who was waiting with his shiki.

"Fweeeeeeeet!" On his command two of his shiki jumped and attacked the spirits coming towards their master.

"Did you get them all?" John asked the onmyouji.

Lin nodded, "Yes…" However the number of spirits in this place was barely dwindling down, even with massive purification their miko performed yesterday… According to their shiki they barely down to seventy percent. "At this rate we won't make it to the deadline."

John nodded sadly at that, "But still… why Shibuya-san asked us to reduce the number of spirits here? Dispersing the swarm and so on… it as if he want us to buy time."

The Onmyouji didn't know either, his charge only shared what he was planning if he needed Lin's skill anyway.

* * *

 **Naru's POV (5** **th** **Day)**

Last night was a rough night, in revenge of our exorcism they had rampaged the whole area so badly and ironically helping Foundation to demolish Kokuyo Land. Our base managed to hold on because of Chrome-san's barrier and decoy. Lin and Bou-san also put theirs on, it was almost paranoid of us to use triple layered barrier against these spirits. However we managed to survive the night and moved on to our fifth day.

It didn't shock me as much as if other people snapped their eyes open when someone opened the door of their bedroom. Mai must had sensed my presence and woke up the moment I entered her range of detection. "Mai… are you feeling better now."

She nodded weakly, "Much better…"

Mai looked tired but I knew she was in pain too, Doctor Shamal had told me about her high tolerance for pain. "If you're not well enough to talk about your vision, don't."

She sat up slowly and Chrome helped her, before offering her a glass of water she drank up slowly. "I am well enough…"

Then she began telling me about her vision. It had occurred to me before that the way of her storytelling was Gene like. However her expression was not solemn and cool but firm with determination. Her tone changed on each line, mimicking how they were spoken to perfection like Gene used to do. Her expression however didn't change much and a little detached.

She didn't see anything horrible… much, she saw yakuza dumping bodies and buried them in large number underneath Kokuyo. Vision that would turn other girl green with disgust but Mai was very calm when she described the event. So Onmyouji was involved twice… then Mukuro, the other medium did something to protect themselves from spirit. Carving charm to your body? Interesting… a painful practice but efficient.

"And that's it."

"You didn't forget anything?" I didn't expect an answer for this but she told me.

She shook her head, "No." She was hiding something.

"Mai… what you didn't say?"

She sighed again and sometimes I wonder why she indulged me with pieces of her secret once in a while, "I _can't_ forget."

What was that supposed to mean? She had conveniently forgotten about her vision in Morishita's house.

"That's different." She interjected my thought, "If it's a dream vision, I am prone of forgetting them as it's something I caught by accident… like how people more often than not forget their dreams…" She explained, she sounded tired but determined. "In this case however… I purposely sought the vision, I _wasn't_ sleeping Naru… on trance yes, sleeping NO… my mind is very awake."

I inhaled sharply, "But still… what do you mean you _can't_ forget them?"

"That's how it is…" She answered me, "I am not so sure why myself but for these visions… I can't forget them as if I have photographic memory of them. It as if… it's a price I have to pay since I sought them so I can't forget… as if I carved it to my mind…"

So even that horrible vision, she…

"The memory will numbed down with time… but it's a very slow progress. I will not forget them anytime soon…" She continued with a tired smile. "It's just something I have to deal with."

I nodded at that, because I knew more than anyone sometime the price of power was something we couldn't lament about but accepted as part of the bargain willingly. Who was I to complain? When I could feel pain and horror of people whose possession I dive into?

"How do you describe… your post cognition?"

She frowned at me and for a moment I thought she wouldn't tell me anything. "Diving to a deep and bottomless ocean…"

That was eerily alike with my psychometry, and that vision I got was indeed was what happening to her back then.

"So your vision is tinted blue or blurry because it's like underwater?" Mine was tinted with green for some reason.

She shook her head in negative, "It's a deep ocean full of bubbles… large ones, my intuition will direct me to which vision I wanted and when I poke them I get inside to see the vision."

She had a better imagination than Gene and I for sure.

"Diving down is easy but going up is harder…" She added.

So the law of nature didn't work in the same way in her post-cognition.

"I just naturally can drown, falling down as if my body is made of lead… the farther it is to the past, the deeper I have to dive…" Mai explained in lofty tone, her gaze lowered. "So that's why I went down to fifty years ago first and made my way up from there, however… it's harder than I thought to go up…"

I had a feeling this ability of hers was something like my PK, she needed assistance… her twin… so like me she had avoided using it since she lost her twin?

"I thought I only need to make three stops… I ended up at five." She said in regretful tone.

Chrome-san gasped at that, "Five?! Hime… you shouldn't have! To make five stops on your own…"

She smiled apologetically at her friend, "I know Chrome… I went over my limit."

Water… diving, no wonder she had breathing difficulty. So to Mai, her post cognition was like drowning herself in metaphorical sense. And her nosebleed… must be caused by severe mental exhaustion.

"How far down to the past have you gone before?" I asked in a manner of academic inquiry.

Mai paused at that, contemplating. "Four hundred years… that is my limit when I was at my best."

I had a feeling Mai wouldn't answer if I ask why she went that far to the past, but still… four hundred years. That was quite far, I myself had never pry to the past for more than a century.

"And now?"

She took a deep breath, "I am sure I can go over a century or two, what made this dive so difficult is because I make too many stops… I wouldn't have too many problem if I make two way straight trip to one specific timeline…"

"Then you could have done so… repeated two way straight trip."

"It doesn't work that way Naru…" She sighed at me. "I can't do this repeatedly by myself…"

Ah, so she couldn't do it repeatedly as she pleased like me and not without her twin brother. "I see…"

She glanced at Chrome who was busying herself with making coffee for her, then back to me. "So, what do you want to do now?"

"We have a problem." I admitted honestly, "Lack of resource to effectively clean this place… that is."

She blinked at me owlishly, "Uhm… you mean?"

Mai must be pretty disoriented still if she didn't catch up with what I was trying to imply. "I mean… from your stories, obviously spirits who choose to stay and ignored Matsuzaki-san's invitation for purification are those who had grudge against Momokyoukai… for the last fifty years it become a place where grudge and hatred against the yakuza group dwells… and they will not rest until their wish is fulfilled."

Mai became silent at that, "So what is our option?"

"We have three but none are feasible due to various factors…" I answered honestly of the three plans I had in mind. "First… hitogata like how we handle the mother in Morishita's house, however there are too many spirits and we're dealing with yakuza… I don't think they keep that detailed record on who holding grudge on who especially if the people concerned are already dead… researching that deep would be impossible." I concluded.

Mai sighed tiredly at that, "And the other two? I begin to dread what you have in mind next."

"What they want is simple, revenge on Momokyoukai… so if we release the barrier over Kokuyo, these spirits are no longer your problem but theirs." Personally I supposed these ominous swarm of spirits were their problem.

Mai disagreed, kind of. "While I could almost agree it's all their fault, I didn't think unleashing this swarm of spirit in populated area is wise…"

I snorted at her answer. "And so the third… is the most troublesome and yet feasible for us… slowly eroding their number with exorcism."

"Ah… but we have a problem with that…" She murmured softly.

I nodded, "A lot of problem." I corrected her, "As apparently shown in Morishita case, Bou-san… who arguably the best in exorcism is ill suited against large number of spirits. John is the same, he is more adept at exorcising possession… Lin has no problem with dealing with large number because he has five shiki but of course… he will be overwhelmed against the large number of spirits in Kokuyo… and last is Matsuzaki-san who arguably is the best at dealing with large number of spirits, her purification might as well called mass purification and the environment of this place supports her…"

"However…" Mai continued tiredly, "None of spirits left in Kokuyo is interested in moving on unless their grudge is satisfied."

I nodded at her, "Actually according to Matsuzaki-san… she has no problem with vengeful ghost before but the problem is… they also have a grudge against spiritualist because they were locked down repeatedly…"

"So when we walked around…"

"Most likely because they sensed our spiritual power, it set them off… we're the cause of their berserk state at night when they had more power than at day…" It was ironic but I had a feeling what set them off at first was Hibari-san himself. He was a very strong Qigong user after all.

Mai crossed her fingers, "So… what are we doing now?"

"The best we could do now is decreasing their number… slowly and steadily, however at night their assault on our base will worsen… and either they will worn out soon enough to accept Matsuzaki-san's purification or we wiped them out…" It was not ideal but that was what we had on us now.

She sighed, "But then we're not going to meet the deadline by tomorrow."

"Well…" I had to admit the deadline was too short for a case of this scale. "If it's any comfort spirits here were much weaker… even more than spirit of children in Morishita's house according to Bou-san." I told her. "It seems the onmyouji designed the barrier in such a way that at day they're so weak… and constantly restricted by spiritual barrier weakened them considerably, what driven them this far is their grudge… even Matsuzaki-san has no problem defeating them by herself at day."

Mai hummed at that, "So the problem is their grudge hm…" She frowned deeply, biting her lower lip nervously. She had something in mind.

Chrome-san suddenly entered my field of vision, looking at Mai determinedly. "Hime… would you allow me to try to perform purification?"

Mai shook her head, "Chrome… there are too many of them for you to do it by yourself." She said pointedly. "Even if Mukuro is here… the amount of power the two of you needed would be massive…"

I glanced at the medium beside Mai, this girl… I thought she was incapable of purification but now she wanted to do it?

Suddenly Mai tensed, her eyes went wide. Chrome-san did the same as she covered her lips in surprise. "Mukuro-sama… he is coming."

Mai groaned. "Oh, my gosh… are we lucky or what? He is not alone either… I pity Shouichi and Hayato back home now…"

What the hell they were talking about?

* * *

 **Italy, Vongola HQ (3** **rd** **POV)**

"I can't believe they did this to me." Hayato moaned sadly to no one in particular. "Lambo! Second! Hic!"

Lambo, currently eight years old wondered if this was how their storm asked for sympathy. Well, grape juice _kinda_ tasted like wine… at least it was made from grape too, but it was not going to make him drunk.

"Yeah… I heard you, Yato-nii…" Lambo grumbled as he treated Hayato to another round of grape juice.

Irie who was sitting across Hayato sobbed, "Lambo-kun… I want another glass."

"Yes… yes…" Just three years ago he was a brat and now he played a good host for his brothers. Tsuna-nii and Mai-nee would be so proud of him now.

Fuuta de la Stella, the ranking prince and residence psychic looked in worry at their storm. "Erm… Lambo, I think you shouldn't pour them drink anymore…"

"It's grape juice, Fuuta… it won't make them drunk." Lambo rolled his eyes. "You know we always stock wine looking grape juice since Hayato-nii insisted we shouldn't disappoint our bosses with underage drinking but in the same time look grownup to fool those old men?"

Fuuta sighed and took a sip himself, "Well… it's indeed grape juice, your favorite~ How did they get drunk on this anyway?"

"Nah… it's just the mood, you know they always pretended to be wasted whenever they're stressed." Lambo waived his concern off.

Futta shrugged, "Still… I couldn't believe you let them go, Yato-nii, Shou-nii…"

Hayato groaned at Lambo, "I did not _let_ them, Mukuro came back and ask where she is to Haru and Kyouko… then he found out how Chrome ended up in Japan, and who sneaked her out… so he dragged our poor personal doctor to Italy with his private jet."

Lambo snorted at that. "Oh well! You guys are hiding Chrome-nee's disappearance, so what if we missed another two as long as they return by tomorrow?"

"What IF they DON'T?!" Shouichi hollered before he chugged down another glass of grape juice.

The cow boy just shrugged with Fuuta, "Nah~ we know the one who get screwed would be you and Yato-nii… Ganauche likes me, he won't let mean Coyote-jiji to scold me…"

"You're not helping Lambo." Fuuta pointed out. "But still…" The psychic trailed off with a smile on his lips. "I wonder…"

"Hm?" Lambo couldn't help but wonder what their ranking prince had in mind. Back when they were living in Namimori Lambo always think of Fuuta as another older brother, kind and slightly twisted.

Well… not slightly… after all, a nine years old who pit member of the same family against each other, and used his cuteness to gain protection from a future Vongola boss couldn't be normal. In fact Lambo thought Fuuta was like Shouichi, underneath their frail appearance they were the most criminal minded in this not so mafia like famiglia.

Their non-guardian status didn't make them any less dangerous than the like of Hibari or Mukuro. In fact Lambo was pretty sure those two secretly ranked Shouichi next to Tsuna-nii and Mai-nee on the very short list of people they feared and respect.

Then again… those two had seen what inside Shouichi's not so secret glass house. Tsuna-nii was a pro at dishing mostly harmless and fear inducing punishment after all.

* * *

 **Japan, Kokuyo Land**

If anyone in SPR team was shocked to see an indigo colored private jet -an odd shaped one compared to those in the market, sleek futuristic shape with multiple wings to boot- all of them except Lin and Naru were openly gaping at it hovering over Kokuyo Land.

Mai just stared at the flying vehicle, crossing her arms and sighing exasperatedly. "Well… he sure take his time."

"I think he is angry Hime…" Chrome said to her princess.

"Obviously." Mai snorted.

Naru glanced at her, "Is that jet belong to your family?"

Mai inspected her nails, which was well manicured but not painted. "Well, it's Mukuro's and Chrome's personal jet so… calling them my family's is not exactly correct."

Bou-san gaped at her, "You have private jets?"

Mai pointedly ignored him.

Naru smirked, "You didn't seem to be the type of this kind of lavish vehicle."

The princess of Vongola shrugged at him. "Hm… actually it's my brother's personal hobby… he has interest in vehicle since he was small. You know… boys, and we have money so why not? We invest a lot on technology for transportation anyway…"

Which was why for first anniversary of their reign the present for their guardians was their very own private jet. They were the only luxurious gift she and Tsuna ever gave to their guardians.

At last the jet landed, blowing hot wind to every directions.

Mai checked her pocket watch, it was already three in the afternoon. Glancing at dark expression on Kyo-san's face, Mai didn't have much hope on him remembering they didn't have time for another round of Cloud VS Mist battle. Which was why Mai was holding his left arm tightly, just in case Kyo-san lost in and decided to jump Mukuro.

Ngiiiiing…

The door opened automatically after a smooth landing, and before the steps was lowered an indigo colored blur already jumped out of the jet. Kyo-san growled but Mai held him in his place as the blur shot straight at Chrome. The female illusionist just smiled when a pair of arms swept her up and she was pulled to a tight embrace. It had been two weeks since they saw each other after all…

"My Chrome, are you alright?"

She smiled at the worried heterochromatic eyes of his, "Of course I am… Mukuro-sama."

They gaped at the public display of affection, as the boy kissed his girl in front of them. It was just a peck but a very bold thing to do in front of so many people here.

"Aah… that guy really." Mai shook her head exasperatedly.

Hibari scowled, "Shameless pineapple herbivore."

So that was Mukuro, the other medium? Mai never told them, he and Chrome were lovers.

Mukuro was a fairly tall teenager with pale skin, he had dark blue hair and heterochromatic eyes, one blue and one red. His hair was styled in similar fashion as Chrome but his was cut short. He was handsome but there was a strange air about him. He was wearing indigo colored undershirt, black tie and pants but instead of a black suit jacket he was wearing high collared coat over his undershirt.

Bou-san wondered if this kind of fashion was their uniform or something. But still… this guy and Hibari were all good looking men, he had not met the other called Hayato who was also a friend of Naru-bou but he suspected the boy was pretty good looking too. It was no wonder Jou-chan didn't really care how handsome Naru-bou was, if she surrounded by these boys for most of her life.

"So Hime…" Mukuro turned his attention to their princess. "Pray tell why… Chrome is here, in such a dangerous place where those… foul and disgusting spirits run amok?" He queried with a rising eyebrow and from their long term familiarity Mai didn't need her intuition to know their male mist was pissed.

"Or this is another misguided vigilante impulse of yours kicked in again? I thought you're better at controlling it than your brother?"

Yep, a pissed off Mukuro was a chatty Mukuro.

"This place is not dangerous if you have decency to clean up your mess properly, herbivore." Kyouya growled at the mist.

"Oya… oya, I didn't realize they're _my_ mess or my obligation." Mukuro tapped his chin in faked thoughtful manner. "After all… if this place belongs to you, it's your mess… Hibari Kyouya- _kun_."

Aah… they at least started with exchanging sarcasm instead of blow, thought Mai who had not let go of Hibari's arm.

"Of course… unless, that's your way to ask for help~" Mukuro drawled on gleefully. "Please ask nicer, after all we _are_ family."

Hibari narrowed his steel like eyes dangerously at Mukuro, "You sure talk a lot, _pineapple_ herbivore."

Mai sighed, and here she thought it would take more than a minute for the taboo word to be thrown this time.

Mukuro was ticked, a vein popped on his temple. "Oya oya… you sure have guts to talk like that to me, just because you eat meat? Seriously… for a Demophobe carnivore, I think you should save the guts to face the crowd."

There was never a more horrible day than when Mukuro did extensive research on fear of crowd A.K.A Demophobia, thought to be correct Hibari didn't fear the crowd, he hated them.

"Kamikorosu." Hibari declared.

Mukuro smirked in return, "I will show you hell then."

Kusakabe-san who knows since when tried to placate the mist and cloud, "Please, both of you! Kyo-san! Mukuro-san! We have no time for senseless fight!" Beside they just had one in Italy! These two were so... "Please remember your position!" They were the guardians of Vongola, and did they forget who was present?!

The SPR team who had been very quiet since the exchange of sarcasm-that degrade to insult and then to outright threat- gaped at the two guardians who were eyeing each other with murderous intent. Naru just raised an eyebrow, if anything they were both brats in teenager body and he agreed with Kusakabe, did they even realize they were trying to fight in front of who?

"Well..." The said person cleared her throat, drawing their attention to her.

Their boss tapped her foot impatiently after she stepped in between the two, she was slightly shorter than their line of sight so it took a while for them to realize she was on the way for who knows since when.

"Um." Even Mukuro paused when Mai suddenly beam them a bright and angelic smile, and Hibari stiffened. She gave them a long but gentle look, complete with indulgent smile on her lips.

"Arara…" Mai was still smiling, "Aren't the two of you so energetic today? It brings me so much joy." She placed a hand above her heart as if emphasizing her joy. "Kyo-san, Mukuro…"

They winced in unison and Chrome giggled.

"Would you mind to use all that pent up extra energy elsewhere that would be more productive for the good of all of us?" Mai said in a tone that reminded John of all people to pastors back home when they were preaching goodness and kindness to their people. "Rather than causing trouble. I know where we can use that energy…"

Mukuro almost yelped, "Alright! We get it! Please stop imitating _him_ , it's creepy!" Hibari was very tempted to nod in agreement but he showed admirable self-control with staying still.

Their twin skies had distinctive disciplining method, which was unique to them alone, never mind their twin status as they had different way in doing it. Mai would outright lecture them, guilt tripping and sarcasm mixed in one to the point anyone would feel drained of all their strength afterward.

Tsuna in the other hand… while it took a lot to snap his patience, once they did…

Tsuna would just smile like a saint or an angel, whichever… then he would look at them with the most gentle look even when they were about to fight. He had indulgent smile on his lips as he gave them the look, _Oh, that Kyouya… Mukuro…_ as if he was an adult faced with a couple of rowdy brats.

It never failed to make them feel very small and greatly insulted even though Tsuna didn't say a thing. Which was something, as their boss was someone who could insult people without tainting his lips.

Then Tsuna would serenely using his charisma to direct their 'pent up energy' as he called it elsewhere, and sent them to do missions they undoubtedly hated but couldn't refuse. It usually ended with them too tired in body and soul to even throw an insult at one another and Tsuna appeared with his ever present saintly smile, hauling both of them to his shoulders and tucked them to their bed in fatherly manner. Every single freaking time…

Utterly humiliated, used, and defeated… they would take their princess guilt inducing lecture any day.

"Oh really?" Mai was still smiling, their similarity didn't help.

Mukuro was freaked out. "Yes! Just lecture us! Or something just…"

Hibari was still trying his best to not nod, he was not going to openly agree with the pineapple herbivore.

Mai sighed at that, "But… I want you guys to do something…"

Something, in which Tsuna was a pro at making them. Something they loathed to do…

This time nothing stopped Hibari from swallowing in unison with Mukuro, dreading what Mai had in mind to the point she resorted to imitating her brother to get them to do it.

Sensing their discomfort, Mai decided to spare them the tension at least. "I want you guys to cooperate to purify Kokuyo Land…"

Silence…

They were smart people, so it didn't take long for them to figure out what Mai had in mind. Then again it also something to do with their link as sky, cloud and mist.

"You must be kidding me." Mukuro growled at Hibari's direction, "I have to cooperate with _him?!"_

Hibari growled back, "Like I will even deign…"

Mai laughed at them, and shocking them in the same time. "My… it's very _cute_ of you two to think this is negotiable~" She said in sing-song voice. "In case you forgot… officially we're not practicing democracy but dictatorship." She was using her personal disciplining method now.

Not so mafia like or not, Vongola was still a mafia family so the words of their boss was absolute. It was democracy most of the time simply because their twin bosses wanted it that way… however in a case of emergency, democracy be damned.

Mai cleared her throat, and politely ignoring her two stunned guardians as she turned around and called out. "Ryou-nii! Are you alright over there? It must be a rough flight with Mukuro driving without restrain!"

SPR team who had been feeling like watching a train wreck called Vongola snapped back to their senses when they saw someone stumbling out of the private jet. He looked around Naru's age, with tanned skin that contrast against his silver hair and white band aid on his nose. He looked a little green on the face, squinting his grey eyes as he struggled to walk in straight line towards Mai.

He was also wearing the same standard black suit, his undershirt was yellow, black tie and black pants. Closer inspection revealed he bandaged most of his hand, leaving only his fingers bare. On his left hand he had a white coat that looked like what a doctor would wear, aside from the strange yellow rimming on the edge and sun emblem on the left arm.

"Urg… I am feeling _extremely_ sick…." Sasagawa Ryohei grumbled, fortunately he had vomited everything in the toilet of Mukuro's private jet. Which was why he took his time to come out of the jet.

Mai smiled at him as she patted the muscular man's back comfortingly, "Ryou-nii, hang in there…"

Naru had enough of them having their own drama and ignoring everyone else, "Mai… this person?"

Mai grinned sheepishly at him. "Oh yes… as you know over there, the guy who was still staring at nothing while Chrome was patting his back was Mukuro… and this person over here is Sasagawa Ryohei, he is the junior doctor of our family…"

A doctor?! This muscular man who looked like a boxer rather than a doctor?!

"Well… almost doctor, he is working on his thesis for his honorary doctorate." Mai corrected as she continued to pat Ryouhei's back comfortingly. "Ryou-nii… do you feel better?"

He shook his head before he proceed to drink his water bottle slowly.

Mai whirled around, snarling at Mukuro. "You know he has problem with stunt flying of yours, Mukuro!"

Mukuro tensed as he was snapped back to reality, "He is noisy, and the only way to shut him up is making him sick!"

"Why did you even bring him with you in the first place?!" Mai hollered.

"He didn't take no for answer and jumped to my jet, insisting he should be here in case someone got hurt!" In short Mukuro couldn't argue with that point.

Mai groaned, "Oh well…"

"Beside… he will bounce back very quickly anyway." Mukuro droned on.

As if on cue Ryohei jumped to his feet and crushed his water bottle, "I AM EXTREMELY RECOVER TO 100% HEALTH!"

Mukuro rolled his eyes, "These guys are so lucky they heard his full volume for the first time in outdoor."

Hibari very reluctantly agreed inwardly. "Noisy herbivore…"

Naru covered his ears, "Is this guy has no voice-control?"

Mai sighed and said, "Ryou-nii… indoor voice please."

"Alright." He was still louder than normal people but he didn't sound like talking in capital at least. "So did anyone get hurt?"

Mai glanced sideway, "No one injured has not gotten their proper treatment so far… Ryou-nii." Masako could use some help for her sprained leg, but there was no way to explain sun flame. Not even as PK-LT because unlike mist flame, the flame of the sun was bright sparkling yellow and impossible to be masked.

"Instead… I need you and Kyo-san for something else." Yes… this could work very well.

Mai was about to walk away with the guardians but Naru held her back, putting his hand on the inside of her elbow, his slender and long fingers curled to fit and it felt pleasantly cool on her warm skin. Naru wondered for a moment why Mai was warmer than most people then again he rarely got skin to skin contact with anyone other than Gene.

"Mai… what are you going to do?" He asked in serious tone.

Mai held her free hand up, because the guardians were eyeing Naru's hand on her person in not so friendly manner. Chrome was the only one who stay put although even her looking unsure if she should have followed her fellow guardian's example.

"Oi." Ryou-nii the overprotective brother began in dangerous tone. "You better let go of Hime or…" He waved his fist and accidentally hit a broken trash can of Kokuyo Land, the type that screwed in to the ground but with brute power alone Ryohei sent it flying before it smashed to nearest tree and broke apart with a sickening crack.

Ryohei looked at the trash can and smashed tree and said. "Sorry about that Hibari, but you're demolishing this place anyway, right?"

Hibari just snorted. "Hn."

Bou-san gaped at Ryouhei, and here he thought this guy was not dangerous looking at all. He was a doctor or a bulldozer?!

Mai sighed, "Settle down! All of you…" They stepped away but all of them were still alert, most likely all of them sensed Naru's power and uncomfortable someone like him was too close with her. "Well… I am going with your third option, Naru... thank you for solving the case, we will finish this up."

Naru frowned at that, "Do you really have means to accomplish either mass purification or exorcism?"

Mai glanced at her guardians and smiled, "I do."

Four people… cleansing so many spirits on their own?

Mukuro crossed his arms, "Hime… I'm game for exorcism, they deserve it but I will not deign to give them purification. I refuse!"

Mai groaned, "Well… Mukuro, you did seal them before yourself…"

He blinked at that, "Oh yes… I can't help but wonder, where is the sealing stone I made to stop those spirits? I put quite a lot of effort in creating a better version than ones I found in this place before…"

Of course, Mukuro was a genius in the matter of soul after all.

Hibari frowned, "The infuriating thing that reek of you?" to be precise it reeked of mist flame and Hibari smashed it, thinking it was some sort of trap Mukuro left.

Mukuro snorted, "So… it's you who destroy it and unleash these… infuriating ghosts, serve you right."

Just like that all mysteries was solved when Vongola rolled and crushed it to smithereens.

Mai just rolled her eyes, "I see…" She glanced at SPR team. "It seems it's our own mess after all." She laughed nervously. "So let's get this over with."

"Exorcism…" Mukuro insisted, "I have not even an ounce of pity for them, if I have to cooperate with this skylark at least I get to vent on these ghosts."

He was in foul mood. "Mukuro…"

Much to Mai's surprise, Masako of all people marched straight towards Mukuro and she looked like she wanted to slap him. "How could you?"

At the time like this? Round two of Mist Guardian VS Hara Masako? "Uhm… Masako-san…" Chrome was civil and the worse she could do was ignoring you, Mukuro was not as nice.

Hibari raised an eyebrow at the medium, this frail girl had guts to look at the pineapple herbivore in the eye? Interesting…

Mukuro could tell easily this girl was a medium, he could feel the taint of spirit in her person. He hated medium in general, especially this type… he could tell what this girl wanted to argue with him.

"And you are…"

"Hara Masako." She answered firmly.

Mukuro just smiled, an innocent looking one that didn't reach his eyes, "So… Hara Masako… How could I… what?" He echoed amusedly, considering their sky had not interrupt yet he might as well enjoy this.

Mai narrowed her eyes at Mukuro, well… it seemed Mukuro was not going to try anything drastic, not in front of her and Chrome at least.

Masako was scared, she didn't know why but she felt like facing an angry and vengeful spirit like the mother in Morishita case. Perhaps… much worse and hidden beneath the skin of a human. However she had to stand firm.

"Spirits in this place have suffered for years… caged and bound repeatedly! Even though they have done so many crime in their life, they didn't deserve more punishment and cease to exist just because you don't like them!"

Mukuro crossed his arms, still smiling amusedly at the girl before him. "Hm… you're one of those medium with bleeding heart for poor lost souls, aren't you?"

She didn't answer, her back straight and looked at him in the eye unflinchingly. Most of the time looking at him in the eye was a grave mistake, but then again in front of their sky it was never a good idea to try.

"So… are you trying to convince me to find it in my dark and cold heart a compassion for these spirits… so I will show them the way to the light?" Mukuro continued, and Masako nodded as that was the gist of what she was getting at even though not the way Mukuro phrase it.

Mai was not surprised Mukuro burst to a fit of laughter, and he was holding his side as if it was in pain. "Kufufu fu fu… such a naïve little girl you are! Who do you think you're talking to, I wonder?"

Masako flushed in anger and embarrassment, "A pure medium… someone who I admit is superior to me, but deserve no respect!" She retorted determinedly.

Mukuro quirked an eyebrow as he glanced at his sky, "Do I ever introduce myself as a medium?"

"Technically you are." Mai said pointedly. "Whether you did the job or not."

The illusionist just shrugged at her, "Oh well… Indeed both Chrome and I are _technically_ capable of it, but we're under no obligation to show… 'The light' as you put it to these pitiful spirits."

Obviously he had no pity for them.

Masako inhaled slowly, she had to keep calm and not getting emotional. This man was baiting her, and took joy from her flustered state. "I have heard of Chrome-san's reason… and I understand why she didn't meddle with spirits." Mukuro frowned at that. "So… Mukuro-san, if I may be forward… I would like to hear your story."

Mukuro glanced at his lover and asked. "You told her?"

Chrome nodded slowly. "Yes… I decide she deserve an explanation at least, Mukuro-sama…"

The illusionist tapped his chin, "Hm… well, since you ask so nicely… let's say when I was young I got in trouble for talking to people no one but I can see…" Mukuro smiled again, beginning his story with disturbingly similar start with Chrome's.

"Unfortunately… the trouble I got into is worse than most. There are those who interested in a defenseless child who could talk with the dead after all… and no one missed a creepy orphan boy when he was taken away to foreign land and experimented upon…"

If she wanted to know, she got it…

Masako became pale as she processed what Mukuro said.

Naru narrowed his eyes, so… Mukuro was one of children with special power Mai's family took under their wings. Although it seemed he was stuck with the wrong sort of people… he was not surprised, he had overheard his parents talking about psychic children kidnapped for their ability. Mukuro was just one of many…

He and Gene were extremely lucky to be adopted by Martin and Luella.

"By the way… I was caught because of a familiar spirit, even as a child I am not easy to catch…" Mukuro added, recalling the member of Estraneo famiglia who caught him. The man was a result of failed experiment of six path of reincarnation, a medium who couldn't achieve what he could. That man was the first one he killed after he got his power, and the familiar spirits were exorcised painfully by him.

"Honestly… I don't _really_ hate spirits in general, but I find them disturbing me who was alive very annoying… they beg us to listen and see them, but they never bother to care whether we want anything to do with them…" Mukuro shook his head exasperatedly. "So… I just exorcise them _painfully_ and so they learn their lesson to leave me alone…"

Masako trembled, once again the other medium had a solid reason to hate being a medium and wanted nothing to do with it. Still… if she backed down now, what she was doing until now was just… it would be for nothing! She knew she had fame from what she did but the truth was… she never cared for fame, she did her duty as a medium because it made her happy to help lost spirits… there was a meaning to her life, more than normal person. There was a reason why she was different…

"Even so!" Masako started firmly. "Even if they hurt you, it's no reason to take it on all spirits you encounter in your life! There shouldn't be any reason to not try to help them to move on! If… I'm lost I want someone to show me a way! That's why I show them…"

Mai didn't expect Masako of all people had guts to talk back Mukuro, and obviously whatever she said was not going to change Mukuro's mind about spirit. Mukuro if anything looked even more amused by her words, however instead of a sharp retort Mukuro shrugged.

"Alright." He said with an exasperated sigh. "We will perform purification instead of exorcism."

Masako's eyes went wide in shock, obviously she didn't expect to convince Mukuro otherwise either.

He turned to their sky and said, "In one condition… Hara Masako has to watch the purification."

Mai's eyes widened at that. "Mukuro!"

The mist just shrugged, "Well… she must want to see our _purification_ thoroughly to the end. Beside Hime…" He glanced at them. "I am not sure they will leave even if we ask nicely."

Mai groaned. "Geee… thanks a lot Mukuro."

Naru had not let go of her and pulled her closer to him. "What is he talking about?"

The sky sighed, "Let's say… I _didn't_ lie when I said Mukuro and Chrome could perform purification, however not the way a medium like Masako-san did."

"And what's the problem with Hara-san watching it?"

She glanced to the side sadly, "Not all purification is like what we see in Morishita house, not all spirits wished for a simple thing such as meeting their daughter once again…"

"…simple thing…"

Mai smiled at him, "Well… all I can say now is I recommend those who don't want to be scarred for life to leave now, even Masako-san… if I have a choice none of you should see this… Mukuro's and Chrome's purification, that is…"

And with that his hold on her loosened and she beckoned her family to follow her, and for some reason he had an illogical urge to hold her back again. When she was with them… it was like when she jumped high… it as if she would disappear to the sky with them.

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

"So… everyone get what we're planning to do?"

Ryo-nii nodded enthusiastically, "We're going to donate our extreme power to Mukuro and Chrome! So they have enough power to purify Kokuyo!"

"Hn."

Mukuro looked like he was in a lot of pain, "To think… I will borrow this bastard's power."

"Mukuro-sama." Chrome sweat-dropped.

I sighed exasperatedly, "Just suck it up Mukuro! If we wait until sun sets… it would be harder for us to do it!" I turned towards our sun and cloud. "Ready?"

"I was born extremely ready!"

"Hn."

I sighed exasperatedly as I tugged on my glove, "Then let's begin… Zero Point Breakthough: Revised."

* * *

 **Back to SPR's base (3** **rd** **POV)**

"I feel like I just have a ride in rollercoaster, then strapped to a drop tower that go straight down to a meat grinder…" Bou-san described how he felt after that whacko conversation Jou-chan's family had, he was not even involved but he was exhausted just with watching them.

Ayako nodded, "I have to agree with you… I don't know why… but watching them drained me mentally for some reason."

Bou-san moaned, "How the hell Jou-chan managed them? First… the bite to death bird guy, a timid and shy one eyed girl, and a creepy medium with sadistic streak and then a loud doctor with monster like brute strength… they're unmanageable."

"Crazy, you mean."

John just laughed sheepishly, simply because he was at a loss of what to say. Even he thought they were overwhelming… except Chrome they were intense people.

Masako was still a little shaken and began to dread what that Mukuro wanted her to watch.

Naru and Lin were as quiet as usual although in Naru's case he was secretly restless of Mai's whereabouts.

Then they heard his phone ringing, it was Mai.

* * *

 **Center of Kokuyo Land (Between Glass house and House of Mirrors)**

Mai was not surprised none of them left and came to where she and her family were waiting. If she had a choice she would send all of them home, especially Naru and Masako. However she supposed she couldn't have everything…

"Kyo-san, Ryo-nii… are you guys alright?" She asked her sun and cloud.

They looked fine but slightly tired at least.

Ryouhei beamed at her, "I FEEL AS EXTREME AS USUAL!"

"Hn."

Well, nothing to worry about them for sure. If anything she should worry about SPR team, especially Masako. Then again perhaps it would do well for her to watch their purification, even though she was not sure this was eyes-opening experience for the medium.

She swept her eyes over them again and said. "I warn you… this is more dangerous to those who are watching, in fact I recommend all of you to leave."

Naru stood with crossed arms almost petulantly, obviously he was not going to leave. And if Naru didn't, Lin would stay. Bou-san seemed determined to stay, what if they needed him? Ayako was considering her option but she wanted to see this case to the end beside who knows she might be needed. John was thinking along the same line.

Masako was not going to back down from this.

Mai sighed, "Alright!" She took a deep breath and commanded. "Let's begin, Chrome… Mukuro."

Their pair of mist smiled her and gave her a curt bow, _"Si, il mio Cielo."_

Chroma and Mukuro was holding a bundle on their arms, unveiled it and reveal pieces of their weapon. They constructed it to its full length in instant, and holding their respective shakujo in cross position.

 ** _"_** ** _Creo qualcosa dal nulla e nulla da qualcosa…"_**

As the mist they created something from nothing and nothing from something. This was their role as mist guardian.

Bou-san shifted, _'I know they're strong people but now… I can see their battle aura, where did they get this power from?'_

Naru narrowed his eyes, _'So… they're not going to talk to the spirits after all.'_

Something was lifted again to their senses and in instance all spirits from every direction came towards them in swarm.

"Gah!" Bou-san yelped, "All of them are coming the moment they sensed those two!"

"Fweeeet!" Lin whistled, ordering his shiki to circle them and enforced the barrier he and Takigawa had prepared beforehand.

Unbelievable, their presence alone incite such reaction? Naru almost jumped when he sensed Mai for who knows since when was standing beside him, and she was followed by Sasagawa. Hibari refused to go inside the barrier and blissfully drive the spirits away with his Qigong.

"It has begun." Mai whispered.

What was…

BANG!

Chrome and Mukuro slammed the end of their staff to the ground and then giant lotus flower sprout from the ground. And the whole park was shaking because of sudden greenery protruding the concrete surface.

"Huwaa!"

"Kyaa!"

At this point only Lin and Naru were still standing from SPR team, the rest had to be on all four on the ground. "What the…" Bou-san was gaping at the lotus, "Lotus flowers?"

"Please calm down everyone." Mai told them, even though she knew it was not assuring even to herself. "This is all illusion."

Naru turned to her sharply, "Illusion?"

Mai nodded at him, "Detailed explanation will take too long… but both Mukuro and Chrome are more of an illusionist than a medium… spirits can do it too, giving people vision of their death and so on… Mukuro and Chrome were doing the same thing with their spiritual power…"

That was eerily similar with what Gene did, fading the background and illustrating soul as orb of lights. Naru thought. "A very real illusion…" He was not unfamiliar with this, he had felt sticky and very red blood that turned out was not real but vision spirits showed them before.

"For real?" Ayako was trying and failing to stand up. "This is all not real?! But the shaking? And those flowers?"

John was rubbing his eyes but the flower were still there. "They're beautiful." Even though those flowers were binding spirits around them.

Masako was not feeling well at all. "Ugh… my head…"

Mai scowled, "Ryo-nii!"

"Hai!" Ryohei dashed towards the medium. "Alright! You will be okay!" Ryouhei unzipped his duffel back revealing neatly sewed medical supplies and first aid kit.

Naru frowned at the medium who was receiving medical help from Ryouhei, followed by their miko who had to crawl to assist him. "What's wrong with her?" He wondered.

The Vongola just gritted her teeth, "Something you will find soon enough, she get ill first because of her 'clear vision' most likely…"

"Oi!" Bou-san looked at the two illusionist, "If they're trying to subdue this many spirits, I don't think the flowers are going to hold on for long!"

"Che." Mai scowled, "They're still too far…"

Naru frowned, "Why they're trying to subdue these spirits first?"

"Because the range of their purification can't reach the whole park." Mai answered in lofty tone. "So our plan is to get all of them as close as possible before proceeding to purification."

"How far is their range?"

Mai winced, "Around fifty meters in radius… some of them are still outside of that range…"

It took a while but Mai could feel slowly but steadily the spirits moved towards them, squeezed in within their desired range. However another problem occurred, the spirits were getting too close to Mukuro's and Chrome's comfort.

Mukuro growled, "Chrome! Another layer of illusion!"

"Hai!"

Once again they knock their staff to the ground and now pillars of fire burst forward from the ground, turning the park to a hell like scene.

WHOOSH!

"Sawada-san!" Lin shouted, wincing as one of the pillar flame burst through the ground too close with their barrier. "I think this is getting overboard!"

"I think so too!" Bou-san added. "Argh! My head!"

John clutched his head, "Am I… dreaming?"

"I think I'm going to feel sick too…" Ayako moaned as covering her mouth.

Even Naru started to feel it, "Ugh."

Hibari shook his head exasperatedly, "Already? Illusionary poisoning… pathetic."

Poisoning because of illusion he said? Naru understood now what was happening here, illusion or hypnotism were foreign influence aimed directly to their brain so being exposed to them in a long term wouldn't be healthy for sure. No wonder Hara-san who was sensitive was the first to fall to it.

"How come you're not affected?" Naru wondered, wincing as his head was throbbing painfully.

Mai sighed, "I was affected pretty badly when I first saw illusions of this level, but you will get used to it… well, it's a painful process."

"Gah!" Ryohei moaned, "If all of you got sick in the same time, how should I…" He turned towards his fellow guardians. "Oi! Mukuro! Chrome! We told you to not overdo it!"

Mukuro snarled at him, "Shut it Sasagawa! I am working here!"

"We're doing our best!" Chrome added, "We're sorry!"

"My dear Chrome… I refuse to feel sorry, it's not our fault he can't do his job right." Mukuro retorted.

"What did you say?!"

Mai sighed loudly, "I will handle this! Mukuro! Chrome! Get this over with!"

"Yes Hime!" Chrome answered while Mukuro just grunted.

Ryohei looked at Mai in worry, "But… Hime!"

Mai shook her head, "It's fine… just bring them closer."

Naru almost stumbled when Mai pulled him down to sit beside her, "What are you doing?" On the corner of his eyes he saw Sasagawa was helping the others to come closer to Mai.

"Easing your pain a little… please be patient." She told him, a weak smile adorning her lips. "We have not reached the worse part yet even, then again all of you are psychics and spiritualists… "

Then he could feel it, their surrounding was getting warmer. He put his hand on hers, she was warmer than normal human and radiating heat like a hearth. The pain on his head slowly became bearable, it didn't disappear completely but much better.

"I feel much better…" Masako murmured. "So warm…"

Ryohei watched the SPR team commenting about the warm air with a mix of wariness and comfort. They had no idea in a sense they were standing in an even more dangerous zone, more than illusion poisoning. Only their princess could manage such a fine control, if it was anyone else… him or Hibari, they would have roasted people by accident with pulling them to their sphere of flame.

"We're starting!" Chrome and Mukuro announced, as they had subdued all the spirits in Kokuyo within their range of power.

Masako almost yelped when Mai gripped her shoulder firmly. "Masako-san…" She called her, "Remember… the dead was once human, it's in human nature to desire both good and bad thing. So even if you will see something you perhaps should not… please accept it and don't turn your eyes away…"

She didn't knew why but she could hear the warning on her voice and nodded. "Yes."

Mukuro and Chrome brought their staff to cross X position and then in unison they cried, **"Tenbu Hōrin!"**

They expected something to burst through from the ground again but this time it descended from the sky, a giant mirror held by a giant hand facing the earth. The mirror was circular, and framed with Buddhist carving in gold. It was the treasure of heaven.

The spirits looked up in unison at the mirror, and they became very still as like a frog hypnotized by snake's gaze. Then figures of people started to ooze through the mirror's surface, then the hell itself descended to earth.

The yakuza spirits were the first to pounce. **"I will kill you!"**

 **"** **I want to kill you!"**

 **"** **How dare you kill me?!"**

Masako gasped as she realized what was going on, what the yakuza haunting this place for was revenge. That was why they couldn't move on, and they were given exactly what they wanted. She looked up in horror at the mirror, so… it was showing them the very thing they wanted, which bounded them to this world.

"So…" It was Naru and Masako looked at him as if for assurance but he was not looking at her. "This what you mean by purification that not quite a purification…"

Mai nodded, "Yes… it shows them what they desire the most to move on."

 **"** **Ha ha ha! At last!"**

 **"** **Die!"**

"I think I'm going to be sick for a completely different reason." Bou-san said, clutching his stomach.

Ayako nodded in agreement. "This is horrible… is this really a purification?! They're just satisfying those spirits worldly desire!"

"Ugh… this is too much…" John was a pretty green on the face.

Ryohei crossed his arms, sighing. "We told ya all to extremely leave… beside, I'm sure all of you heard what kind of tone Mukuro used when saying the word 'purification' to you." He glanced at their sky whose gaze lowered. "In the first place… not even Mukuro would call it as one."

"However…" Mai trailed off, closing her eyes. "It's what the dead wants… and exactly what they get from Mukuro and Chrome..."

Masako began to cry, "This is… too cruel."

Naru sighed, "Hara-san… this is neither cruel nor kind, and this is simply a reality…"

Mai supposed Hara-san had enough, so she shouted. "Mukuro! Chrome! It's enough already, they shouldn't see anymore!"

Mukuro just laughed at that, "Alright… I guess we should do our job as the mist after all…"

"Yes, Hime!" Chrome herself didn't want to show them this horrible illusion anymore so she was glad to hide it from them.

Chrome and Mukuro raised their staff and then slowly rivulets of mist flowed thinly and slowly getting thicker until everything was shrouded in mist and they couldn't see anything. Then sounds and voices abated and they couldn't hear anything, not even their heartbeat. It was a long while of silence when at last Mai announced.

"It's done."

* * *

 **Few Hours Later…**

"You're awake."

Masako blinked owlishly and then winced at the bright light, and she inwardly wished to see clear dark blue eyes of certain psychic first after she wake up but what greeted her was a pair of grey eyes of Sasagawa Ryohei.

"I…"

"You fainted." Sasagawa-san informed her, "You're extremely worn out because of illusion Chrome and Mukuro created overloaded your brain."

She was disappointed, but then again… she fainted so of course the one who waited for her was a doctor. Obviously Naru was not going to wait for her, it was impractical.

"Well… that is the gist of it." Sasagawa-san shrugged. "Illusionary poisoning is like an extreme version of motion sickness."

Why this person said 'extreme' a lot anyway? It was funny and endearing though, at least he was not shouting.

The door opened and Masako braced herself, and promptly disappointed when she saw it was Mai who was coming in to the infirmary. "Sorry, I'm not Naru."

The medium blushed a deep red, how could she openly show her disappointment in front of Mai-san of all people?!

"I bring you some juice and soup." Mai told her as she set the tray down on the bedside table.

"Because for now you extremely can't stomach anything heavy!" Sasagawa-sensei told her with a bright grin.

She nodded weakly and took a sip of the juice, it was fresh and easy to go through her sore throat. It was mixed juice, a tint of something sour like pineapple and sweet… banana perhaps?

Sasagawa-sensei crossed his arms, "But still… you're one extreme girl! Talking to Mukuro like that…"

Mai chuckled, "Well… I think so too, talking to Chrome is one thing but I didn't expect you to go up against Mukuro like that… Masako-san."

She blushed a deeper red. "If you just want to embarrass me you…"

"Masako-san." Mai called her name firmly. "I understand you have your own conviction but please… next time please act more carefully around someone you don't know well, especially someone like Mukuro."

Masako tensed at that.

Mai inhaled slowly, "Mukuro listen only to select few of people… and you're very lucky Chrome and I are one of them, if we were not there he will not be as indulgent and patient with you."

She nodded slowly at that.

"As for purification… have you not said anything, Chrome and I would have convinced him to do it… and you or the rest of SPR wouldn't have to watch it." Mai added with a sigh. "As you can see… Mukuro and Chrome are capable of hiding the whole process from sight. No one would have scarred by illusion… and even though they didn't get poisoned as badly as you. Now all of them are still feeling unwell…"

Masako flinched guiltily. "I am so sorry… I…"

Mai sighed, "If it's any comfort… Naru is fine, in fact Bou-san and Ayako-san are pretty bitter about how Naru can already walk straight as if he didn't suffer from the same thing as them…" She laughed softly.

The medium didn't laugh, it was all her fault.

"However… I have to applaud your courage to go up against Mukuro." Mai added with a smile. "Side effect and the danger aside, you help us to convince him to do purification instead of exorcism… so we can do it before sun sets and for that you have our thanks Hara-san…"

She blinked at that, Mai-san thanked her for her impulsiveness.

"Of course I don't recommend you to have another go." Mai couldn't help but added.

She blushed again. "Yes… I will be more careful." She promised.

"And also… someone wants to talk to you Hara-san." Mai said before turning her attention to the door. "You can come in now…"

A dark haired head poked out, revealing Chrome who entered the infirmary shyly. She inclined her head at Ryohei who used the chance to exit the infirmary, carrying a tray of medical supplies for other members of SPR.

Chrome walked towards Masako's bed and pulled a chair to sit beside Mai. "Hello Hara-san, how's your feeling?"

"I… I'm fine." Masako answered hesitantly, then with firmer resolve she blurted out. "I'm so sorry for what I said to you and Mukuro-san!" She shouted as she bowed as low as she could in her sitting up position.

The mist blinked in confusion. "Eh?"

"I am self-righteous and ignorant!" She admitted with red face, "I thought… you ignored spirits because you're ignorant but it's me… I jumped to conclusion and accuse you as horrible medium! I am so sorry!"

Chrome glanced at her sky hesitantly then back to her fellow medium. "Uhm… Hara-san, to be honest… I am not offended at all because of what you said to me. Beside… it's true Mukuro-sama and I ignored them because we don't want to help them… regardless whether our reason to do so is justified or not."

"But!"

"And also…" Chrome trailed off shyly, "I have something I want to show you." She glanced at Mai warily again. "Would it be alright to show an illusion to her?"

Mai nodded, "As long as it's not meant as something offensive."

Chrome beamed and then summoned a trail of indigo flame that formed a circle on her hands. Masako watched the magic with mix of awe and wariness then it showed her a vision. It was a spirit of a young man with bloody hands and battered body, he was looking up at the mirror Chrome and Mukuro created this afternoon.

Then a woman appeared before him, kissing his cheek gently and said. **_"I forgive you, my son… let's go home."_**

Then he moved on as he was shrouded in gentle golden light.

"We… helped him to move on." Chrome said timidly as the mirror dispersed. "He was the last one… not all spirits in Kokuyo couldn't move on because of grudge… and I think…"

So if she wanted, Chrome-san could do it after all…

"So I think… maybe now I can understand what you're trying to tell us, Hara-san…" Chrome added timidly, "Maybe being a medium is not so bad… there is a reason we exist as medium."

Eh?

She understand what Masako was trying to say?

"Chrome-san…" Masako swallowed heavily, "I am glad…" She didn't get through Mukuro-san but Chrome-san understand at least.

Chrome pulled out her phone, which colored indigo like her vest. "So… if you don't mind Hara-san…" She fidgeted, "Perhaps we can exchange emails?"

A medium friend like her? "That would be wonderful…" She was so happy!

Masako gave Chrome her email, and wished to talk more but Mukuro popped his head in and demanded Chrome to come with him much to her disappointment. Then it was Hibari's turn to come in, commenting about herbivore had woke up at last and Mai should come as soon as possible with him to tie some loose end after finishing her business. Sasagawa Ryohei popped in too just to shout whether they needed him for anything.

It got on Masako's nerve very quickly, "Mai-san... how could you stand all of them, except Chrome-san... their behavior... and yet you didn't reprimand them at all!" Then she covered her mouth in shock, realizing she just insulted someone's family.

Naru to Masako's second shock chose to enter the infirmary of all time, much to her disappointment he was asking for Mai even thought he did glance once at her direction then back to his assistant. "Mai?"

Mai just laughed, "Masako-san just asked about my family..."

Naru could guess what this was about. "Oh."

She took a deep breath, "This is not the first time... people ask why I let them behave the way they are." Mai began in amused voice, sensing her discomfort Mai added. "Ah... no, I am not offended at all. It happen all the time... outsiders can't understand how my family works or how I... as their leader accept them the way they are." She closed her eyes briefly, "Hm... simply because I love them for it, even if sometimes they exasperate me with their antics I will not trade them for the world..."

She accepted them?

As if Mai heard her, the sky nodded. "In our family... as the head... our role is,  
we influences all of them.  
We understands,  
and accepts all of them."

It sounded like a riddle to her ears.

"To me... they're perfect the way they are..." She said in serene voice, "Kyo-san's fierceness, Ryou-nii's extreme enthusiasm, Mukuro's cunningness... Chrome's shyness... it's just how it works with us."

Mai-san suddenly leaned in close to her ears and Masako stiffened briefly, _"Thank you for what you said to Chrome… now she can find some peace with herself."_ She leaned back and gave her the gentlest smile.

Ah… so that was why Mai-san felt overwhelming to her, this person was like the sky… so vast and without bound so it as if she would lost within that vastness.

* * *

 **The next day… (Naru's POV)**

"Thank you very much!" It felt a little weird to have Mai thanking us and she was standing on the other side as a client. "We can't do it without you guys~"

Our supposed client pointedly ignored us, in fact he had been in a very foul mood since last night for who knows why. Mukuro-san was also the same, he and Hibari-san were looking at opposite direction as if something unwanted would happen if they locked eyes with each other. Sasagawa-san were looking his two 'brothers' exasperatedly as standing beside Mai while on the other side Chrome-san was smiling shyly at us.

It seemed Hara-san sorted her problem out with Chrome-san at least…

"Grazie." Chrome-san followed Mai's example shyly, thanking us in Italian.

Bou-san would have overjoyed for another young girl he could treat as his little sister, if not for the jealous boyfriend she had. Which was interesting for a pure medium to be in relationship with someone like her.

"THANKS TO THE EXTREME!"

I couldn't help but grateful this guy didn't work for public, considering there would be a row of patients with hearing problem because of Sasagawa-san. Did Mai's family have no normal doctor working for them? Then again… the only relatively sane people I have seen working for her family was Shouichi, and even Shouichi was not normal.

"Kyo-san… Mukuro?" Mai lowered her voice in warning.

A vein popped on their temple as they looked at us from the corner of their eyes. Obviously these two dangerous men were not going to say their gratitude.

"Uhm… Jou-chan, I don't think we deserve a thank you considering you guys did the finale yourselves." Bou-san said sheepishly.

Matsuzaki-san huffed, "You at least! I did a pretty massive purification! I deserve a thank you!"

John just laughed nervously.

"Actually…" Mai trailed off, "It's thanks to you the number of spirits we had to handle in the end is not as many if you didn't decrease their number… it took quite a lot on all of us to purify that many. So…" Mai without warning yanked down Hibari-san and Mukuro-san by their tie. "Thank you very much."

Mukuro-san choked, "Hime… alright! We get it!"

"Hime…" Hibari-san growled at her.

She let go of them and the illusionist and Qigong user quickly straightened their tie. Was it just me of these peoples even sloppy looking one like Sasagawa-san were very conscious of their formal wear? Well… they did own one of leading multi-business company in the world.

"Ara ra…"

And this smiling teenage girl named Sawada Mai was their… C.E.O apparently. Neo-Vongola Corp… they were one strange family for sure. Although…

"Make sure to wear safety belt and try to be nice with each other when you're on the same jet." She told her family members who were going back to Italy and gave _all_ of them kisses on their cheeks, Mukuro-san rolled his eyes as he accepted it, Chrome-san giggled, and Sasagawa-san was very enthusiastic about it… as for Hibari-san, he just closed his eyes in resignation and let Mai gave him a kiss on both cheeks.

Just how affectionate this girl could be?! The rest of us could just watch, only John was admiring what a loving family Mai had, Lin just sigh while the Japanese gaped at the open display of affection that involved two very dangerous men who seemed wouldn't deign to let themselves subjected to this kind of gesture.

* * *

 **On the way back to Tokyo**

At first Hara-san seemed like she wanted to insist to get in to our van, well more like she obviously wanted to be in the same car as me. However I quickly excused us for urgent matter we official members of SPR had to discuss on the way back to Tokyo. Mai as usual sensible enough to not deny my excuse and played along, Lin just stayed quiet about it as we got into our van.

"You're seriously going to avoid Masako-san forever?" Mai wondered out loud from her seat on the back, she was once again sipping her coffee.

Obviously Mai was as addicted to coffee as I was with tea.

"I think I am obvious enough in showing I'm not interested." I told her dryly. "To be honest I disagreed with Japanese concept of confession, if someone is interested to be in relationship they would have acted on it already… I am not interested in drama and teenage angst following confession of love."

Mai snorted to her coffee at my reply. "Really? I kind of wished back home those men would take a hint… "

"In Italy?"

"Yes, it would be much easier if they just come forward so I can reject them straightforwardly… so I don't have to trouble myself with dropping hints that I'm not interested." She said wistfully. "I mean… if they didn't say it out loud it I can't reject them outright…"

Ah… the gifts, of course.

I rolled my eyes, "I can't help but wonder when I can reject her then." Blackmail or not I was sure I could get away with telling her I wasn't interested in relationship, she had decency to not blackmail me to be her boyfriend after all.

"Not going to happen when you obviously show no interest." Mai dashed my faint hope. "Girls only confess when they're desperate or the boy they like show some interest, considering how you act she would keep the status quo and not willing to dash her faint hope…" This statement followed by sound of soft sipping.

Obviously in this matter, Mai knew better than I did. "I see…" What a dilemma, if I didn't show any interest Hara-san would keep current status and blackmail me for more dates. I obviously not interested and not going to pretend I was…

"Hara-san aside… Mai… Is this case really finished?" I queried, keeping my tone as calm as possible.

Mai was smiling when I saw her through the reflection of mirror on our van, "What do you mean Naru?"

She sounded calm but there was an edge on her voice, as expected… "The video Hibari-san's bird showed us… I find it very strange there are a number of spirits not recorded, in fact those not caught on camera seems to be the one who did most damage… especially the part they stopped when Foundation members checked on the activity area…"

"Hm… is that so?" She was still sipping her coffee calmly.

"I think… these unknown spirits are strangely human like, don't you think? Running away when they almost got caught?" I droned on in bored tone.

Mai sighed, "Maybe… human like indeed, but spirits used to be human weren't they?"

"I want answers." I told her bluntly.

She just smiled at me indulgingly, knowing I was watching her through the mirror. "Perhaps… one day, someday…"

She was not going to give me one now… for sure.

* * *

 **Case 04, Epilogue: Tying The Loose End**

 **Back to Kokuyo Land, 6th Night (3** **rd** **POV)**

Equipment left in barren land that was once Kokuyo Park started to rattle noisily, bulldozer was rammed to random trees, shovel and hoe were thrown haphazardly, helmet and other safety supplies were torn apart. It was chaos once again in Kokuyo Land and nothing could stop them from disturbing Foundation's project in Kokuyo.

NGIING!

 **"Midori… Tanabiku~ Namimori no~  
Dai naku Sawa naku... Namimoriiii~"**

They stopped on their track when they heard the signature anthem of Foundation, in fact it sounded like the bird was singing to a megaphone.

"Ahem!" A rough male voice cleared his throat, **"Test! Test! All of you fake ghosts of Kokuyo! Surrender now to Foundation and keep your hands up, don't think your Optical Camouflage Suit is going to help you from our wrath!"** Kusakabe Tetsuya announced dramatically from the top of a cliff, while members of Foundation shot down lights upon them.

They tried to escape as their cover had been blown but all escape was blocked by Foundation. Well, they could just force their way out.

" **On the count of three!"** Kusakabe announced, **"If you don't take your suit off by then our boss has given us permission to use brute force so!"**

 **"One…"**

 **"Two…"**

 **"Three!"**

They were just bluffing! There was one escape route that was left open, idiots!" However the said open exit which was narrow and placed between two buildings of Kokuyo Land office and ticket cashiers… was blocked not by barricade but someone.

The said someone was the most feared man in Namimori if not Japan, with his steel like eyes, bloodthirsty grin and spiky tonfa. He was eyeing them with predatory gaze that sent chill to their spines.

 **"By the way, did we tell you what we mean by brute force is Hibari Kyouya-san, our Iinchou?"** Kusakabe Tetsuya wondered out loud through the megaphone shamelessly.

"NO YOU DIDN'T!" They hollered the unfairness of this.

"I surrender!"

"Don't bite me!"

 **"Sorry if I forget mentioning it."** Kusakabe went on shamelessly. **"And before I forget… we have a message from our boss and… Momoi Satsuki-san."**

There was static noise in the background before a feminine voice echoed through Kokuyo Land.

 ** _"Hello… this is Sawada Mai, vice-boss of Neo-Primo Vongola… I have to say you guys did a good job blending in with real ghosts of this park. However… you didn't cover your track well enough, so by the first day we already know human is involved…"_**

They were found out that quickly?

 ** _"_** ** _Only idiots try to fool Vongola's intuition… with Verde's optical suit of all things?"_** They could hear a chuckle followed that statement, **_"I understand… you yakuza are bitter your influence in Namimori and Kokuyo is waning because presence of Foundation… and you hope if you stop this project you can return your gang to their former glory… and perhaps original Momoi family heir, Momonoki Goda-san ne?"_**

 _The mentioned yakuza straightened in shock._

 ** _"_** ** _Will regain leadership of Momokyokai… you know, the reason why Momoi Satsuki-san is better heir is not because she is a girl or smart, but simply because she know how to choose her battle…"_**

The vice-boss of Vongola giggled again.

 ** _"_** ** _A fight against us… Vongola or Foundation is not the one Momokyoukai can win. So… please forgive her if she throw you away for the sake of Momokyokai."_**

They were… thrown away? Then a more familiar feminine voice followed, it was their current heir, Momoi Satsuki.

 ** _"_** ** _Ahem… hello everyone, Momoi Satsuki here… I hereby disown all of you from Momokyoukai for your stupidity to get yourself in trouble with Foundation and Vongola…"_** She sounded too cheery for handing out such brutal punishment to her ex-subordinates.

 ** _"_** ** _I will not ask why you did it, but you endanger the whole family for your own selfish gain… You also make us lost the chance to gain alliance with Triad 6! Not to mention our money you wasted for those ugly suits! Hmph!"_**

Obviously she was pouting here.

 ** _"_** ** _This is all your fault idiots, so go get bitten by Hibari-san! I DON'T CARE! IF I SEE YOU GUYS WANDERING IN OUR TURF, WE WILL KILL YOU OURSELVES!"_**

And that was the end of it.

Hibari Kyouya approached them with a smirk of pure euphoria on his lips, "For disturbing peace in our property, I will bite you to death."

That was their death sentence.

* * *

 **Back in Tokyo**

 _'_ _Case solved.'_ Mai thought as she read the latest email from Tetsu-san who informed her that Kyo-san was biting the culprits from Momokyoukai properly by now.

"You seems to be in a very good mood, Mai." Naru said, twirling spaghetti on his plate with fork absentmindedly.

Mai just giggled, "Oh… I am in a very good mood indeed."

* * *

 **Palermo (Vongola HQ)**

"Haya-" Coyote opened his grandson's office and found the boy and Irie Shouichi were talking with current pair of mist and sun. "There you are… I was wondering where Signora Chrome lately… I heard Sasagawa just returned from a trip, and so is… Mukuro…"

Hayato groaned, "Yes, and as you can see… they're here and we're in the middle of something."

Irie nodded, "Aha ha ha… my apologies if we made you worry, Signor Coyote."

The previous storm of Vongola coughed, "Well… if that's all, please keep working for the glory of Vongola… Hayato, keep your fellow guardians in line."

Hayato growled at him. "Yeah… yeah! Now scram old man!"

Coyote grunted, grumbling about ill-mannered grandson as he closed the door to Hayato's office. Once they were sure the ninth storm was out of hearing range, they breathed a sigh of relief.

"That was close…" Hayato grumbled as he opened the curtain of the window behind his desk, revealing a dangling rope ladder and opened window. "Oi, Mukuro… don't forget to get your jet off of our roof as soon as possible."

Mukuro nodded, "Certainly…" He was feeling charitable towards their storm tonight.

Shouichi groaned, "Seriously guys… don't repeat this, I beg you… this is not good for my sanity, heart and stomach…"

Hayato laughed at him sheepishly, "Oh well… we're safe for now."

"Extremely safe!" Ryohei cheered.

Chrome just smiled as she sent an email to her newest friend, that she arrived safely in Italy.

Kokuyo Land Case… solved!

* * *

 **That night...** **Astral World**

"I want to help." Gene said to the girl who was laying down on the floor beside his ice cradle. "When can I get off of this… _ice_?" He asked warily.

Mai sighed, "Not now, for sure…"

Gene was upset when he heard that, "Uuh… if only I was there for you and Noll, you don't have to go that far…" He had seen her falling and then disappeared to the abyss much to his shock. He had woken up just in time to see that. "I never saw anyone using their post-cognition like that."

The brunette turned to the side, "Gene… once again, question like that should be left to your brother."

Gene smirked, "But still… I really want to…" He yawned again. "This is suck… I am getting sleepy again."

Mai just smiled secretively at that, "Oh… that just mean you're getting better." It was not a lie. "Idiot."

"Not you too…" He moaned as once again he was back to deep sleep.

Soon she could reunite Gene with Naru... it was just about time.

* * *

 **So this is the FINAL chapter of Kokuyo Land Case XDDD I almost fear I WOULD get stuck on this chapter but guess what?! I get to 19 chapters... that's a record for me for fast update I CAN'T believe I can DO IT! I DID IT Wohooo!  
**

 **On the other hand POAST chapter 11 is a WIP, on 4K, not a lot... around 20% done but better than NOTHINg ne?!**

 **Fuuta's age is none at the present... Yes, I made Fuuta younger so he is canon age of KHR timeline at the present. He is nine.**

 **Like I said I don't hate Masako and bad side of her I show is arguably all according to canon in my opinion. I make her Chrome's long distance email friend, simply because I think they can develop healthy friendship as long as they don't meet often. Beside... Masako's problem with Chrome and Mukuro need some sort of closure at least in Chrome's part.**

 **NEXT: Interlude, in which Gene get his wish to see hell, and had a mini adventure in mafia manor.**

 **.·ˆ¯)...(¯ˆ·.  
¸.·ˆˆˆ(ºvº)ˆˆˆ·.¸  
m m  
Review  
Rev  
Rev  
Pliz  
**

 **by MukuroWl**


	20. Post Case 04

**Interlude 2 : Gene's short adventure in Hell and Vongola.**

Gene found himself no longer in sky like dome or on ice but on top of giant lotus flower and the sky was shrouded in thick mist.

"Mai?"

It was ridiculous for him to get scared when he didn't see Mai around, but he had spent long time in her astral world to the point when she was not around it felt like something was missing. It felt like missing his third arm or something…

"This is not Mai's astral world."

How strange…

He stood up, knowing very well this was astral world so he was not going to drown or the stem of the lotus would break under his weight.

Or so he thought.

The stem broke and the pure medium fell to the pond of dark abyss, then the said dark pond turned to scene of hell, sea of blood and fire…

 **"** **Welcome to the first realm… hell, where sea is filled with blood."** Said a haunting voice that echoed through the astral world **. "Where sinners suffer eternal misery…"**

Then the sea was filled with bloody hands and hungry ghost moaning to him.

 **"** **That is realm of Preta… where hungry ghost eat and eat but never full… Kufufu fu fu…"** Their bony finger ate everything they could reach, even rotten meat on the ground but they were suffering everlasting hunger in this realm.

Then the scene shifted as he fell deeper, animals attacking each other without restrain. Biting and clawing everything they could see.

 **"** **This is where people who lives satisfying their primal desire, the strong eating the weak goes… realm of the beast."**

Once again the scene shifted, and Gene wondered if this was really the hell described in Buddhism. He was travelling through the realms too fast for him to comprehend what was going on. It was scary but also… oddly exciting?

" **Fourth realm… world of shura! Human who have fallen to this place is driven by thirst for blood and will fight to the death day and night… a world of murder."** The voice explained to him.

It was like a war from ancient time and it was horrible and bloody…

Then physical world… Tokyo tower and… living humans but all of them was like cut scene and he could see humans in various state of emotions.

 **"** **Realm of humans where emotion ran amok… happiness, sorrow, joy, anger…"**

Then it was heaven, or depiction of heaven according to Buddhism… with Buddha and lotus flowers.

The image snapped something in Gene's mind.

 **"** **Heaven… the last realm, and the final destination but from here-"**

"Uwaaa!" He didn't want to fall in there and fervently wished to escape, no matter what he shouldn't fall there! Calling out for his power, he felt the familiar sensation of pulled towards the light and escaped from the foreign astral world, leaving emptiness in his place and the scene of hell shifted to heavenly looking lotus pond again.

Someone who had been watching everything in the background gaped, "He… he escape from my astral world?"

"Maybe you shouldn't have scared him, Mukuro-sama." The girl beside him added. "The elaborate illusions just now is too much."

"Chrome… that was just customary greeting!" Mukuro defended himself, "Beside Hime said he wanted to see how hell looks like." When asked to describe Gene's personality, that could be summarized as a happy and curious puppy.

Chrome sighed, "Hime didn't mean it as show him hell… Mukuro-sama." She told him gently, "However… now, what should we do?"

"Where did he escape to anyway?" Mukuro couldn't help but wondered out loud. "Gah! If Hime find out the boy she entrusted to us is missing now…"

"Then we should go looking for him." Chrome pointed out the obvious.

 **Gene's POV**

I didn't know I ended up here but I knew right away I was dragged back to physical world, human realm… whichever the name Noll preferred and what said in Buddhism. I escaped from hell… that really was the hell… the hungry ghost realm, beast realm and even heaven… so was that meaning hell in Buddhism really exist?

Wait… Speaking of hell, did I jinx myself when I told Mai I wanted to see hell? I was sure that was Astral World though so it couldn't be a real he-

 _'_ _There is someone who can show hell to you, six of it.'_

"Oh." So just now was the hell of this astral walker Mai talked about before! Wow, I had my chance to see hell fortunately, so where was I now again?

It was a luxurious room, and if this was still Japan... but all of these books on the shelves was in… ITALIAN?! I tried to grab one, but my hand went through it. I groaned at my stupidity, I was astral walking, a spirit! I needed to concentrate really hard to touch anything!

I grabbed the thinnest book, and obviously not only the title but what inside was also in Italian. Why didn't I try to learn Italian from my friends? Spanner and Shouichi would be happy to teach me something since I gave up their technobabble after Shouichi's frog robot tried to eat my face and Noll had to pry it off of my face with PK.

So… I was really in Italy or in a house of an Italian living in Japan? Which was more likely? I got my answer right away when a maid, obviously not Japanese came in and changed the flower on the vase next to the window to a fresher ones. It was a bouquet of lily like flower, large, orange with white streak on each petals.

 _"_ _Fresh amaryllis flower... our princess's favorite!"_

She was talking in Italian! I didn't know how to speak Italian aside from simple greetings but I knew that accent anywhere! I was in Italy… Hayato's homeland and where Hayato, Shouichi and Spanner lives!

Well… I was in Italy but it didn't mean I happen to land in their house of all places, I couldn't be that lucky… The maid was humming, drawing my attention to her who was dusting a large painting on the wall, she was sighing about how she forgot dusting it yesterday and she would get in trouble if her boss found out about it.

At least I got the gist from her tone and body language. She left the room and I looked closer to the painting, it looked like a photo at the first glance because how realistic it looked but I supposed the artist painted this from a photo considering there was a kid in it and no way this kid could stay still for long.

It was a picture of a group people in their early teens, around twelve to fourteen perhaps? They were sitting in and around a large luxurious classic couch, the same furniture could be found in this room. I just realized this room was a drawing room,

Then my eyes were drawn to familiar silver haired figure, it was Hayato who looked younger, just like when I met him for the first time in London. He was wearing formal black suits with red undershirt and black tie. He was sitting on the left end of the couch, one hand over the back rest, the other resting across his laps, and crossing his legs elegantly.

"Wow… Hayato looks cool." Then again more often than not in our video call of in his rare visit he always dressed in something casual but could be passed as formal, vest, undershirt, tie… Shouichi at first could be seen in t-shirt and dressed as sloppy as Spanner in his tracksuit and overall but since around a year ago he dressed like Hayato too…

Wait, this was Hayato's house? His boss's house at least! I couldn't believe my luck. Then I was reminded that Hayato always complained about his unmanageable family members but I never really knew them, no name or how they looked so I forgot about my spirit predicament and curiously looked at the painting.

Then my eyes wander to other people on the painting, there was a child… the youngest with biggest afro hair I had ever seen. He looked overly dressed in his black suits that was a smaller version of Hayato's only with electric green undershirt. He was waving both of his chubby arms and sitting on the top of backrest beside Hayato. The boy must be around five years old in this picture or younger. He also had the strangest hair accessory, a pair of horns?

Next to the boy was a pair of dark haired twins, or so I thought but their body language suggest they were not related by blood but involved with each other… or very familiar. At the first glance they looked like twins because of their similar pineapple like hairstyle.

The girl wore eyepatch over her right eye, and her lone eye was deep purple. She had dark blue hair and fair skin, wearing black suit but instead of pants she wore black skirt, and indigo undershirt. She was sitting on the left armrest of the couch sideways, while looking at my direction.

The male looked slightly older than Hayato with dark blue hair and heterochromatic eyes, how odd… He was dressed in similar fashion as the rest with indigo undershirt. He was standing behind the girl but slightly to the left so she didn't cover him, it was not obvious but they were holding hands.

Girlfriend and boyfriend… obviously.

I turned my eyes on the other end of the painting, where someone that perhaps… was a Chinese like Lin with same dark sharp eyes and dark hair. Again… similar attire, but his undershirt was purple. He was slightly apart from the group as leaning against the rich gold colored wallpaper but somehow he managed to still look like he was part of them. His demeanor reminded me a little of my twin, a loner… especially with his hands on his pocket.

On his left, sitting on the other side of the couch to Hayato was a boy with carefree smile who looked a little awkward with his tie and collar. He looked the most relax on the painting, having both arms resting behind his head against the backrest. His pose was sloppy, very contrast to Hayato on the other side.

Then I looked at someone else, obviously older than Hayato with tanned skin and silver hair. He was leaning forward as resting both of his hands against the top of couch's backrest, with a sunny grin on his face. He was wearing yellow undershirt and still following the same black suit theme.

At last my eyes landed on the pair who was sitting on the center of the couch and picture, sitting in mirroring position against each other with crossed legs and hands rested on their laps. They both had brown hair and amber colored eyes, the male had spiky hair while the girl's hair was so long it cascaded down like a curtain all the way to her ankle's level. The male had a soft look on his eyes, a small smile painted his lips. He looked very serene and… giving calming presence.

I have seen this boy before but where? It started to irritate me how forgetful I was as a spirit.

Then I took a good look at the girl, she looked very familiar with gentle smile on her face. They were twins… obviously, which was odd because she looked very alike with her male twins. Unlike Noll and me, different gender twin should be fraternal. Maybe because they were wearing twin clothes? Then again all of them was wearing similar attire, black suits… they had orange vest and white undershirt underneath their black jacket though.

Seven different colors… like rainbow?

Then I realized the girl was familiar to me because this was Mai, a younger Mai! So the boy beside her, sitting in mirror position to her was Tsunayoshi! Her twin! They really looked alike with each other!

"She looks so cute in this painting…"

Wait… didn't that mean her 'male' twin was also cute? Hm… don't go to that line of thought Gene, don't…

 **Hayato's Private office (3** **rd** **POV)**

He was not a stranger to his fellow guardians reporting they lost their personal objects. Lambo lost his candy all the time, though more like he forgot he had eaten them. Takeshi more often than not misplaced his practice swords, which was why Hayato purchased them because Takeshi tend to lost them after kicking them. Never mind he lost those cheaper sword, as long as he didn't lose their family heirloom…

Of course Ryohei, their sun and doctor was the worst offender. It was a good thing his mind was sharp when treating his patient- _the day Ryohei decided to be a surgeon was when Hayato crossed his fingers and dreaded he forgot and left something inside someone's body_ \- but out of surgery table he could forget anything, including his pants. The only good thing from his relationship with Kurokawa Hana, he had someone checking whether he forgot anything in daily basis.

However… these two were never a subject to this predicament.

"We lose _something_." Mukuro reported to Hayato who was a little thrown off of his game to have their pair of mist in his office for reporting lost belonging.

Chrome looked very guilty too for some reason.

Hayato rubbed his eyes, just in case Mukuro was pranking him with illusion. Well… today was not April first, it was still December and Mukuro had a better taste for prank than this… sadistic taste… After fiasco he caused, Hayato didn't think Mukuro would start anything and involved Chrome too.

"Alright…" He began hesitantly, "So you guys lost something, what is it?"

Chrome shook her head.

No? How strange Chrome denied what Mukuro said.

"We lose _someone_." She corrected, giving Mukuro an admonishing look. "He is not an object Mukuro-sama!"

Oh, dear… someone she said?

Hayato cleared his throat, "You guys didn't lose Fran again, did you?" Though he was sure when Fran went missing neither would report it to him. "Maybe he go playing with Bellphegor… or bothering Ken and Chikusa…"

"If I lose my idiot disciple, believe me… Gokudera Hayato. I will not come to you looking for him." Mukuro stated with conviction.

Chrome looked appalled, "Mukuro-sama!" Fran was like a little brother to her, their precious disciple… though Mukuro disagreed with Chrome that the boy was adorable enough to be worth of trouble he came up with. Though… Hayato has suspicion Mukuro was jealous of attention Chrome gave to Fran, as if Chrome didn't pay enough attention to him…

Once again… dating resulted to stupidity.

He cleared his throat again, "So… you lost who again? Someone from your division? M.M? Chikusa? Ken?" The latter was the most likely candidate.

"We lose a spirit."

The storm blinked at them owlishly, "Erm… what? You lost a spirit? I thought you guys don't want anything to do with them… did you guys keep one as a pet or something?"

Hopefully they had not decided to embrace their nature as a medium, their six realm of hell was already traumatizing enough.

Mukuro sighed loudly, "We lose the spirit Hime entrusted to us… we sensed him around our manor though. He escaped from my astral world to physical world."

He couldn't help but stare at them as if they would sprout another head that talked in Swahili.

"We should have used my astral world… Mukuro-sama, yours looks like hell…" Chrome muttered tiredly.

"I refuse to let another man inside your astral world!"

Hayato growled, "Guys! Back to the topic! What is this about actually? Hime entrusted you with what?" He didn't get where this come from.

"Do you know that…? Hime found a spirit wandering to her astral world recently? She passed him to us to prepare him for something…" It was hard to explain to Hayato who didn't get their supernatural mumbo jumbo.

Hayato's eyes went wide at that, as it dawned on him who was missing. "YOU LOSE GENE?!" Hayato hollered at them.

"Oh, you know him?" Mukuro quirked an eyebrow at their storm amusedly.

Their storm's eyes were murderous, and they were reminded this guy was once a happy trigger bomber. "I DON'T CARE HOW! FIND HIM! BEFORE SOMEONE IN THIS MANOR EXORCISE HIM WITH DYING WILL FLAME BY ACCIDENT!"

Mukuro rolled his eyes, "In case you forgot, while all flame user here can exorcise spirit. Not _all_ of us can see spirit."

"I DON'T CARE! JUST FIND HIM BEFORE HE GOT HIMSELF IN TROUBLE!"

"We can start with _you_ not talking like our sun." Mukuro deadpanned. "I will get in trouble myself with our dear princess for losing her precious… spirit friend." He was tempted to call the boy a toy, considering what their princess wanted out of this… it was not too far off, "She has taken… a great liking to the Davis twins."

That caught Hayato's attention and he raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean by that?" He didn't like Mukuro's tone when phrasing their Hime's interest in his friends, it was like she had underhanded intention.

Chrome frowned at her boyfriend, "Mukuro-sama."

"You have to ask that directly to our princess, face to face…" Mukuro informed him. "Let's say the reason Hime is involved is not merely altruistic, or… because of sympathy between twins." Mukuro uttered vaguely. "There is something in this for her, for _us_ …"

Us?! As in our family.

Hayato hesitated then decided, "That can wait but for now we have to find Gene first!"

Mukuro snorted at him. "We will find your friend… as long as you give us access to our surveillance camera, tell our men in charge of surveillance we have an incorporeal guest before they panicked seeing a spirit for the first time in Vongola manor."

RING!

Hayato picked up the phone on his table with trepidation, "Yes? Storm Guardian… Gokudera Hayato speaking." Italia or not he was going to stick with his Japanese name like the rest of his fellow guardians.

 _"_ _Hayato-sama! We saw a ghost caught in our camera, believe us! We're not lying!"_

 _"_ _Oi! Could it be someone from mist division playing a prank?"_

 _"_ _In our Drawing Room? Personal quarter of our upper echelon?! Who would dare?"_

 _"_ _Someone! Exorcise it!"_

Hayato rolled his eyes to Mukuro and Chrome, then said. "No one is going to exorcise any ghost…" He told their subordinates firmly, "Please keep track of this ghost and inform us all the time of his position, we will handle this ourselves and… DON'T tell anyone but us guardians… not even our predecessors. I believe you guys know discretion…"

 _"_ _Yes! Hayato-sama! As you wish!"_

"Good, now… back to work." Then he ended the line.

 _Click._

Eyeing the mist pair, Hayato stood up and said. "Let's move… before the first ghost in our manor in ten generations… get in trouble."

"Rhetorical question." Mukuro drawled on as they exited Hayato's office. "In how much trouble we're going to be with Hime if she finds out?"

Hayato opened his mouth, closed it, opened and then clamped it shut. "I can't imagine."

"Which is why it's rhetorical, genius." Mukuro deadpanned.

 **(Gene's POV)**

After committing the painting to memory, for what it's worth to a ghost anyway, I decided to look for my friends. I was pretty lucky ended up in their… manor, so perhaps I would come across one of them. I just noticed this manor had cameras in every single room, and almost no blind spot. What a paranoid family they were, although looking at the luxurious interior they had a good reason to be. I tried my best to avoid camera, just in case I got caught by them.

-Unknown by Gene, he was making it harder for Hayato-

Still… how strange, this manor obviously had a long history. I had been in old manor like this before, and this must be one of the oldest I had been and yet… there was not even a single spirit haunting this place. Of course a clean place like this exist but…

How to describe it…

I could feel tragedy happened repeatedly in this place, sadness, terror and other emotions that made this place an ideal haunting. People had died in this place… traces of death, no amount of purification could erase. And yet… this place was devoid of spirit.

It began to scare me how unnatural this feel for a ghost hunter and spiritualist like me. And also… even though there was no ghost, this place was rich with life energy… it was like every single corner of this mansion was soaked with them, no… more like it had been burned.

I had touched the wall hesitantly and found I couldn't walk through them. The interior was saturated with life energy to the point a spirit like me couldn't just walk through them. However I managed to use my power to open door at least and traveled through the manor in human style, walking…

I met some people in corridor, all of them were interesting…

First, it was a chubby man with egg shaped body proportion. He looked depressed as he dragged a trolley full of broken things I didn't recognize because they looked charred beyond recognition.

Then the older version of the kid from family painting, he was sucking a lollipop on his mouth while working on his homework. Occasionally the boy stopped to stare at nothing, looking bored to death.

At last I managed to get outside through the backdoor of their huge kitchen, but not before a close call when a red haired woman almost walked through me while carrying a tray full of food in poisonous color. How did she cook them, as I never saw purple broccoli before.

I walked through their vast garden, which was well cared and also weird… these trees and flowers were all had faint yellow glow. What they put inside the water, I wonder?

Looking back at the manor, seeing them from outside made me gape. The manor was seven stories height, rather than a manor it was more like a palace with several separated buildings! Still… didn't Hayato's family sell robotic and high tech products? And yet… they lived in this kind of building instead of a skyscraper?

I was snapped out of my thought by a sword going through my stomach of all things. It scared me out of my wits still, incorporeal or not, I was human and no human could stay calm after five feet of sharp steel went through their stomach. Then an older version of carefree Japanese boy from the painting appeared, wearing a hakama and looking for the sword he somehow managed to throw at me.

"Hm… I swear I sense foreign presence just now." He wondered to himself as he picked his sword.

I tensed, _'He is seriously aiming at me just now!'_ Without thinking twice I run away from the apparently dangerous guy and missed him picking his ringing phone, and talked to someone who asked him to look for a ghost.

 **Back with Hayato (3** **rd** **POV)**

It was decided to not involve everyone in HQ now because guardians running around was going to raise eyebrow and questions… so he paired with Chrome and sent Mukuro to contact their rain to partner up in search of Gene. Strangely… surveillance staff had trouble to follow Gene, he occasionally appeared in the corner and now he was outside.

"Gah! Gene… you're a worse trouble-magnet than what your brother told me." He murmured to himself.

Chrome glanced at him, "But outside… it's not as fortified as our manor so perhaps he is not going to run to any trouble."

"Gee… Chrome, this is Vongola HQ! It would be stranger if he didn't run into any."

 **(Gene's POV)**

At last I found someone I know, Shouichi! Much to my exasperation he had a headphone on and was blissfully unaware I was around, then again… Shouichi couldn't see ghost. So I followed him to a large glass house that was as big as my house in England, which made me wonder what Shouichi thought of our small house-in comparison to his- when he was staying over.

The glass house was full of plants, tropical and rare… they were beautiful and also eerie because I swore some of them were wiggling. Shouichi observed them one by one, stroking their large green leaves lovingly as talking to them.

Never knew he had a green thumb.

Still, I had to think of something to communicate with him!

As if hearing my thought, Shouichi walked towards a set of rattan chairs and table then he pulled a box from under the table. I couldn't believe my luck, it was a scrabble set! Then again… Shouichi did tell us when he was brainstorming, he liked to listen to music as playing scrabble by himself.

"Hm… first word, C-A-C-H-O-E-T-H-E-S… an urge I have lately…" He grumbled to himself as he arranged the word that most likely majority of English speaker in the world didn't know. Typical… he and Noll were alike in some area, geniuses…

Unwilling to waste my chance I grabbed some tiles and connected it with the first word Shouichi arranged. As expected my genius friend jumped in shock when the scrabble tiles moved on its own to his eyes. Much to my surprise however, Shouichi didn't scream or run but inspecting my work closely.

Well, he was friend with Noll too.

On the first 'H' I connected to create 'Help' and on 'T' I attached to create 'This is' and on the last 'E' I add my name.

Help, this is Gene

"Gene? I thought Hime… I mean Mai-san is keeping you with her?"

He understand! Excited, I create more words.

 _'_ _I am here… as a ghost.'_

"How did you get here?" He asked me, looking around in hope he could see me and jumped in surprise when my cold hand touched his shoulder.

 _'_ _Escape from hell like astral world.'_

Shouichi blinked owlishly before groaning, "I think I have an idea… so, are you alright?"

 _'_ _Yes.'_ I just got lost a little and a sword went through my incorporeal stomach, no big deal.

"Okay." He took a deep breathe. "Don't go anywhere… our place have security camera everywhere except this one… I don't want you scare our subordinates by accident."

 _'_ _Okay…'_

"I am calling Hayato now." He said as he fished his phone out of his pocket and called Hayato with speed dial. "Hayato? Eh… you're looking for him? He is with me, don't ask how just come here and bring one of our mist with you."

Mist? Was that a secret code or something?

"He will be here in few minutes." Shouichi told me then gestured towards the chair across him. "Erm… ghost or not, do you want to sit down?"

' _Yes!'_

At least my friend still treat me as a human!

Then right on time, few minutes later Hayato opened the door of Shouichi's glass house with a bang. "Shouichi! Where's Gene?"

A petite girl I recognized as the same pair from the painting looked at me, a medium! "Ah… he is coming towards us and-"

"Hiee!" Hayato shivered when I gave him a big hug, I was so happy to see him again.

"He is hugging you now." The medium said, "He looks very happy."

Hayato gritted out, "Gah! Gene! I know you're happy to see me but you're so cold! I am freezing!"

I pouted as I let go of him, "You're so mean, Hayato."

"He called you mean." My fellow medium kindly relayed my words to him.

Hayato groaned, "Alright! But the hug can wait until you… erm, alive again. Sorry Gene…"

My eyes widened at that, "You know I'm not dead yet even though I am a ghost now?"

"He looks surprised… Eugene-san, we know about your situation. Hime… I mean Mai-chan entrusted you to us." The medium girl told me. "I am Chrome… erm, a medium."

Hayato looked surprised for some reason at how she introduced herself. "Chrome."

I offered my hand for a handshake which she accepted kindly. "I am Eugene Davis, just call me Gene…"

"Gene-san then." She nodded.

Then more people came, this time Chrome-san's boyfriend who at closer look had… number 6 in kanji on his red eyes?! And the guy who tried to kill me… kind of.

Chrome frowned, "Uhm… Gene-san, you looks a little scared of Takeshi… why?"

The guy, Chrome-san's boyfriend was obviously a medium since he was looking straight at me and he was oozing similar kind of power as mine. "Hm… Yamamoto Takeshi always have sharp instinct, which… when he sensed something he react without thinking twice. You know… throwing sword first ask later?"

Yamamoto Takeshi blinked owlishly, "Uhm… I did throw my sword at foreign presence I sensed around… fifteen minutes ago?"

I laughed nervously, "Uhm… don't get mad at him, I was just a little freaked out when he threw his sword through my stomach."

My fellow medium laughed, "Takeshi, you throw your sword through his stomach." He informed the Japanese boy.

"I did?!" He squeaked.

"Takeshi!" Hayato hollered.

Then he walked towards a direction and gave a bow, "Sorry about that! I thought you're an intruder…" He apologized to empty air.

Chrome kindly corrected him, "Uhm… Takeshi, he is standing in front of Hayato." Then pointed at me who was smiling sheepishly at the poor guy.

"Oh!" Then he turned around, and bowed at me.

"It's fine…" I assured him.

Chrome once again played a good messenger girl for me. "He said, it's fine."

Hayato sighed loudly. "Alright! Meeting time… Takeshi, go back outside and make sure this don't get out to unwanted parties…"

"Ossu!" He saluted and exited the glass house hastily.

Hayato palmed his temple and groaned, "I'm so glad this didn't turn to as much chaos as I thought."

 **Few minutes later…**

"So…" I trailed off, "I have to go back inside Mukuro-san's astral world?" So the male fellow medium of mine was called Mukuro. That was one strange name, an alias perhaps?

I felt a little put of my depth, especially with Shouichi went out to erase recording of their security camera with me on them.

Mukuro-san nodded, "Yes… I need to teach you a couple of thing about… out of body experience." He didn't seem like he wanted the job though.

"Maybe we should use my world?" Chrome-san suggested.

"Absolutely not." Mukuro-san growled, glaring at me with hate.

Oh… Mai was right, astral world was a sacred place you didn't just let anyone to enter it. I felt guilty for trespassing Mai's…

"As long as you tone down your hell." Hayato scowled at him.

"We already show him that." Mukuro-san admitted he was the culprit of those vision without remorse.

"WHAT?!"

I beamed at him. "Thank you for showing me, it was quite an experience…" Like a roller coaster ride, scary but fun.

Mukuro's left eye twitched, "He thanked me for showing him hell."

Chrome giggled at him.

Hayato groaned, "Gene… so not the time to pull Noll on us… your academic curiosity and Noll's never fail to astound me."

I just grinned at him. "Uhm… but are you really going to help me to see Noll again? To bring me back to life?" I couldn't help but wonder.

"Yes… we do." Chrome answered me. "We're going to help you."

That time I didn't realize none of my fellow mediums relayed what I said to Hayato, or they didn't tell him what they were helping me for. So when they offered their hands to me I accepted it and pulled to their light, oblivious of what they had in mind for me.

* * *

 **Epilogue of Interlude 2: Gene missed a lot of things, apparently he left a trail of chaos without knowing it.**

Unknown to me… once again I didn't know many thing that time, I caused a havoc in Vongola Manor as apparently someone saw me on camera and ran out for help before Hayato could issue an order to keep my presence under the wraps. And of all people the said subordinate had to run to Mukuro-san's senior –technically since he was previous mist guardian- namely Brouche Crouquant. Apparently most if not all mist user could see ghost, clear vision.

Fortunately Shouichi had erased all recording of me on their database and replaced them with video feed of previous days.

Unfortunately… it was Sunday and they had nothing to do on that day and underneath their stern and wizened appearance they still had adventurous spirit inside. So they jumped on the chance of trying ghost hunting, _all_ of them but Coyote Nougat, Hayato's grandfather.

So it was very awkward for Hayato and Shouichi to find Ninth Guardians and more than half of their subordinates turning the whole manor upside down in search of a ghost. His grandfather turned as red as his flame, and proceed to lecture his fellow ninth generation guardians.

"HAVE YOU NO SHAME?! AS THE NONNO'S GUARDIAN WE SHOULD ACT WITH DIGNITY AND NOT EMBARRASS OUR BOSS-"

He was promptly stopped by the entrance of his boss who was holding his scepter in one hand and on the other hand was a Buddhist rosary and a cross. "Hello Coyote, I heard we have a ghost in our house… maybe we can make it some sort of festival, another tradition for everyone…"

"…" Was all Hayato's grandfather could say.

Hayato started cursing me to hell and back under his breath, which was totally unfair because… hey, it's their decision to have fun with ghost hunting and I was _so_ glad I was out of there already.

* * *

 **Interlude 3 : Trinisette Skies**

 **December, 2nd Week Thursday**

"I am going Naru." Mai said before she gave him a kiss on both cheek, not tip-toeing since he was sitting on the sofa and reading the file of psychology of high school society she compiled for him.

He shrugged, "Take care on the way." He had heard she was needed for a business meeting, Foundation members and Hibari were escorting her to it.

Mai left with a wave and closed the door with a soft click.

It was strange whenever she left the office, it felt eerily silent and a little colder. Then again he had known for quite some time she radiated some sort of heat all the time like flame, though somehow she manage to not disturb temperature measuring in any of their case.

Which was strange…

Speaking of strange Mai was oddly exasperated about this meeting of hers, like she was resigned to go through something that would stress her. Like welcoming Hibari to SPR for the first time back then. Not that Naru could fault her to feel restless, Hibari was a difficult person… fierce, and of all family members of hers, he seemed to be given a lot of liberty and disliked to be controlled.

Naru almost expected Hibari to pick a fight with him, and Hibari himself seemed wanted to do so if not for Mai's presence holding him back.

So he couldn't help but wonder… if the peoples she was having a business with could be even more troublesome than Hibari.

 **Café (2PM)**

"Takigawa-san, you called me and said it's something important about Mai-san and Shibuya-san…" John, the Australian exorcist muttered as he put down his cup of milk tea back on the saucer.

The monk of Mount Kouya and professional bassist, Bou-san nodded at him. "Yeah… I called you because I need someone to talk with, you know… sounding board." He explained before taking a sip of his ice coffee, it was nowhere as good as Mai-chan's though. Then again… Bou-san suspected aside from Mai's barista top notch skill, the ground coffee she used was top class too.

John blinked at him. "Hm… but don't you think…" He already had inkling his friend wanted to talk about the two mysterious ghost hunter friends of theirs. "It's better to leave their secret alone?"

He nodded, "It's not like I want to reveal their darkest secret or anything! However…" He trailed off hesitantly, "After the last case I feels… out of depth in regards to Naru-bou and Jou-chan. I mean… Naru-bou thought up the solution then Jou-chan and her family completed the purification."

The exorcist lowered his gaze at that, indeed… aside from Matsuzaki-san all of them were pretty useless. Especially when Chrome came, then more and more spiritualist came and surprised them with how skilled Mai-san's family in comparison to them.

Hibari-san was a very skilled Qigong user, with a lot of power. Mukuro-san and Chrome-san were obviously topnotch medium and spiritualists. Even Sasagawa-san had shown medical skill and brute strength… and they had a feeling that strength was supernatural in nature.

"Of course… if we want to compare ourselves with them, we should go training or something." Bou-san added in amused tone. "However what am I getting at… we should try to find out more about them… general information so we don't go asking and turned down."

"?"

"I talked about more about Jou-chan actually…" Bou-san took another sip of his drink. "It's just that… I have a hunch it's Mai-chan we should get concerned with than Naru-bou. She seems to be the one who will get us caught off guard than Naru-bou with her secret." The last case prove that spectacularly, they were swept away like idiots.

John supposed that was a sound reason, at least next time Mai-san asked for their help they would be more helpful than before. "Alright then… so where we start?"

Bou-san sighed, "You know... there is a reason why Naru is the smart guy of our team." He was no researcher, and he didn't think he had a good eye to look for information.

CLINK CLINK!

"Welcome!"

Their eyes widened at the familiar newcomer of the café, it was Kusakabe Tetsuya the second in command of Hibari. He inclined his head slightly at the waitress who welcomed him and went straight to the counter and ordered something for take-out. Then after he received his order, wrapped in brown paper black, he quickly walked out of the café.

"Come on, John."

"Eh?!"

 **Few minutes later…**

John couldn't believe Bou-san had guts to follow Kusakabe's black car with his, but the Monk was strangely excited by the whole ordeal. The priest had a suspicion aside from becoming a rock star, Bou-san also used to have childhood dream to be a secret agent.

"They stop here… of all places?" Bou-san exclaimed in disbelief.

The priest followed his gaze, and greeted by the sight of tall red tower, the icon of capital of Japan. Tokyo Tower.

 **Tokyo Tower's Observation Hall**

Inside the hall that usually packed with visitors wanting to see Tokyo from the famous tower, the place was eerily silent and the room felt spacious and empty save for the circular white marble table on the center, and three black enormous chair placed in even spacing around it.

On the first chair was a grinning white haired and lavender eyed teen, who was eating marsmallow shaped like vegetable. On his left was a young girl around twelve years old, wearing orange orb on her neck and smiling sheepishly at her two companions. The last but not least was the princess of Vongola who was looking at her white haired fellow sky as if the boy had gone mad at last.

Their bodyguards were glaring at each other, Hibari was glaring at his Millefiore counterpart murderously while Kikyou returned it with an amused smile and his own glare. While Gamma, the second in command of Giglio Nero was just plain annoyed to have the two brats in the same room as his princess.

"While I appreciate you thoughtfully arrange a meeting in Tokyo for once…" Mai trailed off closing her eyes, before slamming her fist on the marble table. A good choice just in case someone lit their flame. "What the hell are you thinking?! Renting the whole place for this?! Who give you the idea to rent Tokyo Tower of all places?!"

"It's high…" Byakuran Gesso answered without remorse. "As befitting of our status."

Mai's left eyebrow twitched. "Which part of secret society you didn't get?! Which part of our status says we have to be in high places… can't you book a hotel like normal boss?! There are plenty of hotels suitable for meeting place!"

"And where is the fun of that?" Byakuran pouted.

"We're not having fun here… Byakuran." Mai hissed at him.

Yuni laughed sheepishly, "Maa… maa… what's done is done, Mai-san…"

Mai resisted her urge to correct Yuni that, the point was Byakuran shouldn't be allowed to arrange the place for them, he had to get what secrecy means, and how Tokyo Tower was not meant to be reserved even if he had money to do so. Then again… there was no point scolding Byakuran, the guy wouldn't listen.

"Alright… let's just get this over with." They better got this over with soon… she was not comfortable with the first Trinisette's skies meeting without her broker.

Byakuran just smiled, "Then let's begin…"

* * *

 **SPR's Office (Naru's POV)**

Ring ring~

"Shibuya Psychic Research…" I picked up the phone and almost tempted to put it down when I heard who was calling our office.

"Don't hang up Naru-bou!" The Monk begged, "It's about Mai!"

I frowned, wondering why the Monk sounded nervous. "She is out for business meeting…"

"Well… I saw her! I mean… she looks like she is out for business, but she was holding that business meeting in freaking Tokyo Tower of all places!"

Tokyo Tower? Why there?

"And also… I asked one of the security staff, and he said someone reserve the observation hall for themselves!"

That was odd for sure… however…

I took a deep breath and said, "That's none of your business where Mai decide to have her meeting, don't stalk her Monk. She has right for privacy."

"Eh?"

"Do it again, and I will tell Mai or better... I will report you to the authorities myself." I stated without hesitation.

Bou-san sputtered, "Alright! I'm sorry, I will go now! Gee… you're so protective of Mai-chan!"

Click

Idiots, they called just to inform me where Mai had her meeting? But still…

 **Tokyo Tower**

"And that's what the Miko said…" Mai uttered sadly. "She couldn't help but wonder what our world is coming to… as expected, if it's just us and the state I am in, the life force of earth we maintained is in a bad state…"

Yuni looked at Mai sadly, "Mai-san…"

Byakuran just sighed, "Aah… with us incomplete, there is nothing we can do…" His eyes closed then he cracked one eye open to see Mai looking expectantly at him and Yuni. "What? Are you expecting us to blame you for your choice?"

Mai flinched.

"We will never blame you… Mai-san." Yuni told her sincerely. "If we're asked the same thing by _that man_ we will say the same answer…"

Byakuran nodded sagely, "It's not fun without Tsunayoshi-kun! That man must be mad if he think we will give up on Tsunayoshi!"

Mai swallowed heavily, she wanted to believe them but… "Still… I couldn't help but wonder, is it really alright?"

"It's not the matter whether it's alright or not, I think…" Byakuran grinned, crossing his fingers and the mare ring on his ring finger shone briefly.

Mai narrowed her eyes, "You of all people can't assure me." Byakuran just smiled serenely at her. "Not when…you hide what my brother saw in ten years later in the future!"

Byakuran tensed. "Well… Mai-chan, you know that Tsunayo-"

"He told you to keep it a secret!" Mai gritted out. "The future he visited alone!" In memory and she had forgotten everything about it. "And memory of that changed future was lost on all of us but to you and Yuni!"

Yuni tensed, her eyes clouded with guilt. "I…"

"Why… why you keep it a secret from me?! Why… you erase it from me?!"

They looked at each other with discomfort clear in their body language. "We're just… honoring Tsunayoshi-san's wish… for him and for your sake, Mai-san…"

In the end that was what they keep telling her, it was her brother's fervent wish they couldn't deny. "I… I'm sorry." She was sad and frustrated with herself, her fellow skies keep secrets from her, and… she took it out on them.

Byakuran sighed loudly, "Come on Mai-chan… we're talking over this hundreds of times already." At least to him it feels like hundreds already. "All we can say… it's his wish and resolve."

She nodded at that, "I know…" That was why she forgave him, but never forget and wished she could have him back with her. "I know…" She lowered her gaze sadly, clenching her fist, recalling his warm hand in hers.

"Mai-san…" Yuni called her, "I know you're doing something now…"

Of course Yuni knew, she was a seer. Mai wondered if she should be happy to know whatever she was planning, Yuni live long enough to see it. "I am never a saint… there is a reason why I am not the one with title Saint of Sky."

"Erm…" Byakuran wondered why his common sense kicked in whenever his fellow sky had her criminal moment. "We haven't said anything about what you did is horrible or criminal…" Mai was strangely very proud of her rare moments of cunningness which involve acting like the real mafia princess. It always threw him off of his game for some reason.

"I _am_ talking advantage of someone's predicament."

Yuni sighed, "Regardless of what you think why you did this for them…" She trailed off, "It didn't change the part where you care for their wellbeing… Mai-san."

She didn't look convinced.

Byakuran and Yuni sighed in unison, _Vongola…_

 **Ciaossu~ long time no see in Vongola Trivia by Reborn  
6\. Vongola is legendary for their stubbornness, don't bother to get around it. Unless your name is Reborn. **

"Still…" Yuni trailed off, "There is no changing your mind, ne… Mai-san. In that case." She smiled at her fellow sky. "I would like to inform you that we're going to spend the rest of our winter in our manor in Namimori until New Year…"

Yuni was going to spend almost around two weeks and more in Japan?

"You have a reason?" Mai guessed, though her tone was more like a statement.

She nodded, "You will see…"

Oh… it was part of her prophecy.

Byakuran jumped, "Then me too! Yuni-chan! I am sure you have spare room for me and Kikyou! We can have Christmas party together!"

"Uhm."

Gamma looked ready to throttle Byakuran.

Mai glared at him, "Absolutely not." She didn't need her cloud behind her emitting killing intent to know what he was thinking. "You're just going to give us trouble in duration of your stay… go home to Italy or I will deport you."

Japan after all was Vongola's turf.

"You're so mean, Mai-chan!" He whined.

"And you're insufferable." Mai returned smoothly. " _Vai a farti benedire!"_ A Italian version to fuck off, polite… but when it comes to Byakuran, the white devil as Mai nickname him… Mai basically told him to go kill himself with getting a blessing.

"Mai-chan!" Byakuran moaned. "And after the favor you ask of me!"

"No one ask you!" Mai corrected. "You force Shouichi to pass it to you to deliver it to me!"

Byakuran pouted as he glared at the briefcase that had safely tucked under Hibari's arm. "I think I deserve a thank you, it's not like you can entrust it to anyone else… Sho-chan is my friend, why he didn't ask me?!"

"It was meant to be passed to Yuni before you grabbed it from Shouichi's hand." Mai pointed out. "You're so lucky we're allies and famiglias of Trinisette, because if it was with other famiglia, you would have gotten a war on your doorsteps for taking a famiglia's property from their strategist!"

Byakuran jammed a handful of marshmallow to his mouth and munched noisily at her. "Hmph! Hmph!"

She and Yuni sweat-dropped, since his brother's absence… this guy sulked a lot. Maybe he felt peeved to be the only guy among Trinisette skies. Why this guy could be a boss again? Oh, right… mare ring chose him. Sometimes he wondered if the ring, Cervello or even _that guy_ chose Mare's possessor wisely. Considering this guy did almost destroy the world…

* * *

 **Interlude 4: In which for once Mai was on the receiving end, and Naru made a discovery.**

 **On the way back to SPR's office.**

Mai was on the way back to SPR office when she saw a poster of big sale, Hokaido product fair in her favorite shopping district! She regretted that Kyouya-san had went back to Namimori because she was going to but a lot, their winter cabbage and homemade sausage… perfect for sandwich! There were a lot of good choice for Oden too! Nappa cabbage, mushroom, and other fresh produce!

Grabbing a pamphlet from a part timer, Mai couldn't help but stare at the wide range of choice. The problem was… even though she could carry a lot by herself, she would look ridiculous and strange when carrying too many shopping bags.

"Ugh…" And the sale only for today to boot!

"Mai!"

Mai turned to the side at the familiar voice calling her name, "Naru?" Mai called back and blinked at the scene, in which Masako was holding Naru's arm and dragged him to a date. Mai was wondering what she should do, considering she had never gotten to see this in person.

Naru, whose one hand was held captive looked at her _almost_ pleadingly.

Masako glared at her, _Don't you dare to interrupt us!_ Her glare said.

For one moment Mai thought she didn't get paid enough to deal with this, then she reminded herself that technically she didn't get paid in SPR. She was paid in non-monetary way in SPR.

Of course Naru was her friend, but again… he was not as adorable as her brother to be worth the trouble.

The hate…

The jealousy…

The trouble…

And what else would be thrown on her way by teenage girl in love.

In the other hand, today was the day she planned to take the next step of her plan and having Naru in good mood was crucial to her. A Naru in good mood was a cooperative Naru, not to mention Naru had a lot of pride and going on date with Masako was injuring it severely. He would be uncooperative for sure…

In the end, even though Naru was not adorable enough… he was worth the trouble.

"Are you guys going somewhere?" Mai asked with a smile, and steeled herself against Masako heated glare. "Naru, are you going to cancel our plan?"

"…Your plan?" Masako echoed in shock.

Mai waived the pamphlet, holding it up so Naru could see it. Now… if Naru was smart enough to tell Masako he promised to help her to carry groceries… a friend helping a friend.

"Oh right… it's Oden for dinner." Naru drawled on with a smirk on his lips. "I am sorry Hara-san, I almost forgot that I have an appointment with Mai _tonight_."

Mai's eyes widened in shock, while Naru was not off of the mark, the way he phrased it _was_ totally wrong!

Using Masako's moment of shock, Naru broke free from her grasp and walked towards equally dumbfounded Mai who showed admirable restraint to not throttle Naru and let her real emotion slipped to her face.

Not even when Naru smugly took the pamphlet from her, and looked at the sale advertisement. "I believe we still have cabbage in _our_ fridge."

"What sold here is different!" Mai said before she could stop herself, "They let it buried under the snow so it's sweeter than normal cabbage!" Then she processed the fact that Naru had refer to her fridge as theirs, well… the groceries inside were theirs since Naru paid half of her grocery money.

In short… Naru was borderline admitting they lived together, kind of… next door but the implication sounded like they live in the same apartment, and what else followed the stereotypical life when a guy and a girl lived in the same place.

"I'm sure it's sweeter." He drawled on with amused smile on his face, "So we're having sandwich for breakfast tomorrow?"

"Yes." Well, she did plan to make sandwich and cream soup for breakfast tomorrow.

He had the gall to smirk, "I would love that… cream soup too?"

"Yes."

"Then we should but some Ceylon tea too, _we_ ran out few days ago I recall…" At some point Naru had stocked cans of tea leaves in her kitchen cabinet without asking, then again… Naru never liked to make his own tea.

"Kazuya-san!" Masako at last got tired to be ignored. "I thought… you're going to walk me home?"

He raised an eyebrow at her, "Why? I _thought_ you're going to call your driver?" How far did she think her house was from here? Beside he never ever walk her home, because going on dates with her already crossed the line of his patience.

Mai for one moment had a horrifying thought that with this kind of skill in causing chaos without being ruffled himself and so effortlessly would be right at home with her famiglia. Not to mention he got along –in various way- with Hayato, Shouichi and Spanner. She also wanted a parapsychology department in her famiglia sooner and later since after Fuuta, Mukuro and Chrome… Mammon too, they were gaining psychics as family members very quickly so…

Of course at the next moment she squashed that traitorous thought right away.

Mai was too absorbed on her thought, so she didn't notice Naru had used the chance to slip away from equally dumbfounded Hara-san, boldly putting his hand to her waist and stirred her towards the shopping district.

Then for once she was on receiving end of feeling out of depth and swept away by Naru. As they waltzed to shopping district and bought their groceries, for once Naru was _enjoying_ the teasing of shop owners on what an adorable young couple they were.

Actually He was not happy to be mistaken as a couple either, but he enjoyed how Mai who was usually unflappable looked bothered by the whole ordeal. She looked flustered and blushing adorable red on her face.

In short… this new set of reaction sounded like a victory in his part for some reason. Especially since in recent cases, it was perfectly clear Mai felt at home in the middle of chaos, her family was personification of chaos. Which was shown perfectly at how Mai never off of her game for long, she could panic, made mistake, acting reckless and so on… but it won't deter her for long as the moment things go south she just rolled with it then weaved the chaos to her liking.

This time however… at misguided attempt to help him, and he used it to his advantage perfectly, Mai was thrown off of her game badly. Somehow he managed to push her buttons and Mai had a hard time to regain composure. The teasing from shopkeepers didn't help her nerve, she was not comfortable with this and yet… instead of sympathizing Naru was enjoying this.

He didn't get it himself where this sadistic urge coming from, but it felt like a dam was broken. Then when they got to vegetable section, where a plump middle-aged woman by the name Yasai-san was selling the winter cabbage Mai wanted. At some point Mai seemed to slowly recover her composure and when the woman commented about their imaginary relationship, Mai was about to do her usual routine. Laughed it off and denied it flippantly.

Naru still wanted to enjoy this new routine of theirs, seeing more of flustered Mai so overcame by his impulse he bent down and kiss her cheek like she always did to him. He was shocked by what he did but almost regretted it because he would either get slapped or a flippant comment for his trouble.

Neither happened. Mai was blushing furious red, and looked like she wanted to hide in a hole. As if that was not enough Yasai-san commented how bold her boyfriend was, and how lucky she was to get such a good looking man all to herself.

This was the most enjoyable grocery shopping Naru had ever had.

In the end Naru spared Mai, not from further embarrassment but he did let her to regain her composure after they finished their shopping. Once they were back to Mai's apartment and he volunteered to put their groceries to the fridge while Mai sprawled across her couch, looking dead tired and listless.

"You're a sadist." Mai moaned. "You're enjoying this… seriously, I suspected for quite some time that part of you is alike with my mentor."

Naru smirked smugly, "I will take that as a compliment, and… in case you forgot… you enjoys surprising me. Some payback is due… are you going to lecture me?"

Mai rolled her eyes, "Hm… well, I will let you off of the hook… as long as you help me with one experiment but no question."

He frowned at that, "What experiment?"

She stretched a little, "Nothing interesting like your auto-suggestion… but- a little weird to you." She stood up then she opened a small black briefcase with elaborate carvings of three tiers crown. He had been curious why she carried such thing around the whole day but he was distracted by Mai's amusing reaction.

Inside the small briefcase was a glass container with elaborate gold base, a bottle of water, and seven white flowers… fresh and carefully wrapped in clear casing. Curious sets of objects for experiment, and Naru couldn't tell what Mai was going to do with them aside from…

Then she retrieved a bowl and poured the water on it. "Dip your hand on the water, please." Naru did as requested, simply out of curiosity.

Then much to his disappointment she poured the water from the bowl to glass container, and put the white flower inside. Nothing unusual… what was that hand dipping was for then?

Then something happened, three of the white flowers turned to deep red colors, then two turned to light green and the rest to light blue color. Usually this kind of almost magic like experiment would bore him, but the water was clear… no coloring and from the smell Mai didn't add any chemical inside.

So what changed the color of the flower?

Mai eyed the colored flowers with narrowed eyes, sighing loudly and grumbling something under her breath before announcing she was going to start cooking dinner.

No explanation whatsoever of what the experiment was for. He also promised to not ask any question. Naru felt he had been cheated, and Mai already had her revenge… leaving him curious and unable to satisfy it.

* * *

 **So TRIPPLE interlude... well, all of them are too short to be released in one chapter.  
And in next chapter we will have Silent Christmas case... and believe me, it's another case with twist so it will not be the same as canon...  
**

 **Gene get his wish... BTW in case no one catch it, the hell trip is straight from Saint Seiya... Rikudo Rinne. So is Tenbu Hourin from last chapter... I don't want to wreck my head in how to name a new technique so why not?**

 **And also... in the last interlude as you can see the implication, Naru is a rare individual like Hayato and Lal Mirch. He has three kind of flames... storm, lightning, and rain. At least I want to add cloud too but I don't think it suit his available psychic power. How to say... Naru is said to have two type of PK, ST and MT but not LT. To fit the theme psychic are peoples with better potential to develop dying will of flame, and in fact a prematurely and rawer form of them... Storm, lightning and rain seems to go around movement, static objects and so on...  
**

 **Mist goes to medium so yeah, Gene is definitely mist user... I am still deciding what to mix with that for him though. Any suggestion? Different ones that Naru if possible, even though canonically flame type is genetic. Then again Gene and Naru had opposite type of power.**

 **On romance side of things... yes, I shift their dynamic a little to canon like of GH. In which Naru find amusement in teasing Mai and get an upper hand over her. Normally it would be OOC of canon Naru but I feel that... this Naru didn't have MANY chance to feel superior to Mai, who seems very flippant and capable to face anything ahead of her most of the time. So yeah... he jumped at the chance, and even try to enjoy it as long as he can... deep down I think he is like any teenager or boys, teasing the girl he likes.**

 **And also... because school start and we have busier schedule now... I can't update as FAST... so it was A GREAT relief... the Kokuyo Land ARC is over!**

 **NEXT chapter: In which...  
The church have a new girl with strange mark on her face and enigmatic air around her.  
Certain cue stick user was going to turn Japan upside down.  
Mai excused herself from work at the most unfortunate moment again, in which Naru-chan is surrounded with attention hungry children. **

**I think it's the shortest ARC... it would be, two or three. Please review for ideas, it's getting hard to think something original for Silent Christmas and Rokuryo... I am still have not figure it out how to bring Takeshi, Lambo... and anyone else to see SPR yet.  
**

 **.·ˆ¯)...(¯ˆ·.  
¸.·ˆˆˆ(ºvº)ˆˆˆ·.¸  
m m  
Review  
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**

 **by MukuroWl**


	21. Case 05, Part 01

**Case 05, Part 01**

Mai was not going to be in Japan for both Christmas and New Year. Unfortunately not… at first I thought she was going with a happy note, family time and celebration of Christmas and New Year. I knew it was common to spend Christmas with family and celebrating New Year with a lot of people in Italy, so I presumed Mai was looking forward to the festivities.

She was not.

"I would love some _private_ time with my family, but unfortunately… while it would be _peace and_ _quiet_ for Christmas…"

-For what the emphasized word worth for her family anyway-

"My New Year is going to be a ball night and…" She didn't finish her sentence and left the rest to his imagination. "I wonder if I could spend the whole night barricading myself with my family members…"

I raised an eyebrow at that.

"A ball is not every girl's childhood dream like Cinderella make it out to be." Mai informed me with a snort. "It's my nightmare… I'd rather sitting around kotatsu and eating oden or hotpot."

Definitely not very princess like of her. She'd rather have oden and kotatsu than a luxurious ball. Her whole family could call her princess and yet she preferred humble if not frugal lifestyle.

"Especially since _I_ have to plan the whole event myself." She growled under her breath. "You know… the guest list, the menu… decorations, entertainment and _everything_ while I don't even want to attend them! Especially the part where I have to wear a dress! Putting some make-up and act like a princess!"

It made me a little confused, considering Hayato was very much at home with luxurious goods. He was especially an avid fashionista, because the last time I and Gene had conversation about clothes with him –I didn't know how we get there from physic of moon gravity and U.M.A myself- he mentioned about sending Gene and I a nice coat some designer gave up after a fashion show, and how his walk in closet was already full with them.

"Are you really growing up with Hayato?" I couldn't help but wonder.

Mai stared at me, "Excuse me if I don't like social event like a New Year party with strangers… I am sure you don't like them either."

"No, I don't." I despised social event where you had to act like you care for most of people attending the said event, even though you didn't know them. Not to mention half of the girls in the party usually drooled over me or Gene, I was sure they couldn't tell us apart even if we wore different clothes.

Mai snorted, "Bad memories hm…" Of course she could tell I was recalling those. "Whatever happened in the past… well, it sets in stone anyway."

She always seemed to be somewhat detached and yet couldn't be apart from past for some reason, most likely because she possessed such a strong post-cognition.

"Ne, Naru… do you believe in prophecy?"

As usual Mai never warned people when dropping verbal bomb on them. The question almost caught me off guard, but I managed to answer calmly. "Depends… if you're talking about horoscope, no I don't."

"I am talking about prophecy from a seer." Mai began to explain, "And I am not talking about prophecy from ESP medium like Masako-san."

Lin entered that moment just in time to catch the last sentence Mai said. "Prophecy?"

Mai nodded, "Yes… I tried to find something about seer but you don't have such book… so I thought you don't believe them. Even though precognition is said to be a genuine psychic power…"

I sighed at that, "I'm just not interested in them, especially since listening to one could turn to a self-fulfilling prophecy…"

Mai just laughed at that, "Is that so? Hm… I wish I could say that to her."

Silence…

"Are you implying you know a genuine seer?"

She had the gall to flippantly reply, "Yes… and she has a message for you."

Once again silence fell in the air, and I broke it in cool voice. "In that case, tell this seer I am not interested to hear any." Although… I was curious, since this was Mai who believed the said seer. The chance this person was genuine seer was high. "You tell this seer about me?"

"A seer… Naru, since you're not interested in them… you should know they never ask about the person they made prophecy of." Mai explained to me. "If they did… it would be just a name for formality sake and nothing more, if someone claim they can see your future and ask for your birthday, name and horoscope… most likely you're conned by a fortune teller…"

"And your friend isn't?"

"Well… _my friend_ is not a fortune teller…" Mai was giggling now. "She didn't give me monthly horoscope. In fact I never once ask her to tell the future."

Was it because…

"I fear for her."

Not for herself?

She coughed, clearing her throat. "You did say the dead know no more than the living aside about death… ne, Naru?" I nodded at her. "Which is why they can't tell the future… well, the same goes for this friend of mine."

"What do you mean?" I couldn't help but wonder.

"The moment she can't tell the future any longer… would be the end of her life." Mai muttered in saccharine voice. "She couldn't tell the future beyond her death."

It was a well-known fact pre-cognition was one of the most unstable ESP ability, in fact even a proven esper could get their prediction wrong… as future was a fickle thing. However this was the first time I heard of someone with precognition with such limitation. If it could be called that.

Mai just laughed again, "Well… future is not set in stone, never has…" She stood up from the sofa then placed pulled a brown envelop from her pocket. The letter was sealed with a black wax seal with lily flower mark, which was unusual to be used nowadays. "Here, it's yours to do as you please Naru… throw it away to trash bin or read it…whichever."

Then with that parting words she gave me a peck on the cheek before leaving SPR office. I stayed rooted on the spot with the letter on my hand and feeling the last shred of warmth that imprinted from her hand to mine.

Lin's eyes were glued on the letter and I knew he was as curious whether I was going to read this letter from stranger who knew me by the hand of fate.

I opened the letter, it was very short… so it didn't take me long to finish it. Lin was about to ask about it when I throw the letter to nearest paper shredder.

"What's written there?" Lin asked warily.

I shrugged, "Nothing important." I answered. "I didn't shred it because I'm offended by what written inside… in fact whoever wrote it is a very polite person." Not someone high and mighty because they knew the future, for sure…

I myself could see the future, after all psychometry was ability to see both past and future to some extent.

However… aside from that pocket watch of hers, Mai… she was the only person whose possession I couldn't read at all. It was not like I ever tried to violate her privacy but everything she possessed in this office and her apartment, not even one of them… not even one I could sense a link that tied to her existence.

It as if… she didn't belong here or her own apartment. Mai had become such a dominant presence in my life and yet… for some reason my psychometry told me this girl didn't exist…

It made me wonder, every time she walked away from me… would there be a time she would disappear on me and I couldn't see her even in the vision of the past?

 **On flight to Italy (3** **rd** **POV)**

"Of all people to pick me up from Italy because Kyo-san had went ahead…" Mai couldn't help but a little surprised when she sensed who came for her. "It's you Mukuro…"

Their mist sat behind the control panel, grumbling. "Well… I want to complain Hime."

Mai rolled her eyes, wondering if her guardians even realize if not because she was their sky, her complain on them would reach beyond stratosphere. "What is it, Mukuro?"

The ex-convict took a deep breath, "For once, could you please don't force people who got on my nerve to my care?"

Ah… so, it was this again?

"Well… not all could be like our sweet and shy Chrome." Mai droned on. "Fran is a prodigy, and you don't want to teach idiots…" How did Fran landed on Mukuro's care, the detail was a bit fuzzy but from what she knew pineapple was involved somewhere.

What's with Mukuro and that fruit anyway?

"Fran is already a lost cause!" He hollered, "I'm talking about that… Gene!"

Mai blinked at him, "Erm… what did Gene do?" She didn't expect Gene to be the one he complained about, because… Gene was Gene.

"He is not scared of me at all!" Mai gave him an incredulous look, and Mukuro elaborated. "As in… he _thanked_ me for showing him hell! It's like a roller coaster ride to him! And then… he is _so_ polite and…"

The Vongola raised her hand. "Alright… I get the gist." Gene's good nature just natural got on his nerve, like how Mukuro was a natural to get on Kyo-san's nerve. "And you know what? Considering what's on the stake, I _don't_ care."

Mukuro scowled, "Of course you don't Hime…" He was almost tempted to curse 'damn filthy mafia' but that would be self-defeating. "Oh, by the way… expect Hayato to confront you about the twins…" He informed his princess almost petulantly.

Mai perked up at that, her eyes widened for a moment before she leaned back to the backrest with a sigh. "I see…"

The mist paused, "What's with the mild reaction, try to get worked up a little… Hime…"

Mai gave him a deadpan stare, "You guys worked me up all the time with your _mischief_ already."

It always effective, calling their antics as childish mischief.

Mukuro's left eyebrow twitched dangerously. "Still… you're not worried at all?"

"Hayato is no longer the naïve puppy that worship the ground we walk upon…" Mai told him bluntly. "He of all people… know very well we're not perfect, both Tsuna and I have our weakness… he acknowledge that and still pledge himself to us regardless. That is why he is our storm… our right hand man, not because of his pedigree." She was so glad Hayato grew out of his puppy like admiration towards them, unlike Basil.

The illusionist's lips twitched at that, "Ha ha ha… I guess none of us can win against you after all, Hime…"

Mai raised an eyebrow at that, "You're trying to win against _me_?" She said in mock surprise but there was no heat in her words, "That's new." Mai snorted.

"Pardon me then, Hime… my sky." Mukuro returned smoothly. "Still… about the other twin, Shibuya Kazuya… Oliver Davis."

Mai narrowed his eyes, "Yes?"

"Is it alright to let him out of your watch?" Mukuro queried as he looked at the sky ahead. "Someone could snatch him out of our grasp."

She snorted at that, "I wouldn't worry… not now. Beside… at this point have you seen anyone escape us? You're a testament to that yourself Mukuro…"

The mist shook his head exasperatedly, wondering since when he was caught and drawn helplessly to the twin skies. Not even Vindice could keep him away from them for long… and whoever trying to get their hands on Davis twins, Mukuro doubted it very much they could have a better luck than Vindice.

"Beside… if I have to be concerned, it would be about my fellow sky."

Mukuro frowned at that, "Byakuran? With treaty between Triniset-"

"I wouldn't worry about relationship between our families…" Mai closed her eyes, "In fact… I didn't sense he is trying anything now."

The mist frowned deeper, "Yuni then? Are you sure… after all Yuni is…"

"In case you've forgotten… Yuni is a mafia boss, Giglio Nero Decimo…" Mai reminded him. "She is staying in Japan for Christmas."

Mukuro raised an eyebrow at that, "Then… how about New Year? She can't skip as the boss of Giglio Nero, her famiglia is third in power after Vongola and Millefiore after all."

"Of course she will attend New Year Ball… Christmas is internal event to each famiglia anyway." Mai took a sip of her coffee she poured from her thermos for herself.

The mist scoffed, "And… you're worry she is planning something behind your back?"

"It's not like I fear Yuni is planning something on my back but… that girl is one of few people I feel hard to read… or unable to at all…"

Especially the letter she insisted upon her to be passed to Naru. It was a rule that in a matter of prophecy, Yuni had supreme right in how it was treated. So there was nothing she could do about it.

"Ah… the other people would be your father and Reborn, hm?"

Mai scowled, "Don't mention that man again."

"In case you forgot Hime… he is going to attend _both_ Christmas party and New Year Ball." Mukuro reminded her with a sigh, "You can't avoid your father forever." Not even their princess could avoid a cunning man like Iemitsu forever.

She growled, "Argh! Mukuro, forget both! Can't all of us just escape to somewhere people can't find us? Where do we can find a place with no sign of human life within a hundred mile radius?!"

"Hime…" Mukuro sighed, "We're not going anywhere uninhibited in the middle of nowhere!"

"I wish we could." She muttered wistfully.

The mist scoffed. "You know what? My dear sky… by the time the party start, I am sure we will share your sentiment. Especially our cloud." He was not looking forward for the ball himself. "At any rate… your father is not the only person, or the last one you want to see anyway."

 _Him…_

Mai could only grit her teeth, "I know… Mukuro."

 **Back to Japan, SPR's office.**

It was getting to his nerve, this uneasiness… he was not a sentimental person. And yet… Mai's absence was disturbing to him. He had felt her absence in duration of Yuasa case but now it felt different, it was like there was a glaring hole somewhere unseen left by her absence. Not even when Gene was gone he felt this gnawing feeling.

It was not sadness.

Or even loneliness (He refused to acknowledge it)

He was feeling uncomfortable and frustrated, like missing his third arm.

Why he felt this way now?

Unknown to Naru who was too absorbed by the new nagging feeling he felt, Tojo and Shima already had an inkling of what was going on here. At first they dismissed it as plain loneliness their director refused to acknowledge in Hime's absence, but then… his pacing like a lion on a cage reminded him eerily of their previous superior.

Back on hectic middle school days of Vongola Guardians, it was not rare for their sky to go missing without news. Then there was a time one by one started to go missing and the cloud was _left_ behind, and yet instead of relieved he acted like a frustrated beast and his temper shot up through the roof.

It didn't take long for DC members back then to put two and two together, especially when they observed other guardians acting like this when their sky was not within their range of detection. They got used to be separated progressively as their bond getting stronger but from what they knew… the guardians were very miserable back then.

It was happening again, and to their current superior to boot.

When this happened? Not to mention position for guardians had been filled so why he was affected this badly by Hime's absence?

Although… there was a theory that those who bonded to the sky was not necessarily guardians would feel the same. Irie Shouichi, I-pin and Fuuta were the prime examples. Well, it seemed Shibuya-sachou was joining that rank.

"What's wrong with him?" Poor Lin-san was still a little shaken when Sachou suddenly snapped at him when the Chinese almost ran to him when the younger Ghost Hunter was pacing back and forth in their office like a beast trapped on a small cage. Of course the boy apologized right away –a rare feat on itself- but he also looked pretty shaken himself why he acted like that.

Tojo took a deep breath. "It's some sort of withdrawal…" He tried to explain. "Because of Hime's absence…"

Lin blinked, "Because of Sawada-san's absence?" He echoed, "But Naru is not someone like that…" He knew Naru had special feeling for the girl, but he was not someone who would sulk because of her absence. "Beside Sawada-san had just left two days ago." She had gone for nearly a week before when they investigated Yuasa.

"We don't really know how to explain to you, but this is _natural_ … we're not qualified to explain anyway." Tojo droned on with a sigh.

Shima then added, "He would be irritable for a while until he get used to it…"

Lin eyed his charge with worry, "As long as he didn't start poltergeisting…" It would be a hazard to his health.

"Hopefully it won't get to that…" There was a reason why he trained hard to control his power, it would be for naught if Hime's mere absence snapped that control to half. Although it would be inevitable for his control to slip a little, after all… even though he didn't realize it, her mere presence helped stabilizing his uncontrollable power.

The sky was harmony after all, one that bind everything in this world together.

 **Italy, Vongola HQ**

Famiglia's private event or not, it didn't change the fact it was a gigantic event because they were the largest, oldest and wealthiest famiglia in existence. Well, wealth wise they were neck to neck with Millefiore, and for history Giglio Nero was just younger by a few months. Size however… was another matter entirely.

"What do you mean there is not enough silverware?" Hayato hollered across her desk to the phone.

While beside her desk it was Hana shouting. "No! We will not use dreary blue for Christmas! I want red _and_ gold!"

On the other side was Chrome, the only one aside from her who was not screaming at her phone. "So for the additional chair and…"

RING!

Mai as usual picked up her phone and didn't even let anyone on the other end spoke first. "No Xanxus… Christmas is for champagne _not_ whiskey or whatever alcoholic drink you have in mind. If you insist to bring any I will ban you from Christmas party."

Click.

RING!

"Enka is not appropriate for Christmas party, Basil… no, I don't want to hear what your Oyakata-sama said."

Click.

RING

"Fuuta… just pick whatever on the list we gave you, no need to rank them." It was a mistake to get Fuuta as emergency staff for buying supplies.

RING! RING! RING!

Mai growled, "Bring your own meat to cook for all I care! Squalo! And also… leave that freaking throne in your HQ, he has to sit on the same chair as everyone else! Got it!"

Christmas or not, it was just another day in Vongola HQ.

 **Japan, 24 Dec**

His mood was not getting better with Christmas eve, in fact Lin and his two phantom companions feared it was just about time something will fly over their heads at this rate.

Lin now believed the two really knew what was going on, and no matter how unexplainable it was… the fact remained Naru followed the withdrawal symptom to a T as described by Tojo and Shima. "Is he going to be alright?"

"His mood is not going to get better until Hime gets back from Italy for sure." Tojo said from the middle of head totem they made as they observed the dark haired psychic from the small crack of Lin's office door.

Shima nodded, "It's like missing a third arm…" Shima, whose head was on the bottom of the totem added. "It varies between people when they get better but still… at this rate, we can't take a case."

"Or it would be a repeat of Yuasa and worse."

People running away from Naru with bad mood.

"It's Christmas… who is going to put up a request on Christmas eve?" Tojo wondered out loud as they closed the door.

Lin face-palmed, "Actually…"

 _"_ _Ah, Kazuya-san."_

They heard sweet feminine voice called out followed by closed front door. Of all people visiting the office! It had to be Hara-san!

 _"_ _Would you accompany me to see the town square? The tree-"_

Lin opened his door quickly, hoping to prevent irreparable damage. "Naru!"

Naru narrowed his eyes at the medium, "I don't have time for such frivolous activity, and as you can see I am working." He said in artic like voice that sent chills to their spine. " _Leave me alone."_

Masako coiled in shock, "I…" She knew well she couldn't push him, but this was the first time her polite invitation was rejected so harshly.

Then as if the world was testing Naru and his thinning patience the Miko and the Monk came in cheerfully. "Ossu! No Christmas tree? And here I thought Jou-chan would put one up in living room at least!"

"I come for some coffee latte." Ayako didn't bother to hide her real intention. "Since it's Christmas we need some merry time!"

Lin was tempted to throw his stoic persona and told the irregulars to flee from their office especially since the surrounding air was getting colder and the teacup on the table was starting to shake.

Then John came in, "Uhm… excuse me Shibuya-san."

"Are you coming to make merry too, John?"

The priest blinked, "Uhm… actually I have a request from a church in town for S.P.R." He confessed nervously.

RING!

They were saved by sound of ringing phone, Naru's cellphone. He picked it up on the third ring, "Moshi-moshi… Hayato?" Glancing at the three stunned spiritualists back briefly, he marched to his dark and gloomy office. "I _am not_ fine unfortunately."

Then the door was closed with a click, and the walking disaster was relatively secure inside his office. At least Lin hoped so.

"What was that?" Bou-san wondered out loud.

Tojo enlightened them, shocking them with his presence as usual. "Hime is in Italy for preparing Christmas and New Year… so Shibuya-sachou is a little…" He trailed off, knowing everyone could fill the blank by themselves.

"Again?" Ayako groaned, "You should start putting up sign outside 'Beware of Naru in Bad Mood' before someone get scared for life."

And here she thought they learned their lesson after Yuasa.

"Still…" Bou-san trailed off, looking at Masako who was still frozen on the spot and not listening to them at all. "He was not this bad back then… why now?" Was it the holiday?

Tojo and Shima sighed in unison, _'How we have to explain this?'_

 **C.E.O's office (Naru's POV)**

" _It's like missing your third arm, and there is a glaring hole somewhere on the back of your mind… you get short tempered, and the world feels like conspiring against you."_ Hayato described what he felt perfectly to the letter.

I couldn't help but almost amazed, "How do you know that?"

 _"_ _Well… we go through this pace sometime in our life."_ Hayato answered me vaguely.

I snorted, typical of him as Mai's family member. They were all expert of giving vague and twisted answer. "This coming from Physic researcher? What do you know about the living?"

 _"_ _Well… if you want me to connect this line to Shamal or Ryohei…"_ Hayato trailed off.

I scowled, "Hayato… if you know I am not in the mood, get to the point. I don't like this… how to get rid of it?"

It was not hard to tell the pause followed my query was Hayato's rolling his eyes. _"Well… there is no getting rid of it."_ He told me bluntly. _"It helps if you try some yoga breathing exercise, distract yourself from your discomfort with whatever you have in hand…"_

I was getting frustrated, "Why did this happen to me?" Well, John came with a request and knowing the priest most likely it was genuine and pressing request if his nervousness was anything to go by.

 _"_ _Part of life… like growing up, there is no avoiding it so deal with it._ " I _almost_ tempted to call him mean, but that was something Gene would do, not me.

I growled at him, "Hayato… I am almost at my limit." I almost threw that cup at Takigawa's head. I always tried to keep my emotion under tight control, uncaring of what people said about me being unfeeling and cold because if I was emotional it would disastrous for me and people around me. "This is not a joke… I can't concentrate. At this rate…"

 _"_ _Whoaa… Noll! I get it! I get it!"_ He sounded panic, which served him right to take my predicament lightly. _"This is unhealthy and I don't recommend it but… your meds, the one Shamal gave you."_

I perked up at that, "Yes?"

 _"_ _Crush one pill to powder and dilute it in 700ml of warm water…"_ He instructed in exasperated voice. _"Keep it in thermos and drink a couple of sip every a couple of hours…"_

I frowned at him, "You're not giving me a placebo I hope?"

 _"_ _Just do it paranoid idiot! It will make you feel better and keep your temper in check, you know how disastrous it would be if you let your PK out of control."_ Hayato sighed again. _"However… please keep this a secret from Hime, and don't depend on this method."_

"Alright… I just need to deal with today." That was all I asked.

Hayato ended the line and I walked outside, and found the irregulars surprisingly had not running away yet. I could tolerate Bou-san and to an extend Matsuzaki-san –I had to respect her purification skill a little after the last case- but Hara-san was just… hard to tolerate as long as she was infatuated with me.

Although after I snapped at her today she didn't seem to think about asking me out for now so I could go to the kitchen uninterrupted to make my own medicine, crushing one of the white pills from blue case I kept on my pocket, filled the thermos with desirable amount of water and poured the powder. I shook the thermos a little to mix them together then took a small sip.

Hayato was right, the restlessness numbed a little. Not much but enough for me to regain my composure.

"Uhm… Naru-bou." Bou-san poked his head in, "Are you alright?"

I sighed, "Yes…" Not really but I am not going to enlighten him on that.

RING! RING!

I picked up my phone, not bothered by the locked number on the screen. "Hello?"

 _"_ _Naru…"_ Her soft voice called me.

I tensed as I could almost feel my whole body hummed in tune to her voice.

 _"_ _I heard from Hayato that you're feeling unwell so I call to ask about your condition."_ At any other time I would feel annoyed that Hayato was meddling, but somehow I couldn't help but grateful as slowly but steadily I feel the pull that restore my balance. Like I had been underwater for so long and just found oxygen back.

"Mai…" I breathed a sigh of relief. "I am fine." Now at least.

 _"_ _I am glad to hear that…"_ She sounded relived. _"You know… it's Christmas and I think the others are going to barge in and…"_

As always she seemed to know this instinctively. "They already did."

Mai giggled, _"Try to be lenient to them at least for today… if they want a Christmas party, and well… ask Tojo and Shima to herd them to next door. I had them to get a tree and everything ready."_

"Mai…" She was pampering them again.

 _"_ _You don't have to join them but… do try to be more sociable, it's Christmas after all."_ She murmured softly to the phone.

It was just another day, Christian setting the festive mood of winter solstice. "Actually we're going to investigate a church today… John's request."

I could almost hear a smile in the other end, _"Hm… a case in a church. I would love to visit a church…"_

"Mai, you're in Italy now… I don't think any church in Japan could compare to the one there…"

 _"_ _Hm… is that so? I am not talking about the church but the company…"_

What did she mean by that?

 _"_ _At any rate… I need to go now."_ I could hear in the background, people clamoring about the preparation and even someone stumbling. _"I will call again later if I can… alright Naru?"_

I sighed at that, "Alright… and say hello to Hayato, Shouichi and Spanner for me." It surprised me I said such thing, but I had to admit I missed them… the three geniuses who didn't seem to care of my cold attitude or psychic power. To them… I was just another friend of theirs, which was why Gene and I kept them around for years. No matter how hard it was to maintain long distance friendship.

 _"_ _Of course…"_ Mai didn't tease me, she just accept the fact I was not a robot and I could miss my friend. _"While New Year is impossible I am sure I can get them some time off soon to visit you, alright."_

Sometime I wondered why Mai always naturally made it convenient for people around her. "Hn."

 _"_ _See you soon… Naru, and before I forgot…"_

 _"…"_

 _"_ … alright…"

Click

 **Japan, Giglio Nero's manor (3** **rd** **POV)**

Gamma, second in command of Giglio Nero for two generations wondered if he was getting senile. He was twenty six, not old enough for questioning his sanity. Although as said by mafia society at large, looking after a trinisette holder especially the sky was bound to take predictable toll on anyone.

Unless your name was Reborn.

However he was blessed by a kind and gentle boss, who undoubtedly the most normal among current Trinisette holders. So he never feared for his sanity although sometime he might get himself into early grave with worry about his princess.

 _This_ however was never ever something that crossed his mind.

After all nothing could prepare Gamma from the sight of an empty bedroom, opened door to balcony and white fabric that tied to the railing of balcony that undoubtedly used to be high quality silk sheet of the uncovered mattress of the canopy bed plus their curtains. He of course had watched this kind of scenario in classic soap opera, of a maiden running away from arranged marriage however not even in his wildest dream he imagined to be on the receiving end of it.

"Uhm… Gamma-aniki?" Nozaru and Tazaru asked hesitantly.

"CONTACT FOUNDATION! TURN THE WHOLE JAPAN UPSIDE DOWN IF WE HAVE TO! WE HAVE TO FIND HIME!"

That was how the morning of Christmas Eve went on in Giglio Nero manor.

 **Tokyo, Tojo's Church (Naru's POV)**

I took a small sip of my diluted medicine before returning the small thermos to my pocket. Looking at the white building in the distance I admired it for a brief moment, a classic and well cared church in Far East island country was rare in my opinion. Whoever in charge of it was undoubtedly someone devoted, which was strange for such place to be a haunting.

"Let's get this over with as soon as we can!" Bou-san was in good spirit after he found out Mai generously left party supplies on the office next door for them. "So we can have Christmas party!"

"We will help." Hara-san seemed to forget the whole ordeal –as in me telling her to go away- and insisted to come with us to help. "It's hard to work on a day like this after all."

Then don't come.

"Right! Right!" Matsuzaki-san added.

John looked guilty, "Uhm… I am sorry for the trouble."

No, John… in fact for today you're the only one who didn't trouble me.

"Brown-kun." A priest who was wearing standard priest robe and brown cardigan greeted the Australian exorcist.

"Tojo-san." He returned before gesturing towards me, "This is Shibuya Kazuya, manager of Shibuya Psychic Research…"

He gave me a curt bow I returned, "It's a pleasure to meet you."

The spiritualist behind me were busy admiring the architecture when laughter of children reached our ears. Then we realized unlike normal church, the yard also had a playground with all sort of recreational equipment for children like swings, sandbox and jungle gym. Not to mention all children here were foreigners, judging from their hair color and complexion.

"Wow, we've got all sorts of International children here…" Bou-san commented.

"Father Tojo looks after foreign worker's children here." John explained with a smile, and no small amount of admiration in his voice. "He also take care of children who one way or another couldn't stay with their family.

So this place also doubled as an orphanage. All children here looked carefree and happy, so different from the orphanage Gene and I landed into back in America. I couldn't help but thought as my eyes swept over the playground and then stopped at one child.

A young girl around ten years old or maybe a little older, obviously not Japanese from her fair skin and vivid blue eyes. Her hair was cut in bob style like Hara-san but with long low ponytail on the back of her neck. She was dressed in long sleeved white dress with orange rim on the knee length skirt, black stocking and shoes.

She was reading a book for younger children around her and a toddler was using her lap as pillow, she stood out among them for some reason to me. I didn't get why wither but… she was like Mai, they shared similar air but not the same. Then she noticed my eyes on hers as our eyes met, she just smiled at me, inclining her head slightly in greeting before continuing entertaining the children around her.

"Naru?" Lin called me.

Then I realized I was spacing off, and snapped back to reality. "I'm fine." Then I noticed the commotion they made around Hara-san, recognizing the medium from TV show and asked to show them ghost.

Children in this place were not afraid of ghost it seemed. Father Tojo was about to chide their children for interrupting us but someone was faster.

"Everyone…" A calm voice interrupted our thought, it was the blue eyed girl from before. "Don't disturb this Onee-chan alright? Let's play together over there."

Father Tojo looked disoriented for a moment, "Erm…"

"Father Tojo." The girl smiled at him. "I will bring them to play over there…"

He blinked, then he smiled back at her. "Oh right… thank you Yuni-chan, you're a life-saver."

I sighed, considering these guys would be useless as I interviewed our client might as well get them to help. "While we hear what Father Tojo have to say about the case, could you look after the children for him?" And not dumping the babysitter job on another child.

"Heh?" Matsuzaki-san and Hara-san blurted out in unison.

Bou-san jumped right away on the opportunity. "Alright! Let's play over there, everyone!"

Then he along with the two herded the children back to the playground, although in the girls' case they were pulled along.

 **Italy, Vongola HQ (Mai's POV)**

Of all things to say the moment he landed and reported to my office…

"Yuni of Giglio Nero is missing, and her famiglia demanded Foundation to turn Japan upside down in search of her." Reported Kyo-san in indifferent air.

I rolled my eyes, "Hm… you didn't sound like someone who have even slightest interest about boss of our ally go missing."

Kyo-san eyed me with the same disinterest, "Considering you stay rooted in your seat and not reacting, I presume she is in no immediate danger and this matter don't require as much as attention as Gamma believes."

I sighed at that, "True… if she is in any danger, Byakuran and I would have noticed." I crossed my fingers, resting my chin in relaxed manner. "Aah… what she is thinking? I wonder… making Gamma worried like that." Shaking my head exasperatedly. "Well… Christmas Party is about to begin and we can't leave it… even if we have legitimate absence to do so we're just going to incite panic if people know…"

Beside… while it was said they were equals, by the law of Trinisette it was Yuni who was holding the highest authority. Although she wondered in this generation that authority was still…

Kyo-san sighed, drawing my attention back to him, "Can I…"

"Don't even think about it." I cut him off smoothly. "If I can't get away from this party, neither can you my dear cloud." I giggled at him.

He sighed exasperatedly. "Then we will just ignore this?"

I shook my head, "I will contact Byakuran to prepare in case we need to look for Yuni ourselves, it's not like I need to be seen all the time in this party."

Beside… worse comes to worse, I could always make Chrome or Mukuro to create a double for me. Some people would notice but as long as Coyote and the rest of Ninth generation guardians didn't, I could always slip away…

Kyo-san's eyes narrowed at me, "Asking that bastard to prepare…" He trailed off with a scowl. "What a waste of energy." He couldn't help but say.

I just laughed at that. "Maa… just enjoy the party for now Kyo-san! You just need to tolerate people for a couple of hours!"

He cringed at the prospect and I sighed. Well… hopefully it would be another Christmas party that only on the end had someone with tonfa on the face. Not at all would be ideal but I never had a high expectation when it comes to my guardian and their inability to not create chaos.

 **Japan, Todoh Church (3** **rd** **POV)**

"Repeated possession case?" Naru echoed the summary of what happened in that seemingly peaceful church.

Father Tojo nodded, "Yes… occasionally one of the children in my care would get possessed by a spirit."

John then added. "I drive the spirit away from them every time it happened but…"

"But then other children would get possessed…" Naru finished for him.

The blond nodded. "Yes." He looked to the side. "According to Father Tojo, this morning one of the children behaves strangely."

The other priest nodded in agreement. "Actually the spirit is not harmful, the children would just behave out of character with blank memory of the possession…"

So aside from occasional possession no meaningful harm was done to children.

"However… the possessed children would hide themselves so…"

That caught Naru's interest, "Hiding?"

 **Playground**

Bou-san felt someone tugging his sleeve and before his brain could process it he blurted out. "Wait for a sec, Jou-chan! Do you need me for some-"

Instead of brown eyes, a pair of warm blue eyes greeted him. It was the girl named Yuni who cared for younger children in this church. Why did he mistake her for Mai just now? In fact… he was well aware she was not here, so why?

"Bou-san, ne?" She queried as she let go of his sleeve.

He nodded, "Yuni-jouchan right? Do you need me for something?"

She beamed at him, "There is a boy waiting in the forest, could you please accompany me to pick him up?" She said as she pointed at the path to the forest near the church.

Looking at the path and eerie looking forest Bou-san was so glad this responsible girl asked for his company. It didn't look safe to be ventured by a little girl alone. "Alright, let's go."

At that time it didn't occur to Bou-san why he followed Yuni to that forest in search for the boy. Or how strange the way she phrased her reason to go to that forest. However somehow his analytical mind as a spiritualist was taking a leave of absence so he followed the girl to the forest, holding her hand.

She was humming a song.

 _The Sea knows no bounds._  
 _The Clam passes down its form from Generation to Generation._  
 _The Rainbow appears from time to time before fading away._

It was in foreign language so Bou-san didn't get what the lyric said, but there was a sacred and solemn feeling in the tune. "Is that a Christmas song?"

She smiled at him, "No…"

"Hm…" He had heard similar lyric from somewhere, the accent and the feeling it gave off at least. "Is it Italian?"

"Hai." Yuni answered. "I come from Italy…"

"Hee…" Bou-san grinned at her. "A friend of ours is also an Italian, well… she has mixed blood. I think she is one forth Italian… and you know, Yuni-jouchan?"

"Hm."

The monk rubbed his chin, "I don't really get why… but I feel you're similar to her." Why he even had this conversation with her? It was like with Mai, he felt compelled to say what inside his mind and heart.

She giggled, "Is that so?"

Tuk.

Eerie sound of something woody knocking made him pause, and he let go of Yuni's hand. Before he could shout however, the girl didn't go too far and went straight towards a young boy who was hiding behind a tree.

"Hello there." Yuni greeted the boy.

Then Bou-san noticed the boy had blank eyes, it was very brief but this eerie feeling… "Yuni-jouchan! Get away from him!"

However instead of her getting away, it was the dark skinned boy who bolted from her, as if something scared him. "Ara…" She looked amused by the behavior of the possessed boy instead of freaked out then after fiddling with some sort of bracelet chain on her wrist she went after the boy much to the Monk's shock.

"Oi!"

Yuni didn't answer as she continued running after the boy, before she stopped when she and Bou-san heard the sound of tapping again. Bou-san had no time to contemplate the sound because Yuni was already running to catch up with the boy. Somehow… Bou-san felt this was eerily so alike with when Jou-chan bolted repeatedly out of the base when she sensed a danger.

And also… like Jou-chan this girl, she… she didn't look around for the boy at all! She was running straight to him as if she knew where he was.

Could it be this girl…

 **Back to the living room (Naru's POV)**

I would say this was my fatigue induced addled mind talking, or perhaps… it was all Hayato's fault for describing what I was feeling as 'the whole world was conspiring to make your day hell' to me. I would honestly admit to myself that I wish Mai was here… not out of sentimentality or reliance but for a case like this everything would be simpler if Mai was around.

According to Father Tojo, in the beginning of the church's construction he was entrusted to care for a young boy named Kenji. This boy's favorite game was hide and seek so when he possessed a child he would play his own version of hide and seek.

"Stick?"

Which was simply hide and seek with tapping a wooden stick to signal ready or not yet to the one who was looking. Kenji had speech impediment so other children thought up this method so he could join their game.

Tuk

Tuk

Tuk

"This sound…"

Father Tojo stood up, "This is stick, the child he possessed now… Thanat must be in hiding now."

"We have to look for him then." I announced.

We quickly rushed out of the church to find the boy, surprisingly it was not hard to find him. Or more like someone had find the possessed bot for us. It was the blue eyed girl named Yuni from before, she was holding his hand while Bou-san followed from behind closely.

Bou-san raised his hand, "Oi John! We need your help over here!"

Suddenly the boy darted towards us, the girl let go of him. Which was strange because she didn't seem caught off guard by the suddenness, and continued watching the boy when he latched on my assistant of all people.

"Otou-san!" He beamed happily.

Bou-san blinked, "O... tou-san?"

 **Indoor Playroom**

Lin looked stressed, maybe it was not a good idea to leave Tojo and Shima to oversee our empty office. If they were here, they would have assisted Lin in dealing with this boy. However as for now, he just had to deal with it in duration of our investigation.

"Please clear this misunderstanding." Lin pleaded to Father Tojo when the boy refused to let go of him.

Father Tojo looked a little guilty but relieved Thanat was not going anywhere. "Well… you do looks like Kenji-kun's father."

In short please excuse the boy for mistaking you as his father. He was a child so please be patient with him.

As expected of a priest… Lin was speechless and cold do nothing but let the boy to hug and drag him around to play.

Leaving Lin in charge of overseeing Thanat, we explained the case to the rest of our team. How Kenji-kun came to Father Tojo's care and the 'stick' game he loved. The tragedy that happened thirty years ago when on one of the game, Kenji-kun was never found. It was presumed the boy was trapped somewhere in the middle of storm and died. All Father Tojo could find was the whistle he gave as early Christmas present in case the boy needed him.

Then the phenomena started, and for over thirty years Father Tojo and the children coexist with Kenji-kun's spirit. The boy was harmless, he always came out after he was found and if no one found him he would let go of the possessed children willingly.

However it started to change… like any other spirit, he didn't stay harmless. Spirit in long term would absorb emotion and feeling from their surroundings, twisting their initial nature to _something_ worse.

"This could escalate…" I concluded, "Especially since it's Christmas Eve… it's significant time for the spirit since his father promised to pick him up before Christmas."

Matsuzaki-san had the gall to take a video of Lin playing with Thanat. "This is a rare sight."

"Strange…" John must be talking about the behavior of the spirit.

Bou-san agreed, "Yeap… it's a strange sight indeed… Lin playing with a kid like a good father. Maybe he is home-maker father type deep down."

"Uhm… that's not what I meant."

I sighed at their antics and decided. "This is getting nowhere." It would be harmful for Thanat to stay like this so, first thing first. "John… try to drive Kenji-kun out of Thanat for now."

That was the least we should do for now.

Closing all curtains and herding the children out of the room, we began the exorcism. "John."

"Yes." The priest nodded at me and began to pray after he made a cross sign on Thanat's forehead with holy water. "Our father, who art in heaven… Hallowed by thy name…"

I watched John continue chanting the holy verse, wondering is something would happen or not.

"Poor child." Someone said beside me.

I looked to the side and found the girl for who knows since when had sneaked back to the room but because John was concentrating now no one ushered her out.

"Eh?"

Bou-san looked at the girl warily. "Uhm… you shouldn't be here, Yuni-jouchan."

So Bou-san had taken a liking to her so quickly to call her like that.

She just smiled at us. "The poor child is lost… he must be very reluctant to part with his father."

"Lin is not his father." I told her, wondering why I couldn't speak to this child like I would a child.

She was…

"In principio." John finished.

Then she closed her eyes, _"Then just for a moment… this body…"_

Italian?

Then it happened, the lights flickered on and off followed by rapping sound. I narrowed my eyes as I looked up, and missed the accepting expression the girl wore.

Tap!

Tap!

Tap!

Then it calmed down, and Bou-san heaved a sigh of relief. He frowned when he noticed the girl who was standing between us was sitting on the floor, facing down. "Are you alright? It's scary but it's okay now."

In the other part of the room Thanat just woke up and wondering what just happened to him while John checked the boy for any ill effect after the possession.

Then suddenly Yuni stood up and walked towards Lin, my assistant looked pretty bewildered that another child was latching on him. This time was a girl and she was smiling sweetly at him.

"Ah."

"Don't tell me that Kenji-kun he… possessed Yuni-jouchan now?!"

This was getting complicated…

 **Italy, Vongola HQ**

Mai stopped on her track as she was about to go to the stage for opening speech of Christmas party of Vongola. "Yuni?"

"Hime?" Hayato leaned forward so he could see her confused face. "Is something wrong?"

She hesitated, "I am not sure…" Yuni was not in trouble, this was not a bad premonition but… "I feel a little restless." She sighed. "Let's get the opening speech over with first." She decided as she entered the stage followed by the right hand man of theirs.

Clap clap clap!

She adjusted the small mic on her choker, and faced the large crowd that was her famiglia. **"Good evening… ladies and gentleman, thank you for coming to our annual family event. I, Sawada Mai of Vongola would like to…"**

It was standard speech that was just slightly different from last year, but heartfelt in the same time.

 **"** **It's a rare chance for all of us to gather from all over the world in this Sky Ballroom… as the great sky of Vongola I wish for you to use this chance to strengthen our bond… after all it's our greatest strength that support our family from generation to generation… and-"**

The speech went on and she finished her part. She took a deep breath before stepping back by one step and the man beside her stepped forward to the center of the stage. _"Your turn."_

 _"_ _Roger."_

Clearing his throat, and then returning expectant and admiring gaze of their family members with his own warm and gentle smile. The spiky haired male began his speech. **"As said by our princess…** **this is not a formality, we… sincerely wish for all of you to use this opportunity to know each other better… eating together is after all a crucial family event even in daily life. So it's one of family rule in Vongola to not skip it!"**

Laughter followed that statement.

 **"** **Without further delay… I, Sawada Tsunayoshi… Neo Primo of Vongola Famiglia hereby announce the opening of Vongola's Christmas party."**

Mai just smiled indulgingly as wave of almost deafening claps echoed through the air. Sawada Tsunayoshi turned around with familiar gentle and warm smile, his eyes softened as he gazed at his twin sister. He walked towards Mai who was keeping her face straight as her older twin stopped to stand beside her.

 _"_ _Good enough?"_

She nodded, "Yes…"

 _Good enough for now…_

* * *

 _ **It's been a while since I posted one so...  
OMAKE: In which Bou-san tried to question their relationship, Mai is half-asleep and Naru is amused and content.**  
_

The easiest way to know whether someone had a special feeling for someone else was… making them jealous. Bou-san, Ayako and John had seen how well it worked on Naru, he was always wearing dark expression whenever Mai got too cozy with other guys. Her family to be exact. Then again… Mai was very affectionate with her family members, and most if not all seemed to consist of attractive guys her age she claimed to have pure, clean and familial love for.

Ayako thought Mai was such a lucky and unlucky girl, because growing up around hots guys had made her blind of them. Ayako had tried to test Mai out of curiosity, showing her pictures of hot models both Japanese and foreigners. Mai's reaction to them, yes… they were good looking so?

Significance of good looks lost on Mai because it was no different than rose was red, and sky was blue.

So obviously Naru's good looks was just acknowledged as a matter of fact, and _ended_ there to Mai.

Bou-san had a faith that Mai had been very caring towards Naru, and it was borderline unhealthy how she pampered him. She cooked him meals, brewing tea according to his mood, filing his documents and willingly became his research subject.

She got to have some feeling for him right?

John politely pointed out, they were talking about Mai here… she seemed to like to spoil people she took a liking to. Ayami-chan was a prime example, Naru was another…

Being a meddler they were, Bou-san and Ayako felt like they couldn't leave this matter to roll naturally. Even more so after Naru kissed Mai back to live, well… CPR. At least they wanted to confirm Mai had a thing for Naru! She was so flippant and carefree about their intimacy, so Bou-san was sure he had to catch her off guard.

The golden chance came when Mai took her turn to catch some nap. Instead of watching monitor with Lin or discussing psychic phenomena with Naru-boy, he opted to watch over the girl. When he saw her stirring, half-awake… it was the opening he was waiting for.

"Hm…" She snuggled deeper to the couch and hugged the blanket closer.

Bou-san jumped on the chance and said, "Mai! Masako is hanging all over Naru-bou! Do something!"

Naru who was dozing off some documents straightened, "What?!"

Ayako grinned like a cat. "Ho…"

Masako who was also napping blinked awake, "He? I did what?" She asked blearily.

Mai was a heavy sleeper, and as long it was not a danger she would continue to sleep even through animal's stampede. "Hm… is that so?" She murmured sleepily, her eyes half-opened and unfocused. "Too bad, Naru-chan is not adorable enough like Onii-chan to justify the trouble I would get into with fangirl. He he he…" She giggled at the last part. "Let me sleep some more…" In short to Naru-chan, she won't help him, deal with it.

And with that Mai snored softly, rolling her blanket over her to cocoon like. Then silence fell to the base.

Naru snorted, breaking the silence. "Not adorable enough am I? Hm…"

Lin continued to type something in his laptop and sighed.

Masako blushed a deep red, and pretty offended she was called a fangirl by Mai. However it seemed everyone on the base was considering it, so she pretended to continue sleeping.

Ayako and Bou-san were shocked by Mai's reply, of all things to say… was that worse than I don't care or better?

They were shocked once again by Naru who stood from his chair and then walked towards the couch Mai occupied, she was curling up so there was enough space for him to sit. "So… I am not adorable?"

Mai giggled again, still half-awake. "Hm… just not enough."

"I see… is it because I am narcissistic?" He looked very amused by the whole ordeal instead of feeling offended.

"Hm… that part is adorable."

"Not sociable enough?"

She giggled again, "It's fiiiiine… as long as…" Naru barely able to catch 'not scaring people' and 'being misunderstood' for being such an ice cube.

"My high and mighty attitude perhaps."

"Not going to trade… it with any… thing." Mai murmured sleepily. "Naru should just be Naru…"

Naru patted her gently on the head and Mai sighed contently.

Bou-san and Ayako sighed, oh well… if these two were happy with their current relationship, who were they to judge? If they ever wondered why Naru was taken by Mai, now they understood. It was not because Mai was pretty, or she was an interesting research subject.

It was simply because Mai accepted Naru the way he was, both good and bad.

* * *

 **And so... we have Yuni taking Mai's place for this case LOL LOL LOL  
Well... bet this is another shocking chapter where the might of cliffhanger is proven once again!  
YES! It's Tsuna... so? It's chapter 21! He deserve to appear in my humble opinion LOL  
Aah... this must be my cold talking, ha ha ha...  
**


	22. Case 05, Part 02

**AN: Please note there is 7 hours difference between Japan and Italy, so while it's afternoon in Japan it's already Christmas Eve night in Italy.**

 **Case 05, Part 02**

Sky ballroom was the largest room of Vongola Manor, boasting unparalleled beauty in interior, crystal chandeliers, intricate carvings, finest marble flooring, fitting to host event befitting the strongest mafia famiglia in the world. Which was built in bloodiest era of Vongola famiglia, under the reign of Secondo.

It was said of all rooms in Vongola, this room was once flooded with blood and bodies of their enemies. No matter how lavished they decorated the accursed room, it won't change that one little fact. Unknown to most outside of inner circle of Vongola, namely the guardians and few closest subordinates, Vongola bosses from generation to generation at some point loathed this room to their very bone.

Because… to them, the sin and blood of their family clung the heaviest in this very place. Mai was no exception to this…

"Ugh…" Her guardians noticed but they had learned to not comment on how difficult it was for her. As each bite of luxurious cuisine served in this party to make it pass her lips needed admirable effort and mental fortitude on her part.

Chrome who was sitting beside her in fact was helping to make the food vanish, giving an illusion as if their boss was eating properly.

It was a relieve they had no special attachment for Christmas event emotionally, if not they would feel even more horrible for their bosses who had to be here, eating and socializing in a room that haunted their worst nightmare. It was not like Mai was afraid to be in this room, but it was hard to eat in a room that overlapped with nightmarish vision from their inheritance trial.

The Ninth was not an exception, not even a sip wine was drunk by him and he ate very little. Although most who had no idea passed the lack of appetite was because of his age.

It was also an unspoken rule to keep Vongola bosses' aversion to this room within the inner circle, so it was no wonder…

"Ha ha ha! This is the best wine I ever had this year!"

It was no wonder her idiotic father could still drink and eat, enjoying the festiveness of Christmas. While his daughter wondered how the hell Iemitsu could drink and eat in this place that more or less was like… post-war battlefield, laden with bones, rotten flesh and scavenger.

Damn… wasteful or not, one way or another she would concoct a plot to get this accursed place demolished and built another ball somewhere else. This place could be Shouichi's second glass house for all she cared.

"He seem to be in a very good spirit as always." Her brother who was sitting on her other side said with indulgent smile, gazing at their father kindly. He too was eating very little but covering it with ease like her.

Mai sighed, "He is embarrassing." She corrected before she took a bite of her meal and swallowed.

Tsuna just continue smiling kindly and Mai took a deep breath. "Just endure for today, ne… Mai."

He was not talking about their father, or Squalo's shouting and Xanxus throwing wine glass in the background for sure.

"I know…" Considering Reborn's training, part of their duty was enduring the chaos called their family. "Beside… Christmas was just another cover event to keep a close eye to our family branch."

Tsuna nodded, his hyper intuition and hers overlapped and stretched over the whole hall. "German branch as always… full of hard headed and energetic bunch." Tsuna murmured as he raised his champagne glass as if in salute to the head of their German branch who sputtered and blushed red at the gesture.

"Hm… personnel exchange from our Asia branches didn't go as well as we thought." Seriously… they keep forgetting that in Vongola, nationality and race was nonexistent in a sense racism wasn't tolerated at all cost and Vongola was a county and nationality on their own. "The only Chinese they brought along seemed restless to be in the same table."

He laughed softly at that, "Well… we can sense his nervousness and discomfort all the way from here for sure." Their subordinates, most of them couldn't comprehend the extent of their intuition so they thought distance could protect them.

"Should we send someone to inspect?" Mai wondered, before taking a sip of her own champagne.

Tsuna narrowed his eyes, "Hm… let's just send someone to oversee them first before we did something drastic."

Mai sighed at that, "Wait and see approach? Nevertheless… they're part of our family. As their boss, they have to practice what we preach…"

"Forcing our ideology on them is not Vongola's way… not for the current Vongola, dear sister." Tsuna reminded her with a smile.

Mai just sighed again, the corner of her lips quirked up. "If you say so… dear brother."

* * *

 **Japan, Tojo's church**

It seemed the speech impediment carried over to any children he possessed. Which was why even though Yuni was perfectly capable of speech, she could only let out small happy sound from her lips. It was like sound of breathing rather than a voice, and even though she looked like a perfect picture of a happy child, it was if her voice was muted.

Although she said Otou-san very clearly just now, it seemed because the cause of speech impediment was psychological Kenji still could use his voice in a spur of moment.

"Yuni-jouchan?!"

She continued to let out silent laughter as clinging tightly on Lin who staggered in shock. "Brown-san! Please fix this! Do something!"

John was crying in panic now, "Huwaaa! I am so sorry!"

The other priest looked at the new father-child pair in worry, "Oh… what a mess, now Yuni-chan too."

"Achaa…" Bou-san rubbed the back of his head, "I am not sure what to think of this new development."

Naru in the other hand knew exactly what to think. One, they should delay another exorcism because most likely Kenji was just going to go to another child. Somehow his intuition said –he started to sound like Mai here- Yuni was the safest option for Kenji to possess. She was a little older than most children here so her mentality was stronger so she won't be in as much risk as other children.

Two, this was a good chance to slip away from Lin's watch for a while.

So Naru turned around and gestured for Bou-san and John to follow him. "Look after your child, Otou-san." Lin's face when he said this was priceless. "Bou-san, John… let's talk outside." And let Lin to deal with babysitting duty for someone that was not him for a change.

 **Click**

The door closed, and the three males of SPR ragtag team began to discuss their current case.

"I presume from your reaction this never happened before?" Naru queried the distraught priest.

John was snapped back to attention, nodding. "Yes… the spirit of Kenji-kun didn't possess other children right away after I exorcise him out before… not like this." It was something that occasionally happen, which was why Father Tojo was not alarmed.

Naru cupped his chin, "Then the rapping sound."

"That was also the first." John confirmed his suspicion. "Not to mention…" The priest trailed off hesitantly, "When I drove him out of Thanat I sensed resistance from Kenji-kun, before… he even will leave the children on his own accord."

So Lin's presence, likeness with his father and the time.

"I see…" Naru murmured, "Then what do you think Kenji-kun would do if you drive him out again?"

"I don't think it's wise." John stated with conviction. "Poor Yuni-chan, but… if I do it again I'm afraid Kenji-kun will get angrier and we can't predict what he will do next."

Naru nodded in agreement. "Well… there is also a concern on the increasing frequency of possession." Before a year there would be one or twice but lately it could happen once a week, and the length of their hiding time was also getting longer. "And we make him upset, the next child could go missing like Kenji-kun did."

This was why he wished Mai was here, at least they wouldn't worry about missing anyone. Children were unpredictable, spirit of a child even more so. Which was why they had so much trouble with Morishita's case before.

"That's why…" John trailed off but interjected by the sound of door opening and Lin's frustrated shout.

"Cut it out already!" Lin exited the room, he was piggybacking Yuni who was laughing merrily and clung tighter to him. Feeling the girl was slipping off of his back Lin was forced to bend a little to get a better balance.

The gesture made Bou-san looked to the side and holding his head in frustration, _'I shouldn't laugh! This is serious… Buddha! Forgive me!'_

Lin was pleading now, "Help me out please."

Naru was as merciless as ever, so he walked away and left and order. "Lin… take care of Yuni-chan then, keep her occupied. John, Bou-san… stay and watch over them."

Lin gaped at his charge, _'Tojo and Shima are right, he is using every chance he get to escape my watch!'_ As they informed him, no teenager could stand being shadowed over for a long period of time. If anything Naru's perceived maturity made him think he didn't need supervision.

"Then what are you going to do, Naru-bou?" The monk asked.

He didn't even bother to make a sound excuse. "I will go to adjust equipment or _something_."

 _'_ _He just doesn't feel like to deal with this.'_ Bou-san thought.

 _'_ _He just want some unsupervised time for himself.'_ Lin thought in annoyance. "Fine." He gritted out. "Then you should call Shima and Tojo, no one is going to come to our office today anyway. Get them to help you with our equipment."

Naru stopped at that, obviously as the boss he couldn't say he didn't want help from subordinates for grunt work. "Fine."

Well… at least those two would shadow him discreetly so he won't feel as cooped. At least if Naru get in trouble, even those two couldn't get him out of it they could contact him.

Lin didn't let Naru to contact them himself, and fished his phone out of his pocket then typed an email to them to come as soon as possible and watch Naru for him. It was a lose-lose situation and Naru proceed to enjoy his shortened 'alone' time, Lin endured getting dragged to the kitchen.

Courtesy of Bou-san who smelt something nice and dragged Lin, Yuni and John.

"As long as you're close, he won't hide." Bou-san whispered to him discreetly.

So deal with it, which was the only conclusion.

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

"Hello." I picked up the phone, and I didn't need to see the name –it was a locked number anyway- to know who was calling me. "Mai."

 _"_ _Naru… how is it going over there?"_ She sounded excited for some reason.

I frowned, "Is the Christmas party that boring for you to sound so eager for news about our case?"

Mai sighed, _"Well… Christmas is a company event, the family part is preparing it with everyone… we didn't enjoy them privately."_ She was whispering so obviously this girl sneaked out to make this international call.

"Hayato must be busy covering up your absence." I couldn't help but say in amused voice.

Mai sputtered, _"Well… fifteen minutes is not that long! I need some fresh air, it's so stuffy inside."_

I doubted it very much it was because the party location was crowded. "Is that so?"

 _"_ _I bet you also sneaked out from this kind of occasion!"_ She didn't sound accusing, more like making a statement because she could tell I would do the same thing if I was on her shoes.

I just chuckled, "Alright… so you don't want to hear about the case?"

 _"_ _I want to!"_ I could almost imagine she was jumping giddily on the other end.

So I began to summarize what happened so far to Mai, just general information because she had no time to hear the whole story.

 _"_ _Poor Lin-san."_ She cooed before ending it with a giggle, she didn't really pity Lin for getting stuck with fatherly duty. _"And Naru, you're so mean to sneak out of his watch when he is occupied."_

Of course she could tell what I was doing. "Well… right back at you, beside… he should know I am more than capable to take care of myself." I said as I surveyed the area, using my psychometry just to sense if there was any trace of lingering emotion of Kenji-kun.

No luck on that front.

"At any rate Mai… you have a horrible timing, to think we have another hide and seek when you're absent."

Mai snorted, _"Well… be grateful for Lin-san then. However I suggest you to not push your luck with him, an adult or n_ ot… _he is not Bou-san or Father John."_ Mai pointed out to me. " _Considering how exasperated he is with you sometimes… I am afraid he will lose his patience with Kenji-kun."_

"…Lin will?"

 _"_ _Naru… a child, especially a child with special need like Kenji-kun is not easy to deal with. Not to mention Lin-san obviously has no experience in dealing with children. At least… my intuition assume he doesn't."_

I snorted, recalling how Lin treated Gene and me when we were young. We were not like most children and yet he had difficulty to deal with us. _"No… you're right on the mark that Lin is no good with children."_ I confirmed her intuition. "Which is why I leave Bou-san and John with him."

 _"_ _Good call but I wonder…"_

I couldn't blame her to worry because Bou-san and John were easily distracted, especially since Yuni and Lin made a strange picture that fascinate them. The environment didn't help either, these children were hungry for attention and distracting our coworkers.

"Say… Mai." I called her, leaning against the wall of the church. "Where will you hide as a child in hide and seek?" To be honest I didn't have experience on this kind of game, Gene was a friendly child but because of our ability we didn't get to play this kind of group game.

No one wanted the creepy twins to play with them.

Mai hesitated, and there was a long pause before she answered. _"Uhm… you do realize my brother and I were called creepy Tweedledee-Tweedledum when we were small?"_ She recalled ever mentioning it to me when we were stuck on sewer.

You too then… maybe even worse since Gene and I could still share game because we were both boys. In Mai's case, her twin was not even the same gender.

"Right, sorry…" I wouldn't want to mention what kind of childhood I went through because of my own status as creepy twins either.

 _"_ _Beside… do you think there is any point for someone like me and my brother to play hide and seek?"_ Mai asked pointedly, followed by an amused snort.

Of course not. It would be a waste of time for someone who was so sensitive to presence playing hide and seek, kid or not. "I guess... however try thinking about it in rhetorical sense, where is a good hiding place in this kind of place?"

 _"_ _I am not sure for a church… it's a sacred place, kids usually are not allowed to play that kind of game there."_ Mai told me in amused tone. _"However… you have to think like a child to guess this kind of puzzle, kids you see… people usually assume they're simple minded while in fact they could have a mind as complex as adult."_

I paused at that, _'This girl really need to write a book, she is like a walking encyclopedia of human's mind.'_ Though knowing Mai she would deny possibility of writing such book, because human was too complex to be translated to a written formula.

Mai cleared her throat, _"Especially in a game of hide and seek, it's like a detective game for kids to guess where their friends could be hiding. So if Kenji-kun was the best in this game, he was a smart kid with creative mind to think out of the box."_

"Creative mind?" I echoed, "Because to win a game like hide and seek…" And so frequently to the point even over thirty years people still remember Kenji never really lose in this game. "Means… he outwitted his peers."

Mai was humming on the other side now, pleased I was following her thought process.

 _"_ _And also… this is not just especially true to kids but human in general, you see…"_

 _"…"_

* * *

 **Kitchen (3** **rd** **POV)**

The kitchen of Tojo's church looked like a bakery now with how delicious smell of cakes permeated in the air. Bou-san couldn't help but feel excited when he saw so many cake on the table, and found Masako and Ayako were helping the volunteers baking the cake.

"Wow, do you guys need any help?"

Tsukiyo-san, a volunteer and childhood friend of Kenji-kun nodded. "Yes… the children is in charge of wrapping the cake so-" She paused when she saw Yuni who was possessed by Kenji-kun were eyeing the cakes excitedly. "Erm…"

The children were surrounding Lin now, and wondered if he was Yuni's father. Lin was depressed to be involved in this mess, and wondered what he had done to deserve this.

Bou-san in the other hand saw this as an opportunity to pacify Kenji-kun, especially since he looked very excited to help out. "Let us to help you guys!"

Tsukiyo-san hesitated but Father Tojo came in and understood what Bou-san had in mind so he explained to Tsukiyo, this was for Kenji-kun's sake.

"First we wrap them in foil then wrapping paper…" Tsukiyo-san showed them a finished sample. "Just follow this sample…"

"Hai~" They answered in chorus cheerfully.

It was plainly obvious the children were more skilled than they were at this. The kids of Tojo's church were used to be tasked to help in this kind of activity. John fumbled when wrapping the cake with foil and the boy beside him had to teach him how to do it neatly. It seemed at some point they didn't see him as someone older, but their age as they didn't tease him for being clumsy. John of course was blissfully unaware he was mistaken as a kid instead of being on his late teens.

Bou-san was enjoying himself surrounded with children, as he tied reborn on the tightly curled hair of a Senegal girl. "Same ribbon as the cake!"

The blond girl beside him pointed at herself, "Me too!"

"Okay!"

Lin in the other was not enjoying himself _at all_ considering he was forced to participate, so it was no wonder even a job as simple as tying a ribbon was difficult to him. Difficult in a sense his heart was not in it, and he had to imitate neatly tied butterfly ribbon like the sample.

Kenji-kun was a perfectionist, and he could tell Lin was not trying so he untied the crooked ribbon Lin made, pointing at the sample and pushed the cake towards him to redo his work.

Bou-san could see Lin's black soul hanging over his head.

At last the task was done and Bou-san volunteered to clean up the kitchen for them and send the children to play outside. Lin staggered out of the kitchen, Yuni was still hanging over his arm.

"Well… they looks pretty cute once we get used to this image."

"Bou-san… Lin-san is suffering you know."

The Monk shrugged, "He just need to enjoy the fatherly role, especially to a cute girl like Yuni."

He was so absorbed by his thought, the Monk forgot he had let Lin and Yuni out of his sight.

"Enough already!"

Crap, he and John thought in unison. Lin had snapped at last.

* * *

 **Church's Yard (Naru's POV)**

"…"

 _"_ _Right?"_

"That's only true to simple-minded human." I told her bluntly.

Mai snorted, "Excuse me mister genius… it's just how mind works."

"Which is also why many field of science stalled for years." I retorted smoothly.

 _"_ _Ha ha… is that so? What are you planning to do next?"_

"I can't think like a child." I admitted honestly, "My thinking process as a child was already different anyway…" I couldn't relate with them for sure.

She snorted, _"Is that so?"_

I scoffed, "Which is why maybe we can just as the children to play hide and seek, then eliminate places they searched and go from there…" Simple but effective experiment.

Mai scowled, _"Naru… that's a church, and you're going to make kids looking for a corpse in there?!"_ She asked in incredulous tone.

Well… if you said it like that, it indeed sounded wrong even by my standard. "Right… I don't think anyone will approve."

I could almost imagine she was rolling her eyes now at me in the other end. " _Oh well, my time is almost up… we're almost in the end of the party anyway."_ I blinked at that, then recalled Italy was seven hours ahead of Japan so since it's already three in the afternoon it would be ten at night in Italy.

"Your party ends so soon?" I couldn't help but ask.

 _"_ _Well… we started it early, that's how it goes traditionally in my family. We have a lots of kids here so we have to get them to sleep early for main event tomorrow."_ Mai explained to me.

So unlike most normal people in the world to Mai's family, Christmas Eve was not as important as the part opening present in the morning. "Well… your family consist of Hayato and Spanner…" And the rest of individuals that made irregular coworkers of ours looked normal in comparison.

 _"_ _Is that sarcasm I heard?"_ Mai giggled at me, _"Ma… once you get to hire a large number of people I hope you understand that antics is a minor thing to deal with as a boss. Be thankful you just need to endure Lin-san shadowing you as part of your working relationship."_

I snorted at that, "Better than your family's antics?"

 _"_ _Try to be in my shoes... I doubt you will last a week, so try to go easy on Lin-san."_ Then she paused, most likely she just remembered something. _"And also Naru… I just realize, do you know you tend to get distracted when concentrating on a case?"_

"Mai… concentrating is the opposite of being distracted." Not to mention this came from you who was very distractible?

 _"_ _I mean you forget everything else… people around you especially, so I couldn't help but wonder if you have enlighten Lin-san on why you make him taking care of the child Kenji-kun possessed?"_

"He should have known, he is not an idiot."

 _"_ _I think Lin-san is more concerned on you taking advantage of this development…"_ Mai said pointedly, _"Like I said… if Lin-san snapped at the kid and Kenji-kun ran off, what are you going to do?"_

"Mai…" I groaned, "I don't believe in jinx, but considering your intuition…" You were going to jinx us.

Bou-san as if on cue appeared, panting really hard as he ran towards me followed by Lin and John. I was almost afraid to ask what was going on. Although most likely…

"Naru-bou! We're so sorry but Lin got mad at him so now Kenji-kun is missing!" He informed me hastily.

I sighed, "Mai…"

 _"_ _It's not my fault!"_ Mai denied vehemently, _"I told you repeatedly to explain your intention, not everyone can just roll with it all the time! Lin-san is no exception!"_ She huffed at me. " _At any rate… try to find the kid Kenji-kun possessed soon! It's winter, you know! I have to go soon, if you need me just email!"_

 _"_ _Hime!"_ Someone hissed in the background.

 _"_ _Coming!"_ She answered, _"Bye, Naru!"_

Click

I sighed and looking at distraught Lin somehow I couldn't feel sympathy for him but annoyance. "That's not very mature of you to get mad at a child."

Lin looked like he had been struck by lightning, to be branded immature by a teenager like me must be shocking. I ignored his reaction or Bou-san who told me to spare Lin, it seemed my guardian really had no idea of the significance of keeping an eye on Kenji-kun in Yuni-chan's body.

"Which is why I told you to keep an eye on her." I told him after we explained everything all over again to Lin.

"But!"

As if on cue Tojo and Shima appeared, running towards us after they parked our second van. "Shibuya-sachou! Lin-san… Brown-san, Bou-san!" They called us. "Is everything alright?"

Bou-san sighed, "Well… more people which mean better search party, you see…" Much to my relief we only need to explain the part there was a spirit that like to play hide and seek possessing children in this church, skipped the trivial, and on to searching part. Tojo and Shima were followers through and through, they didn't need explanation to follow their order to the letter.

Unlike Lin… well, Lin was my bodyguard and guardian so of course he didn't.

"So… how the child this spirit possess looks like?" Tojo asked, fishing his black phone out. "Please email it to me if you have a picture."

Bou-san fished out his and started to type, it made me wonder since when Tojo had their email address. "There… she is really a cute little girl, kinda like Jou-chan."

Kinda like Mai he said? I couldn't help but recall for briefly thinking that as my first impression of Yuni.

"Oh… yes, what a cu-" Tojo and Shima choked on nothing the moment he opened the attached picture on the email Bou-san sent him. Smiling blue eyed little girl who was hugging Lin's neck. "Yu… YUNI-HIME?!" They squeaked in unison.

"-hime?" Bou-san echoed in confusion.

Looking at their pale face I couldn't help but wonder why Tojo and Shima looked like someone just told them the end of the world was near. "Tojo? Shima?"

"Ne…" Shima stuttered, "Never mind… how she got here, but do you… have any idea who is this?!"

Bou-san shook his head, "Nope… we thought she is one of kids, foreigner workers left in Father Tojo's care."

"As if!" Tojo wailed, "She is not some random kid! Gah! What the hell we should do?!"

"If something happen to her…" Shima trailed off, shivering in fear and not because of the weather.

I was getting annoyed with their drama, "Alright… explain, who is this Yuni? And why you guys are so panic?"

Tojo and Shima regained their composure, or as much as they could anyway after the world shattering revelation. "Yuni-hime is… the daughter of Giglio Nero family from Italy, a very old and illustrious family like Hime."

Oh-

"We already know she and her closest companions are having a vacation in Japan for Christmas, and just this morning… they called Foundation in panic about their missing princess. Foundation is basically borderline turning the whole surrounding area upside down in search of her…" Tojo explained in not so calm voice.

Shima nodded, "Her family doted on her even more than we would our own princess… They don't even let anyone to look at Yuni-hime funny."

Overprotective family? Ridiculous…

"Wealth and size wise, they're nowhere near ours but… we maintain good relationship for over eight generations with them… if something happen to Yuni-hime… let's just say the consequence won't be pretty."

John fidgeted, "Uhm… it can't be that serious… ne?"

Shima sighed, "This is a national secret but Giglio Nero family, a lot of nobles and former royal family of Italy are collateral relative of theirs… so this could escalate to international incident."

I wished this was an unfunny joke they played on us, however Shima and Tojo definitely were not joking or exaggerating the whole ordeal. This girl was even more of a princess than Mai.

"Then… we really have to find her really quickly." I decided.

Tojo coughed, "And also Shibuya-sachou…"

Now what…

"She is a very close friend of Hime so… actually rather than international incident we should worry first about how Hime would react if she finds out."

"Her fretting over Chrome-san before would be mild in comparison since… at least Chrome-san can protect herself but Yuni-hime…" Shima added grimly.

Without a word all of us rushed back to the church to get more help to look for Yuni. For some reason Mai's wrath felt more… catastrophic than international incident to us.

* * *

 **Italy, Vongola HQ (3** **rd** **POV)**

"Hm?" Mai blinked owlishly, turning her eyes away from the stage where Fran and Belphegor were singing a duet, and trying to kill one another in the same time. Belphegor was still trying at least, Fran outright ignore the attempt.

"Ah…" Tsuna who was sitting beside her also turning his attention away from the stage. "This restless feeling is not going away."

Mai nodded, "The downside of our hyper intuition… even we sense something we don't always know what was afoot." She frowned when she saw their father came to their direction. "Hmph!"

Iemitsu grinned, his amber eyes twinkled at the sight of his twin children. "Hello Tsuna, Mai!" He gave them a hug, enveloping them in one shoulder hug. "My adorable children."

Tsuna just smiled sheepishly, "Father, please refrain from leaving your seat…"

The guardians who were sitting around them eyed Iemitsu with disapproving glare, even Chrome.

Jiiiiiii…

"Aha ha… I can feel the heat already." He couldn't help but say, especially from the cloud and rain.

It was a mistaken conception than among the guardians the most bloodthirsty and violent were Hibari and Mukuro, and even Gokudera Hayato. It was not off on Hibari, but second most violent was Yamamoto Takeshi. The boy was harmless when he was in carefree mode, but when provoked he was as violent as the cloud. Befitting his role as the rain that wash away conflict with his flame and blood.

Or maybe he was worse than Hibari considering the skylark was still enjoying snack prepared on his table while his glare persist, Yamamoto was already fingering the katana on his waist. He even had the gall to smile innocently at Iemitsu.

He ignored the guardians and leaned in so his mouth was on the same level as the twin's ear. "So… if you two are feeling restless while Nonno and I aren't, this must be something to do with your fellow Trinisette holders…"

Mai was unperturbed her father guessed correctly. "Even if that's the case, it would be our business. Not yours… _External_ Advisor-san."

"Ugh!" Since they officially became the leader of family, his title sounded like an insult rather than an honorific especially since Mai never failed to emphasize the 'external' part as if reminding him that he was an outsider. "As usual… my sweet princess have sharp tongue." He moaned as waterfall tears streamed down his cheek.

Mai rolled her eyes, "What people will think if you're crying over our shoulders?"

Tsuna just laughed, "It would be terrible if rumors go around, ne…"

And they were more worried of rumor than his feeling, the pain of a father!

"Lamenting your personal feeling in front of our famiglia is not very professional." This time even the storm joined in.

The rain followed suit, "Ma~ not very adult like!"

"Immature." The youngest guardian, their lightning added his two cents before taking a sip of his grape juice.

The sun didn't resist to join the family activity, "Munch! Unextreme Dad!" He grumbled between munching his food.

"Hn." He was just grunting but his lowered gaze speaking louder than words.

Chrome, the female mist just glanced at him before outright ignoring his presence.

Mukuro pity him enough to say something verbally. "My dear skies… do try to be patient with your father, especially for the sake of his glass like fragile heart."

Had this brat forgotten who made special arrangement to make him mist guardian?!

"He is so pitiful, it make me want to lau-" He paused before correcting himself. "I mean cry… Kufufu fu fu…"

For once the cloud ignored the laugh that normally got on his nerve, a sign he approved Mukuro picking on Iemitsu. They were making it very clear his presence was unwelcome, and he was indirectly requested to leave.

Iemitsu sighed, the current generation guardians was such a tight-knit group it was almost scary how they could maintain their link even with constant separation.

"I get it, I get it…" He raised his hand in placating gesture, releasing the twin skies in the same time. "At least tell me that everything is under control."

Mai and Tsuna glanced at each other and decided, **"We're not a bundle of nerves, are we?"** They said in unison.

Didn't he just say they looked restless? Well… not to the point of anxiety but something obviously bothering them.

"Father, can you please go back to your seat already?" Mai said with annoyed tone.

Tsuna eyed the two group seats on their left side, smiling at their direction and earned a scowl from Xanxus and a salute from Ganauche who raised his wine glass. "The Varia and Ninth's guardians are noticing you're hanging too long around us."

* * *

 **With Varia**

"That trashy boss of ours!" It took a lot on him but liked it or not Xanxus had acknowledged Tsuna as Neo-Primo. "Does he really think there is anything that can be solved with smiling?!"

Squalo sighed, "Well… considering treaty with Millefiore is borderline bloodless and new system is in place." Who could blame Neo-Primo to think his smile was problem-solving?

Xanxus just scowled louder, glaring at Tsuna who keep smiling as if it would make Xanxus to smile back. "Why the hell that Iemitsu hanging around there for so long anyway?"

Every member right under inner circle, namely Varia, Ninth guardians and upper echelon of CEDEF knew the current boss and princess were pretty distant towards their father.

"He is annoying Neo-Primo and Himefor sure." Belphegor who just returned from the stage said, looking at the direction of the main table.

"Hooo…" Fran, the youngest of Varia droned on. "He is leaving though."

* * *

 **With the Ninth's guardians**

"Well, everyone seems to be in good spirit for Christmas!" Ganauche cheered as he raised his wine glass in salute to their current boss and princess.

Coyote sighed, "Have you forgotten… the point of Christmas party is not for mere festival? It's also a large scale inspection…"

Ganauche snorted, "Yes… Coyote, I am not the one with teenager grandson here."

"Coyote…" The ninth sun eyed the growing tick on Coyote's temple. "Ganauche already had a lot of alcohol tonight, don't take his words seriously."

"I know…" Coyoto growled at the smirking lightning.

It was like a tradition that Lightning guardian had a talent to get on the storm's nerve.

"What Iemitsu is doing up there anyway?" The main seats for current guardians were separated with the rest with three feet platform after all. High enough to be distinctive but low enough for them to be seen by all.

"Saa… annoying his children as usual?"

Nonno just smiled sadly at that, "Never mind him interacting with his children, beside… he is leaving anyway."

"Ah, right… he is."

* * *

 **Back with the Mai and co**

RING! RING!

Two rings in the same time, it was Hibari's and Iemitsu's. Without glancing at each other they picked their phone, not saying a word only listening to the report from their subordinates. Iemitsu was the first to end the line, followed closely by Hibari. "According to my men, in Japan-"

Hibari cut him off, "I will give them the report…" He was borderline growling it to Iemitsu.

The external advisor and the cloud glared at each other, which was cut off by Tsuna. "Kyoya will give me his report… return to your seat, external advisor."

"You're overstaying your welcome here." Mai added, her gaze lowered.

Iemitsu palmed his face, "Alright…" Then he left the seating area and walked towards CEDEF area, huffing indignantly.

Mai sighed, "Really… he is creating unnecessary attention from Varia and ninth generation." Her face was still as serene as ever because the next performer were still preparing so a lot of attention was on them.

Tsuna as always was smiling, "He is just worried."

"He should be more subtle." Mai returned. "Then again if he knew subtlety, he will not send those ridiculous postcards home." If there was anything she had a personal grudge against her father for, it was the postcard. They were getting laughed at whenever they had to write about their father and his job when they were little, no five years old would know better how ridiculous it was for directing traffic in Alaska, especially if your mother believe it.

If only Iemitsu had decency to think up a better excuse… ironically Iemitsu never really lied on where he was considering all those postcards were indeed where he was going for his CEDEF duty.

Their cloud suddenly cleared his throat, "His ridiculousness aside… we're watching those who enter Japan more closely at the time like this… and it seems some rats sneaked in this morning. That meddling omnivore… he knows it too." It was also no secret of all guardians Iemitsu often butt heads with Kyouya for obvious reason, "Are we going to stay idle?"

With Yuni in Japan, that couldn't be done.

Tsuna hummed, "By the way… next performer is Giannini, ne?"

Hayato almost choked on his drink, "Who the hell give him permission to go on stage?!"

Mai checked the program list booklet. "Hm… next is Shouichi and Spanner, they're going to sing duet with some robot acrobats on the side…" She looked back to the stage. "But yes… I did sense his presence on stage?"

"Oh boy…" Hayato groaned, "He is still competing with them?! Someone stop him!"

Takeshi laughed, "It's fine ne? It's the last show so… let it end with a bang!"

"We have enough of bang!" Ironically this came from Hayato and Lambo.

Hibari stood from his seat, "I have enough…"

Ryohei cheered, "Extreme show!"

Mai sighed, "Let him be… it's how our family rolls anyway."

"At worse… Coyote will just scold us." Tsuna chimed in. "Isn't this a good opportunity anyway?"

The guardians paused at that.

"Mukuro… Chrome." Mai called their pair of mist. "Do us a favor… and Kyo-san, if you want an early leave. You have one order from us."

"Hn?"

"Kufufu fu fu…"

"Hai… Boss, Hime."

* * *

 **Japan, Tojo's church (Naru's POV)**

"We're going to re-ennact hide and seek, and for that Father Tojo… we need the help of your children." I requested to the older priest.

He hesitated for a moment, looking at the weather outside. "Well… I guess if we should." Yuni was out there, she was wearing pretty warm clothes but you would never know whether she was really alright.

Strange… for kids who by afternoon in the winter would be inside Yuni strangely wore layered clothes. It look thin at the first glance, but Lin who had been in close contact said her clothes were made of thick and warm material. At least at this temperature she won't get too cold.

"But they can't find Kenji." Bou-san pointed out.

"Exactly." I narrowed my eyes, "I don't mean to get them to find Yuni-chan directly, but to eliminate places children would search… Kenji-kun was very good at hiding so most likely he is using places children normally don't look."

Bou-san grinned at me, "I see, great idea!" Just like that I let him took charge to lead the children to this game of hide and seek. "Kids! We need your help over here!"

Hearing a grown up needing their help perked their interest very quickly. "You see… I need your help to find your Yuni-neechan!"

"Hai!"

It didn't take long for the children to dart to different directions within the church in search for Yuni-chan. In the background the kids were looking seriously, some were playing around with Bou-san and John, or to be exact playing them. I usually would be annoyed of their slacking but as said by me, I was not getting them to look for Kenji-kun or Yuni-chan.

I was looking for a pattern we can follow, it was not easy to look for it since these children seemed to look randomly.

Or not…

It was a glaring difference when I compare the children with Bou-san and John who were also looking. The children… the height of their searching area were different, but they shared one similarity… neither the children nor John and Bou-san were looking above their heads.

 _"_ _You see Naru… when human is looking for something for a game, they usually look no further than within their field of vision!"_

Well… no one could beat Mai at how human mind works, it seemed.

"High places!" Bou-san suddenly announced, "The kids didn't look at areas above their heads!"

John followed suit, "Right… the difference between the kids and us, they're not looking at areas on our eye level!"

"So that means…"

We started looking outside but there was no part of the building with good height that could be reached by a child at Yuni-chan's height. Except… the trees. John luckily found Yuni on the very first tree he came across, she was a little dirty because climbing the tree in white dress and a little cold.

Bou-san quickly climbed up and brought her down from the tree, scolding Kenji. "You shouldn't hide this long and on a weather like this! Please think about the body you borrow, kid!" He was wrapping Yuni with his coat, it looked awkward on the petite girl.

Kenji who was still occupying Yuni's body didn't answer and instead run towards Lin who was walking beside Tojo and Shima, once again clung to him tightly. "Gah!"

"Yuni-hime?!"

"You're going to get Lin-san killed by Signor-Gamma!"

Bou-san groaned, "Here we go again, back to square one?"

I sighed, bending down so I was on the same eye level as the child. "Kenji-kun…" I began in the gentlest voice I could muster, or rather how Gene would to a lost spirit. "This man is not your father…" According to Father Tojo, the father was already… a man whose son loved him so much wouldn't abandon his son. "Your father is in heaven now, and he is waiting for you so… this game of hide and seek is already over."

Realization dawned on her eyes as the spirit took in my words.

"So tell me, where are you?"

Her lips didn't utter a word, but she craned her neck up and her eyes gazed at the three status that was the center piece of the architecture. My eyes widened when I spotted something that shouldn't be up there, right beside the feet of the angel statue. A place so high above children's eye level…

A skull…

"I found him." I announced, then pointing up.

It didn't take long for the rest of them to see what I was looking at and I didn't need to see to know all of them couldn't help but feel sad for Kenji-kun.

"It can't be…" Hara-san covered her lips.

"He is in such place." John murmured in disbelief.

Bou-san and Lin didn't say anything, words failed them.

"A kid trapped there?" Tojo murmured sadly.

Shima sniffed, "We feel for you! Kenji-kun!"

Kenji who was still occupying Yuni's body let go of Lin and walked towards me, a smile painted on her lips. Then for the last time he spoke his last words to me. "Thank you…"

Then he passed on peacefully just like that.

Silent Christmas case: closed!

* * *

 **Italy, somewhere unknown…**

Byakuran was very happy to be involved in group activity, Hibari was not. Especially when he recalled he escaped the rest of the party because of Mukuro's illusion. Family or not he refused to owe that man any favor!

Kikyou was not either, and neither was Zakuro or the rest of Funeral Wreath but both of them were left behind in Millefiore HQ to host the rest of their own Christmas party so they couldn't voice their displeasure.

Mai resisted her urge to whack smiling Byakuran upside his head, because her fellow sky was calculating coordinates and other delicate process in his Quantum computer so it won't be wise to interrupt him.

Tsuna just smiled, not because he was happy like Byakuran but considering the general bad mood Tsuna supposed he had to keep balanced mood somehow.

"Thirty seconds until launching F.R.T system!" He announced cheerfully. "I am sure none of us have any problem to donate five million FV ne?" He grinned, "Aside from Mai-chan that is." He just had to score a jab after the Vongola princess threatened to deport him from Japan.

WHACK!

With no reason to hold back again, Mai gave in to her urge to whack Byakuran upside his head as hard as she could.

"Mai!" Tsuna chided her. "What if he gets concussion or brain damage?"

"Then we will worry later." Mai returned smoothly.

Byakuran pouted, "On the count of ten!"

* * *

 **Back to Japan, Tojo's church**

After Kenji left her body, obviously Yuni's body would fall. That was the usual case for possession, unless you possess immense mental prowess to combat the exhaustion caused by housing foreign spirit in your body. Bou-san moved to catch her, Tojo and Shima outright threw their body to cushion their fall.

Yuni however only staggered a little before straightening herself, "Hm…" Her eyes closed briefly before opening again, revealing cerulean blue eyes that gazed straight at mine. "Hello… Shibuya Kazuya-san desu ne?"

My eyes widened for a moment before my brain started to put two and two together, she is a close friend of Mai… she was in that room as if giving herself up as a target for Kenji to possess. She dressed warmly as if she knew she would stay outside for a long period of time. Not to mention he never introduced himself to her.

"So… you're the one who send me that letter." I concluded.

Yuni just smiled at me, her eyes that looked older almost ancient didn't waver. "Hai… Shibuya-san." She gave me a curt bow. "I am Yuni Sephira Giglio Nero… it's a pleasure to meet you at last."

Bou-san blinked in confusion. "At last?"

I gazed at her questioningly and she nodded as if she knew my unspoken query. "She is a seer, someone with clairvoyance and precognition."

As expected all of them now were looking at Yuni in a new light.

She didn't seem to be unnerved by the attention, taking it in stride. "Actually… I am better known as a shaman than a seer… after all I didn't give my prophecy away easily."

…A medium too then, a pure one like Gene most likely. Her mental strength was formidable to boot, she had been possessed for hours and she didn't seem rattled at all. Not even Gene could stand that at such a young age, she couldn't be older than twelve.

"You see… if I didn't come here." She glanced at Hara-san meaningfully. "Kenji-kun will possess you… erm your name?"

Hara-san looked confused.

"It's just polite to ask." She explained, "I have been pretty rude with Shibuya-san after all…"

Hara-san blushed a deep red, "I am Hara Masako, nice to meet you… uhm."

"Yuni is fine." She assured the other medium.

"Yuni-san." Hara-san tried.

Addressing someone who was younger with honorific, Hara-san felt overwhelmed by her presence alone. I never knew she was this easily influenced, then again Mai unnerved Hara-san too even though she already knew Mai for quite some time.

Yuni just smiled at her, used to be addressed as if she was older than her age. "Kenji-kun would have possessed Hara-san… and with that kind of clothes…" She trailed off.

It didn't take long for us to figure out why Yuni went out her way to intercept Kenji-kun. Hara-san was wearing kimono, and he who was not used to that kind of clothes wouldn't care and climb the tree to hide. Hara-san would have fallen _again…_

Hara-san paled, most likely she also realize what would happen if she got possessed by Kenji-kun. "A… Thank you very much Yuni-san! For saving me!" She bowed profusely at Yuni.

"It's fine…" Yuni assured her.

Hara-san looked up then realized Yuni's white dress had dirt on it, and there is a small tear on her stocking. "But… but! Your clothes!"

Tojo stepped forward, "Yuni-hime…"

"Ah! You're Mai-san's…" She beamed at them.

"Uhm… this is perhaps a minor issue to you but we think you should change your clothes." He pointed out nervously. "If your family sees your state of dress… they will freak."

Yuni giggled, "They worry too much."

"Forgive us for stepping out of our boundary…" Shima added, equally nervous. "But Gamma-san has every right to be worried since you leave your vacation house without a word."

I couldn't help but wonder if it was a trend for these princesses to escape their bodyguards?

"Ara ra… I did leave a letter to inform them I would be fine and they should continue preparing our Christmas Party!" She was giggling, as if her state of dress was nothing to worry about. "Don't worry, I prepare clothes to change into." Of course she did. "However… Shibuya-san, I am curious how you find Kenji-kun?" She wondered. "I don't like to pry on spirit's past… so I couldn't help but wonder how did he get there?"

I sighed, she was as curious as Mai for sure. "Over thirty years ago when this church was still under construction. There must be a scaffolding… he used that to climb up there."

"Oh…"

Bou-san chimed in, still eyeing Yuni curiously. I couldn't blame him, it was not every day you met a genuine seer like Yuni. "But how did he trap there?"

"The storm broke the scaffolding… the whistle also when he climbed up, under that storm… I don't think he can make enough noise to alert search party." I looked up at Kenji who was still up there, wondering if I wouldn't find Gene for years too. "It also must be his style of hiding… he knew high places are somewhere his peers won't even look. Which is why he stayed as quiet as he could so they wouldn't realize this loophole." I finished my explanation.

Yuni's eyes glimmered and for a moment I recalled Mai's real eyes too. "I see… thank you for finding that lost child." She said in gratitude. "I guess… Mai-san is right to put her trust in you after all."

"?" What did she mean by that…?

She sighed suddenly, "And here I thought I have more time…" She murmured to herself. "Future is such a fickle thing…" Then without warning she darted towards the depth of the wood.

"Yuni-hime!" Tojo shouted in shock.

BANG!

All of us froze in shock, including me who knew the sound that just echoed through the air.

It was the sound of a gunshot.

"Is that gunshot?" Bou-san voiced my thought out loud.

No one bother to answer him, I quickly barked an order for Hara-san, Matsuzaki-san, Tojo and Shima to stay on the church to alert Father Toujo and call the police. I had a feeling whoever shooting was not after anyone inside the church, Yuni however was another matter entirely.

She was a prime target for whoever with bad intention, and how she fled… she already knew this was going to happen. Most likely she also had no intention to stay long, future was fickle indeed… she must had thought she would be found faster and enough time to flee from this premise but…

While future went on as she predicted, not everything went according to it.

"We have to catch up with her!" I barked at the guys to follow me.

"But." John panted lightly as we continued to run. "What should we do when faced with someone with gun?"

Bou-san groaned, "Well… we can always bend the rule a little and using our power on people ne?"

As usual he was always open minded when it came to saving people.

"We can use my shiki to disarm them." Lin suggested.

Obviously I wasn't going to suggest my PK, I would keep it as last resort. We were so absorbed in thinking how to save Yuni, so none of us realized for a split second there was a pillar of light from the sky. I noticed from the corner of my eyes but it was so brief, I passed it as a trick of light.

 **(3** **rd** **POV)**

Yuni was never good at running, better than average people but she was no fighter so in comparison of her fellow sky her stamina was nothing to be proud of. Maybe she should have tried harder to convince Gamma to allow her to exercise her body.

She tried her best to get to furthest part of the forest near the church, thankfully there was a lot of untouched land left in this part of the city so she had enough space to run. Even though not necessarily enough time to use the said space.

"Stop running… Princess of Giglio Nero, or rather… Giglio Nero Decimo." A man dressed in standard mafia suit but in grey color stepped from behind a tree, a gun ready on his hand. He looked to be in his late thirties, he had slick, gelled-back black hair and shaved stubble on his chin, with a line of hair running up to his lower lip. "If you cooperate, no harm would be done to you."

Yuni giggled at that, "Of course not… after all you need me unharmed, beside… I don't even have to predict the future to know what we… Trinisette famiglia would do if you even lay one finger on me."

At that chorus of gulp and nervous chatters followed that statement in the background. They were definitely not on the bright side on being stealthy, if one line of gruesome prospect gave away their location.

"Ugh…"

She sighed, "We don't like fighting… why don't you leave? Even if you somehow escape my family's wrath… Vongola is never kind to those who touch their allies."

Even with the new policy in place, Vongola couldn't dismiss their bloody reputation so easily. It didn't help their current boss was famed for his destructive power.

"Byakuran is never known for his mercy either…" She added sweetly.

She was not threatening them, just telling factual prospect ahead of them if they went through with their plan. She almost felt sorry for them, it would never end well to try threatening Trinisette famiglie.

The leader trembled in anger, "Be quiet! Because you're from an old family… all of you look down on us! Vongola have enough power on their own and yet… they put such policy in place as if they're a herald for peace!"

"We wish for nothing but the end of industry of violence." Yuni stated with conviction. "How long we're going to continue shedding blood? Until the last one standing? If that's what you want… you should know…" Her eyes hardened. "You would be the first to go while Vongola and Millefiore would be the last ones standing!"

Such a bloody future… no, it was not a future but mere tragedy.

"If we continue the old bloody tradition of Costa Nostra, the end that waiting for us is just extinction!" She continued.

The boss growled, "And yet! Vongola! Millefiore! Giglio Nero! All you are driving us to our ruin… we're losing power! When we tried to gain more… Vongola get on the way! If Neo-Primo didn't interfere… we would have gain possession of Ranking Prince!"

Yuni narrowed her eyes at him. "I see… boss of Todd Famiglia…Paulo Todd I presume." The one who tried to kidnap Fuuta who was under Vongola's protection.

He snickered, "What an honor to know Giglio Nero Decimo know my name…"

"So you honestly believe power will save you from ruin? Have you realize… it's our power that bring us to ruin in the first place? Not to one family but all of us… so drunk by our power to the point we can't live without it… after all it's your greed for power that ruin you to this state."

"Be quiet!" Now he was holding her at gun point, his subordinates surrounded him nervously.

"Boss!"

Then another group emerged to that clearing, and Yuni inwardly bemoaned how unpredictable future was. "Yuni-chan!" It was the Monk who was calling her name. "Bastard! Let go of her!"

If only… they didn't find her as quickly, she lamented inwardly. Not even concerned about the gun Paulo was pointing at her temple. She had to apologize to Mai-san later that was more important than the gun. It wasn't like they had guts to harm her, although… Yuni was a little worried of Paulo's trembling hand.

"Don't move!" It seemed Paulo had forgotten why he was threatening Yuni. "If you do, I will kill her."

Yuni sweat-dropped, "Uhm… you shouldn't say that where people can hear you." She admonished the trembling Boss who was losing his nerve. "And also…" She glanced at the gun, but more precisely at the poor trembling hand of Paulo Todd. "I think you better withdrew your gun _and_ hand before…"

"Haa? What are you talk-"

"Before your hand broke-" Yuni finished.

CRACK

Paulo choked, staring at his wrist that bend on weird angle. However before he could let out a scream he was silenced by an upper cut to his chin. "Hargh!" He let out a choked sound before he promptly collapsed on the ground, twitching and convulsing in pain.

Yuni sighed, "I told you… arara… that looks very painful. You should have gone easy on him."

The SPR team gaped at the new figure standing behind Yuni, flexing her fist absentmindedly. She was still dressed in a white dress with heart neckline, it had two layered skirt. The short white on the front and another on top that open on the front but flowed all the way pass her knees on the back. The dress was mostly white but the underside that shown by longer skirt was deep orange. It was definitely not meant to be worn when fighting, and on top of that she was wearing high heels boot.

However the wearer didn't care, skirt or not the next guy who tried to shoot was knocked out cold by a knee on his solar plexus and a chopping hit to his neck.

"Going easy." She echoed in coldest voice that almost freezing those who heard her. "You must be kidding Yuni-chan~" She was giggling now. "Didn't these guys say… they will kill you? If they think they can't get away easily, they would think we're getting _too_ soft."

Yuni just sighed, "Your friends are watching… Mai-san."

Sawada Mai, princess of Vongola and vice-boss of Neo-Primo just scoffed. "I know but even so…"

"Mai!" Naru called her out. "Behind you!"

Mai didn't even bother to look back, elbowing the man who was trying to crept behind her on vital area that knocked him out cold, said vital area was groin and Mai used her heels to greatest advantage. It never cease to baffle her how people keep trying to catch her from behind. Idiots…

 **Vongola Trivia by Reborn~  
** _13\. Only idiots tried to catch Vongola off guard from behind,  
if anything you're in more danger because they will retaliate by reflex.  
In short… no holding back, and aim straight at your vitals. _

The rest was a blur of movement, as Mai let herself to enter pseudo state of hyper mode. Some sort of calm zone that let her concentrate on reading muscle movement, body tension, rhythm of breathing… giving almost full control of her body to her intuition. She could distinctively recall at some point she tore the outer layer of her skirt for cover, blinding the Mafioso who was about to shoot her before sending them to dream land. She didn't count how many of them she had knocked out, over ten perhaps?

The resounding crack of bones and groan of pain sounded almost therapeutic for her when she was on this state. It was like… a world of movement and whirl of emotion.

She almost reacted when someone, another idiot tried to hold her from behind. Then before she could deliver a hit to the neck she came to her senses, snapped out of her trance by wide blue eyes who was looking straight at her.

"Ah!" That was Yuni, most likely even the seer was in disbelief that someone tried to get close with a Vongola who was in the middle of fighting. It was one of the most suicidal thing to do in their world after all.

Mai's eyes widened in shock, as she realized her hand was a mere inch from Naru's neck. She shouted. "What are you thinking?! That's dangerous!"

"I am not the one who was fighting armed men here, Mai!" Naru retorted back.

"What you did just now is more dangerous!" Mai hissed. "Never ever try to sneak behind me when I am fighting! I could have…"

She could have killed him by accident.

Mai was trembling now and Naru almost couldn't catch her in time when she lost her footing. "Mai…"

She was clutching tightly to his arms now, her nails dug onto clothed flesh but Naru paid it no mind. "Don't do that again… don't…"

Naru could only nod, "Alright… I won't do that again, I promise." He had scared her even more than she did him. What was that anyway? Some sort of trance for fighting? Just now… those movements were unusual, it was if… she was letting her intuition to have full control of her body?

Then just now what he did was perceived as a threat because he was approaching her from a vulnerable side, and Mai always perceived his power as dangerous so… just now he was really putting himself in great danger against Mai.

"Mai-san." It was Yuni, she was patting Mai on the shoulder gently. "It's alright… no one gets hurt."

Mai was once again snapped back to reality as she whirled around, tearing herself out of Naru's grasp. "It's not alright!" Now she was holding onto Yuni's arms, kneeling so she was on the same eye level as Yuni. "Do you have any idea how worried we are of you?! Yuni!"

She was too focused on Yuni, Mai didn't notice Naru draping his coat on her shoulder. She was dressed too thinly for winter. Although it shocked him that Mai could shout at a little girl.

Bou-san, John and Lin who had been too stunned to act gaped at Mai. "That… Mai-chan, she-"

John continued. "She is yelling at Yuni-chan…"

This was a strange view, as Mai never yelled at a child. And yet…

"I am fine though." Yuni assured Mai with a smile.

She was not assured. "That's not the point! You left your family without telling them where you're going! What would they do if something happen to you, Yuni! You always… always!"

She just smiled sadly in respond.

"Single-mindedly pursue your vision! How could you do this to us?!" Mai was panting now and Yuni was sure the Vongola had left a print on her arms.

Yuni inhaled slowly, "I took precaution… I am sorry for worrying everyone, but you do know I never did anything without a purpose. I did what I have to do like the rest of us who shoulder the same responsibility."

Mai blinked at that, "But." Her grip on Yuni loosened.

"I am fine." Yuni repeated, "A little bruise… some dirt in my dress, that's all the damage I suffered today." The Giglio Nero boss listed on, "It's very minor compared to what you usually end up with." She eyed the state of Mai's dress disapprovingly, at least hers was still intact.

Mai could only blink again as her hands fell to her sides.

"Not to mention… if I stay in our vacation house, they will ruin our Christmas Party…" Yuni said with a huff. "As their boss I can't let that happen… Nozaru is especially ecstatic about our new Christmas tree, and we spent days making the decoration from pine fruit, dried seeds, ribbons and everything by hands!"

"But…"

"I foresaw their intention to abduct me and if I stayed, they will ruin all of our hard work." Yuni went on. "As the head of our family I am sure you understand… Mai-san. The smile on their face worth some trouble and torn dress."

"But…"

"Beside! I know you _will_ come to save me!" She ended with a brilliant smile, holding Mai's hands on hers. "Thank you… Mai-san! You're my savior…"

She had lost… "Makemashita…" Mai looked down, kneeling on the ground with a cloud of gloom hanging over her head.

Bou-san, Lin and John gaped at the sight. "Jou-chan lost… the argument."

"She can't even say anything in return." John added.

This was eerily alike with how Naru was soundly defeated by Madoka in every single non-academic argument in Lin's opinion. Apparently Mai was not undefeated after all, although apparently it took a seer who can see the future and someone very close to know her well enough to defeat her in verbal argument.

"Guh…" Apparently the twitching guy who was also the leader was still conscious. _"Don't think this is over… we still have more men laying in waiting… as reinforcement just in case…"_

He was speaking in Italian so only Mai and Yuni understood what he was babbling about.

 _"_ _Well."_ Mai looked unperturbed by whatever the main said, _"If it's reinforcement we also have them…"_ She crossed her arm, " _You don't find it odd_ I _am alone?"_ She was smirking now. " _We're not called the twin skies for nothing you know… Paulo Albani Todd… or the three great skies."_

His eyes widened at the implication, _"It can't be! All of you-"_

"AAAARGH!"

Sound of pain could be heard from somewhere before it became very quiet.

Mai smirked, _"What do you expect when you go after our Yuni, hm?"_ She giggled at him, leaning forward so her face hovered above his head. _"You see… if you think because it's Christmas and we have our own family event we will let our guard down, you're sorely mistaken. If anything… you're very lucky we have civilians watching, if not we're going to let you howl in hell by now… well, it's not like the place you're going after trying to kill Yuni would be any better than hell."_

His eyes widened again in fear. _"Spare us! Please! We beg of you!"_

Yuni just smiled sadly at him. _"You do know… the law, threat to us is not to be taken lightly at current situation. I warned you…"_

Paulo Albani began to cry, begging for himself and his family.

"What the hell…" Bou-san eyed the crying man warily. "We're just going to hand him over to the police, he doesn't have to cry as if it's the end of the world."

Mai just sighed, "Well… leave him be, Bou-san."

Yuni looked sad, "There is nothing we can do about him anymore…"

Naru frowned, _'They were talking as if… these men are going to walk to their death, or even something worse.'_

"Yo!" A cheerful voice surprised the civilians while the two skies just looked to the side where a white haired man dressed in lavender coat and all white suits as walking towards them.

He was a young man around Naru's age, fairly tall with lilac colored eyes and pale skin. There was a strange mark under his left eye, colored in dark purple and stark in contrast against his pale skin. He was holding a bag of Christmas themed marshmallow and continued munching nonstop as walking.

Naru tensed, sensing tightly controlled power underneath the mischievous façade. This man too, he was giving similar air to Mai and Yuni but not the same…

"You guys… munch- finish –munch- already?" He asked between munching reindeer shaped marshmallow. "That's… -munch! Slow! Munch!"

Without warning Mai whacked the white haired teen upside his head, knocking the marshmallow bag off of his hand in the process. "I don't want to hear it from someone who slack off! You didn't do anything!"

"Well! I am watching in case someone coming and…" He tried to defend himself, eyeing his dropped marshmallow on the ground forlornly. "My Christmas marshmallow…" He lamented. "Well… three seconds rule." He bent down to pick them.

Mai growled, pointing at Naru and co who blinked in confusion. "Then! Are they chopped liver to you?! Huh?!" Then she whacked him again, stopping him from picking marshmallow. "And there is no such rule! Don't pick those! They're dirty!"

"But Mai-chan~" He whined.

"We will get you another bag as soon as we're back!" Yuni promised in patient voice. "Okay?"

Byakuran continued to pout like a kid.

"Are you going to kill your second in command with shame with your attitude?!"

"Well… Kikyou won't die just because-"

Mai raised an eyebrow, "Then… his foaming on the mouth when you put giant hologram of your head on national broadcast is just my imagination…"

Yuni blushed, recalling that event. "Even I think… that prank is overboard."

"It's funny…" He pouted.

Bou-san raised his hand, "Uhm… this person is?"

He beamed and before Bou-san could react his hand was already taken hostage for enthusiastic hand shake. "Hello! My name is Byakuran Gesso from ! Nice to meet all of you! Mai-chan's new friends!"

New? They had known her for almost a year!

" ?" Bou-san echoed, "Isn't that?"

Another gargantuan company moving in IT and other advanced technology development field. They were based in Italy and America, and had been advancing their international reputation for the last five years.

Mai sighed, "Yes… that Millefiore, and this is the boss. Believe it or not…"

"Mai-chan is so mean!" Byakuran pouted. "By the way! I am also Sho-chan's colleague friend!" He beamed at Naru who blinked in confusion.

"He means Shouichi…" Mai explained on his behalf.

Naru eyed the white haired sky skeptically, "I see…"

Byakuran pouted again. "By the way Mai-chan! I am still heart-broken after you steal Sho-chan from me!"

Mai childishly stick her tongue out, "It's all fair in business and war, it's not my fault Shouichi chose us."

"Mai-chan is so mean!" He whined again.

"Well-"

"Ara…" A serene voice interrupted their argument. "Mai, you're scolding Byakuran again?"

At once all eyes were on the newcomer, a fairly tall teenager who was dressed in champagne colored suit, white undershirt, dark orange vest and white tie with orange stripes. His hands wrapped in leather-metal glove, but he was taking it off before tucking it inside his pocket, leaving his hands bare.

His hair was brown in the same shade as Mai, and brown eyes in lighter shade. His skin was fair and free of blemish, his youthful face framed by slightly longer front locks on both sides that reached his shoulder blades.

"What did you do now… Byakuran?" He asked with serene smile still firmly in place, as if he was jokingly chiding a child.

Byakuran huffed, "It's not my fault! Mai-chan is being mean…"

Mai was unperturbed by the accusation, "And you let him to slack off… what good we brought him with us for if he did nothing?"

"In case you forgot Mai-chan… it's my F.T.R we're using to get to Japan so quickly." Byakuran pointed out.

"You volunteered it." Mai retorted.

He just smiled indulgingly, "Alright… don't argue, we're here to make sure Yuni is fine." The said girl beamed at him. "Since she is… nothing else matter, right? Mai… Byakuran."

At that Mai sighed while Byakuran just shrugged.

They gaped at the newcomer, who ended the heated argument so quickly and he barely waste any effort just a few placed lines. Then they blinked when Mai walked closer to the brown haired male, whispering very close to his ear. In the process giving them a good view of close comparison.

Same coloring in eyes, hair and skin. Check-

Same heart shaped face. Check-

Same eyes shape, check-

In overall, similar features…

He noticed their eyes on him and Mai, his lips quirked up to a gentle smile that stunned them. Naru just blinked before narrowing his eyes, Lin rubbed his eyes. John and Bou-san were still dazed.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." His voice snapped the dazed ones back to reality, "I am Sawada Tsunayoshi, Mai's older twin brother and current boss of Neo-V.G."

Naru's eyes widened in shock, _'He is alive?'_ But Mai's behavior was as if he was… _'This person... do I know him?'_ it felt like there was a mist clouding his memory and recollection in regards to this man. It was if the harder he tried to remember the more he was lulled to not even think to remember.

Mai was not looking at him, in fact she was not looking at them at all. Her eyes averting theirs, as she resolutely looking at another direction.

"Twins?!" Bou-san squeaked.

John looked closer, "Whoaa… you two really alike! Like identical twins…"

Tsuna just smiled at them in respond.

Lin jolted, and Naru almost staggered when Lin bumped to him. "Calm down!" He barked to his invisible familiars.

"Ah." Tsunayoshi's eyes widened for a brief moment. "I am sorry, I tried to keep my power under tight control but…"

That was when they realized this man was oozing power, it was not obvious at the first glance. But it as if they were standing very close by a burning hearth, the heat was almost unbearable. It was obvious he was keeping them under tight control but it still leaked like tongue of fire licking their skin from tightly closed iron safe.

Mai sighed, "Hopeless…" She intertwined their fingers together, their shoulder touching. "Alright now…"

Tsuna looked to the side. "Yes… thank you Mai."

It was light there was another layer of barrier wrapping the flame and they felt the chill of winter on their skin once again. Just now… it felt like summer came early, the heat returned again but now it was warm like spring.

Lin heaved a sigh of relief. "Sawada-san is not exaggerating… " He eyed Tsuna cautiously. "You're very powerful."

"Hm…" He was eyeing something over Lin's shoulders. "So those are shiki ne? They're hissing at us."

"Really?" Byakuran blinked, "I didn't hear anything." Of course he knew Tsuna was talking about metaphorical sound of displeasure not literal. Then he began to approach Lin, creeping slowly towards the Chinese man.

The onmyouji once again was tugged back by his collar. "Huwaa!"

"This is interesting!" Byakuran cheered before he was hauled back by his collar, courtesy of Tsunayoshi. And Mai gave him another whack on the head for a good measure. "Gah!"

The sky of Vongola shot Lin an apologetic look, "My apologies, this boy didn't know how to control himself."

Lin looked relieved that he was not in danger of getting choked by his shiki, in fact after the last stunt… "No worries, in fact all of my shiki are already running from here." Then he added. "They will return." He hoped so, because he was never abandoned by his shiki because someone scared them.

"Does offering our help to search will be counterproductive?" Tsunayoshi wondered.

Mai sighed, "They will run further… we better off not trying to help Lin-san for this."

"Right." Lin agreed.

Naru eyed Paulo Albani who at some point had cried himself to sleep, "Are we going to wait for authorities to pick them up in the middle of this cold weather?"

When the weather was mentioned -all flame users were unsensitive to cold- that was when Tsuna noticed the man's coat on Mai's shoulder. "That coat…"

Mai also just noticed, "Hm… it's Naru's."

Bou-san, John and even Lin held their breath, as they realized no brother –especially one who seemed to be very loving towards his sister- would want to see their beloved little sister wearing another man's coat. Cold or not, there must be some sort of underhanded intention if it belonged to a boy around her age.

Tsuna looked like a saint incarnate but there was no telling what an overprotective brother would do when it comes to his sister, especially twin sister he had been together with since they were born.

Or so they thought.

Tsuna just stared long and hard at Naru, and the blue eyed boy stared back unflinchingly. At first they thought it was nothing -just gauging future brother in law- until they realized for the first time since they met this boy, he was not smiling _at all._

* * *

 ** _And so... by this chapter I perfected the art of cliff-hanger... I know I'm cruel so? Reborn is my mentor, his sadism is my way of life...  
_**

 ** _BTW for those who forget, F.R.T system is short for Flame Ring Teleportation Byakuran use to transport Vongola to Choice's arena._**

 ** _At any rate... I am sure questions ran amok in our heads about Tsuna. BUT NO, his appereance is NOT a spur of moment because I am sick with cold and still is by the time this chapter is updated. This is PLANNED for quite some time... and also Mai's behavior is not lying at all to you my dear readers... it's real and not her being a drama queen.  
we will see by next chapter. _**

**_ps: It amaze me really... so many theories you guys come up with, I mean... those didn't even cross my mind!_**

 ** _Interlude... in which- SORRY NO SPOILER AT ALL... ho ho ho..._**


	23. Case 05, Part 03

**Case 05, Part 03 (End)**

Naru in general opinion of non-official member of SPR team was… perhaps the scariest man alive they ever came across and interact with in long period of time.

Hibari-san was scary, but they didn't see this guy that often.

Mukuro, ranked pretty high but again… didn't know the guy well.  
However in the end these two's reputation was attributed to violence and sadism, physical and mental pain involved.

Naru-bou in the other hand…

He was plain intimidating with his mysterious persona, coldness and sharp wit. Not to mention he was so charismatic that even you tasted his unfriendly personality and in overall intimidating presence that scared you out of your wits, somehow you couldn't help but follow his lead.

That was why after the first two cases, the third and followed by the fourth all of them fell to the routine of looking up to Naru-bou as their scary leader.

However today they –namely John and Bou-san- was going to amend that statement. Sawada Tsunayoshi was challenging Naru-bou for that spot and winning effortlessly. In span of five minutes knowing the guy, they felt he was in no way someone who incited fear. A smile seemed to be painted to his lips naturally all the time, a smile that reached his eyes and lighted up his very being.

The type who by first impression could incite trust that he was a good person and would mean no harm upon you. Mai was also giving this kind of impression, warm and inviting soul that made people gravitate to them. Although in Tsunayoshi's case it was even more so, he has this pull that made people feel comfortable around him.

Which was why… the moment he stopped smiling and gave Naru-bou a long and hard stare, somehow this simple behavior scared Bou-san out of his wits even more than Naru-bou's glare. It as if the absence of smile was like… something like black hole just appeared, a negative space that suck away their very soul. It didn't help the sun was setting and where he was standing was in an angle that giving half of his upper face some sort of dark shade. He was not even frowning, lips flat, eyes straight, a neutral expression that somehow felt very dark.

"Hiiiie!" John didn't even had enough composure to hold the yelp from getting pass his lips.

Then Tsunayoshi opened his mouth and said. "Thank you for being so caring towards my sister…" He said as he passed the coat back to Naru, and putting his cloak on Mai. Somehow the genial tone didn't match the blank look on his eyes.

John, Lin and Bou-san wondered why instead of a coat, Tsunayoshi had a cloak but had no chance to ask.

"I am her employer and teacher." Naru returned coolly as accepting the coat back, implying it was just a matter of fact to care for her wellbeing.

Mai looked back and forth between her brother and Naru in confusion.

Lin, Bou-san and John wondered if what Naru said was the right thing, it didn't sound right or wrong actually… just neutral.

Tsunayoshi continued to stare, then it dawned on them this guy obviously shared the same intuition as Mai. Which was why he was staring at Naru, trying to read what this guy was up to in regards to his sister.

"Tsunayoshi-kun~" Byakuran Gesso sang cheerfully, breaking the staring contest. "You do know it's not alright to use Hyper Intuition of yours on unsuspecting people."

Mai hissed, "Byakuran! What are you…"

The older twin sighed, "Well-" He glanced to the side. "It's not like my dear sister will fall that easily…" He said as patting Mai's head in adoring manner, his smile returned in three fold.

Mai just blinked, "What?"

"Ara ara…" Yuni giggled.

Bou-san then recalled what Ganauche, the nice man who helped them on park case said. _'Right… Jou-chan's heart won't be easily captured.'_ Although… _'Somehow I still fear for Naru-bou's wellbeing, he looks like a nice guy but just now…'_

It was like a premonition of seeing different face of a Buddha, in his opinion. Right… now Bou-san understood why he was scared of this guy, that serene air and saintly smile reminded him eerily of enlightened smiling Buddha. Then even though his general expression didn't change, with only the absence of that smile… he looked like a wrathful Buddha in Bou-san's eyes.

It seemed Tsunayoshi decided to back off from doing anything to Naru, because he was sure Mai was not going return his feeling. Or Naru managed to pass himself as concerned and caring employer and friend. Whichever, for Naru-bou's sake it better be the latter.

"Hyper Intuition?" Naru echoed.

At that the three great skies blinked at him. Byakuran beamed, "You know... Mai-chan's and Tsunayoshi-kun's super sensitivity!"

Mai grumbled in deadpan voice. "It's just a stupid name… "

"Mai…" Tsunayoshi looked sheepish for some reason.

Mai huffed, "It's stupid."

"Descriptive." Naru corrected. "Fitting."

Mai gaped at him and Tsunayoshi laughed. "You're going to use it too? And here I tried so hard for almost a year to not even mention the name!" She glared at her twin who was laughing. "It's a stupid name." She insisted.

Then they tensed, glancing to a direction. "Did someone call the police already?" Tsunayoshi said.

Byakuran whistled, "Oh my~ which was faster Foundation or the police?"

"Foundation is already here." Tsunayoshi answered. "The police would be here in… ten minutes perhaps?"

It dawned on Naru quickly that Tsunayoshi's range was larger than Mai. The stronger twin… Then suddenly he staggered, almost crashing onto Mai but Byakuran with almost inhuman reflex held him to stay on his feet.

"Wohoo~ Tsunayoshi-kun! Do you have too much champagne in the party just now?" He beamed cheerfully.

Tsunayoshi just smiled at that, "I guess…"

Just now he…

Naru's eyes widened when he saw Tsunayoshi fished out a familiar clear case filled with pills, and the older twin was swallowing around five pills at once. The way he gulped them down didn't seem like he was drinking medication, he acted like he just swallowed candies. Bou-san and John didn't even notice.

Lin and Naru however realized what he was drinking, medications… and in much higher dose than normal.

"By the way… Mai-chan, do you have to ruin your dress like that? It's Versace ne?"

Mai rolled her eyes, "I will get scolded for it, but whatever…"

Bou-san didn't know about Italian brand, but he had a feeling from the name it was extremely expensive.

"We're almost done over there." Someone announced, another man appeared from the depth of the woods. This time someone they all knew, Hibari Kyouya. He was still dressed in suits but it seemed because of the nature of the party even him was dressed in lighter color, medium cool grey but the same purple undershirt.

"Thank you, Kyouya…" Tsunayoshi said to the cloud. "We will leave the rest to you, then."

He didn't answer instead he picked the unconscious Paulo Albani Todd on the ground and dragged the pitiful man by his collar to who knows where. Soon Kusakabe followed by his squad started to arrest the fallen men on the ground.

"As dependable as ever… Kyouya." Tsunayoshi laughed softly. "He said-"

Mai sighed, "Don't make it sounds like he replied verbally… make him talk, he has mouth and voice cord to use!"

"But-"

So… the reason Hibari Kyouya was so quiet and managed to work for Neo V.G was because his boss didn't need him to talk to understand him.

"Don't pamper him…" Mai huffed, "At any rate… we can leave the rest to Foundation, Kyo-san has send someone to intercept the cops too… if we stay too long we have to deal with embassy and that's…"

"Ara-ra…" Yuni giggled.

"Would be funny?" Byakuran suggested.

"It would be troublesome because in case you forgot… we didn't enter Japan legally, at least three of us didn't." Mai pointed out. "I don't think any of us even bring our passport."

Naru quirked an eyebrow, "Are you an idiot?"

Byakuran and Tsunayoshi blinked at him, _'Did he also just implied we are idiots?'_ Being the top on mafia food chain, they had never got that from a civilian. Especially called an idiot for doing something illegal, it was strangely ironic.

Mai was ticked, "Excuse me! We were in hurry so who would be concerned of tiny book and stamps?!" Then she whirled around, "Not to mention! We have to go back soon before Coyote finds out Mukuro and Chrome are covering us!"

"Ha ha ha…" Byakuran laughed.

"In case you forgot Mashmallow-addict! Kikyou is expecting you to return as soon as possible! You also have not touch any of your preparation for New Year!"

Byakuran stopped laughing, "Can I just… skip?"

This time he was seized by both side by the twins. "Absolutely not… if we can't escape…"

"Neither can you."

Yuni giggled, "It just happen once a year… Byakuran-san."

"Who cares about New Year?! It's just another day anyway! It's not like sun is going to rise from west on New Year!" He wailed.

Mai sighed in resignation and turned around, facing the SPR team. "I am so sorry for all the commotion…" Yuni echoed the statement with apologetic face.

"We're really sorry." Tsunayoshi echoed too, his tone mimicking Mai, it sounded like a real echo. "We can't stay long… as you can tell, we're going to be in big trouble if we didn't return to Italy soon."

"I want to stay in Japan… can I spend Christmas with your family Yuni-chan?" Byakuran whined.

Tsunayoshi dragged him by his collar this time, "Don't trouble other people's family… Mare-kozou."

"MOU!"

Mai tensed and Naru noticed how she was shooting her brother a warning look. Tsunayoshi shot her a sheepish smile.

Just now… did Tsunayoshi do something he shouldn't? Naru felt like he missed something, but just now… for a moment Tsuna's tone was a little different. Like he was someone much older scolding a petulant child.

"Then excuse us…" Yuni said, giggling at them. "See you guys again! I would love to visit again, and-"

Naru was a little wary when Yuni skipped towards him, "This is not a prophecy… Shibuya-san, but an advice…" Mai was also looking at them warily but Yuni gave her an assuring smile. "Lend me your ears."

Naru did so, kneeling down so his ears was within her reach. Inwardly he wondered if he really wanted to hear what this seer said. "Yes?"

She leaned forward and whisper, _"Sometimes… not everything in life is about logic, so it's alright. It's not foolish to follow your heart… Oliver Davis."_

His eyes widened in shock and he stood up abruptly, almost knocking Yuni in his haste but the girl expected this reaction and had skipped away, waving her hands in farewell as following Tsunayoshi who had went ahead with Byakuran.

 **Naru's POV**

Mai was the only one left, sighing as looking at the retreating backs of her brother and friends. "Aaah…"

"Don't you have to go too?" I asked her, even though inwardly I was reluctant to part with Mai. I almost forgot how to feel at ease when she was around after few days of annoyed out of my mind for no reason.

She snorted, "Glad to know you didn't miss me or my tea…" Shaking her head exasperatedly. "It's just that I want to say Merry Christmas, and can you lend me your hand?"

I blinked at that, "Merry Christmas." I returned just for courtesy sake, "Which hand?" I wondered since when I didn't ask on the why with Mai.

"Either hand… preferable non-dominant one." Mai told me.

I gave her my left hand and placed it on her palm, much to my surprise she slipped a ring to my middle finger. It was a silver ring, with three bands as if three rings were crafted to one ring with three thin stripe likes gem connecting the rings to one. It was simple and elegant in spite of the red, blue and green colored gems.

"Gah! Are you proposing Naru-bou, Jou-chan?!" Bou-san who had been quiet for some reason hollered at us in shock.

Mai quirked an eyebrow at him. "What are you talking about? Beside… does this looks like that kind of ring?"

"No but…"

I couldn't help but wondered, "What is this?"

"Something to help." She answered me vaguely. "Just keep it… if you're not used to wearing a ring it would be a bother for a while though."

She said it lightheartedly but for some reason I could tell from her eyes she was almost pleading me to keep the ring for some reason. I sighed. "Alright…" It's a sincere gift from a friend and accepting it shouldn't be such a big deal. "I will keep it."

Mai looked relieved as she beamed at me. "Glad to hear that." Then without warning she kissed my cheek before saying. "I have presents for everyone in the office next door!" She skipped away, waving at us cheerfully. "So enjoy your Christmas! Bou-san and John too! Buon Natale!"

Then just like that she disappeared to the woods, along with her fellow skies. Back then… I didn't understand yet the significance of the ring, or the bond Mai shared with her brother, Yuni Sephira and Byakuran Gesso.

 **On the car (3** **rd** **POV)**

"That was close." Byakuran couldn't help but say as soon as they were back to warm limousine car Foundation prepared for the three great skies. It was luxurious black limousine, with two long leather seats across each other.

Yuni who was sitting beside Byakuran smiled at them. "I am sorry… no matter what I don't want Todd Famiglia to interrupt our preparation for Christmas party so… I thought might as well helping your friends when I was at it."

Mai who was sitting beside her brother sighed at that, "I am grateful… but you're really lucky the priest of that church is easily influenced, you're really… Reborn's granddaughter… the way you infiltrate the group of children eerily reminded me when he passed himself as a teacher in our school."

Yuni giggled at that.

Byakuran crossed his arms behind his head, "But still… that Todd Famiglia is so reckless."

Mai and Tsunayoshi tensed.

The sky of Mare cracked on eye open at them, "Oh… so Vindice already appeared somewhere near to collect their prize." He yawned, "Those guys are creepy but good at their job."

Tsunayoshi let out a shuddering breath, and Mai quickly pulled him down gently to rest his head on her laps. "Rest… you have been working really hard lately." Mai murmured softly.

"Mai… can you help me take my contact lens off?"

Mai did so, carefully removing the contact from his eyes and revealed amber colored eyes beneath. "Alright…"

He heaved a sigh, "Yes…"

Byakuran laughed, "You've been working really hard ne?" His eyes glinted with mischief. "Shousenzo-sama~"

A groan escaped his lips, "Mare-kozou… you still have that natural flair in annoying people. I wonder how Tsunayoshi… my descendant could stand you."

Mai just smiled, "Brother is just very accepting… don't you think so too? Giotto...Vongola Primo."

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

True… this was the current Vongola's greatest secret. This body of my brother was just a mere shell that moved by the will of Vongola Primo, our ancestor and the man who began our illustrious and accursed bloodline. This man was the one Yuni's ancestor, Sephira entrusted with Vongola ring.

"Still… Mai-chan work everyone really hard, even her own ancestor." Byakuran snickered, pulling another bag of marshmallow out of nowhere.

Sometimes… I wondered if this man was really healed from his megalomaniac and insanity. "I am just doing my job… Byakuran."

"Maa… maa…" Yuni raised her hands in placating gestures, "Don't argue, and remember who we are..."

Harmonious skies of Trinisette… ironically since the genesis of mafia we were the herald of chaos of our world, although the instigator of Trinisette system could be careless as long as our conflict contained within our very own secret society.

"Hmph…" My brother's lips let out a groan of discomfort.

"Giotto?" I called him worriedly.

He cracked one eye open, "I am just a little tired… but comfortable." He closed his eyes again, a sigh passed his lips.

Byakuran eyed us skeptically, but I could tell deep inside he was very worried and anxious. "This doesn't looks good… how long your ancestor can handle acting as Tsunayoshi's avatar? How long you can keep this up?"

I couldn't answer that, opening the backside of my pocket watch that revealed a clock, which hands didn't move any longer. "I… no idea…" I couldn't lie to them so I didn't say I was almost on my last leg.

The sky of Mare uncrossed his arms, "That bad… hm… give us an estimation. I don't care if it's not accurate… just give us a deadline."

I could hear the breathing of his body evened out, he was already sleeping. According to Hayato, this body had been sleeping longer lately. He still could go to important meetings and events, but it was getting harder for this body and Giotto. What contained inside Vongola rings wasn't the spirits of our ancestor, well… not the soul but time… essence of their existence recorded, carved to Vertical Space Axis system ruled by Vongola.

Going by that description… Giotto that existed within this body was just an avatar and not a person. It was a relieve Masako was not with them, I was not sure if she would notice peculiar existence within my brother's body.

"Time… deadline you said…" I murmured softly. "I am confident at this rate in this condition… around half a year."

Byakuran looked unhappy to hear that, to be fair I was unhappier than he was. "That's not a lot of time… if only my power is not curbed perhaps I could have gotten some useful knowledge."

True… after the fiasco Byakuran caused, his power was decided by _that man_ as too out of control and a hazard to the system so now the power of Mare was set to be limited to parallel worlds that was close to the world he occupied. Like boundless ocean that was contained within a dam.

"Risking your sanity again won't help anyone." I reminded him as caressing my brother's spiky and soft locks. It never cease to amaze me how his hair could be as soft as mine and yet unkempt. Once… I tried to smooth it down with conditioner in hope Onii-chan could look more like me, I failed spectacularly and resorted to borrowing father's hair gel to make my hair looked like his instead.

Good memories…

"Beside…" I trailed off, "It's not like any of us is twiddling our thumbs, and my family is trying their best to find a solution."

Byakuran sighed at that, "Still… are you seriously going to go on like this Mai-chan?"

I tensed, "But you said-"

He raised his hands placatingly, "I don't mean it like that Mai-chan! I mean… it's about you… we let you go on at your current state because you're staying in Japan and relatively safe under protection of your Cloud. But!" He raised a finger, "We should have learned from experience… even in locked and padded room, I think somehow you can get yourself in trouble!"

I was ticked, "Thanks a lot… I am so touched you have a lot of faith in my trouble-magnet status."

"It's an unshakeable faith that I believe never betrayed in ten generations." Byakuran pointed out in deadpanned tone.

That… I can't refute.

"Beside…" He trailed off, "You got yourself into this parapsychology stuff, even though ghost shouldn't be able to harm flame user… we will never know. I never got attacked by ghost or anything but…"

"Generally ghosts would avoid us because of what we are…" I supposed I had to share this with them. 'However… like human too, if cornered or driven by their desire… they would ignore what their instinct told them and attack us."

Byakuran and Yuni stared at me. "I thought… for maintaining current status you should stay away from danger as much as you could?"

"Our goal is not merely to maintain current status! We have to solve our problem…" I defended myself.

Yuni smiled sadly at me, "But Mai-san… your safety is important too, beside at your current state… just using small amount of flame is hazardous for you."

Byakuran nodded in agreement, "Isn't there anyway your ancestors got on their sleeve to help you? What's the point of ruling over Vertical Space Time Axis if your ancestors don't have anything to share?"

My left eye twitched, "In case you forgot… this is the first time Vongola rings changed the right of possession! We're the second after Giotto."

"Useless ancestors." Byakuran grumbled under his breath.

I could see a tick growing on my brother's temple, so even though he was sleeping Giotto heard Byakuran insulting him still. Or perhaps… it was our intuition telling him.

"And also… I am also the first person in Vongola bloodline with ability to rewind the engraved time within Vongola ring." I murmured softly, unclasping the latch on my pocket watch. "This is my proof…" My mark of succession of Vongola's will. "Which is why instead of a ring I was given a clock…"

Byakuran heaved a sigh, "Then this means… in this matter once again your ancestors aren't helpful."

I palmed my face, "Haven't you taught to not be rude to your elders? Beside… they're my ancestors, if there is anyone who may insult them that's me." Me and my brother who had been dragged in the first place to their nonsense! Bloody famiglia! I was grateful to meet my current family, but I deserved to complain about everything else!

I felt my brother's body jolted a little at that.

"Mai-san…" Yuni sweat-dropped. "I think-" _Giotto-san can hear you…_

I sighed, "At any rate… I will just do my best to avoid trouble."

At that they became very quiet and gave me a hard stare.

 **Vongola Trivia by Reborn~  
16.** Vongola always keep their words, but never trust them when it comes to avoiding trouble. That would be like asking the cloud to stay still on the sky, _impossible_ to happen according to law of nature.

Byakuran broke the silence with a groan. "You do know only idiots hold Vongola's words on that…" I pouted at him. "So here is my proposal… we're going to open power link with you to lessen your burden to maintain Primo's possession."

I blinked at that.

"I have been thinking about this for a while… so I have been calculating it, if say… Yuni and I donated around thirty percent of our capacity. I think you will be back to around… fifty percent of your full power."

I blinked again, in shock and in disbelief of what Byakuran just proposed.

"The effect won't be immediate but it's safe to say in few months you will be able to use at least thirty percent instead of pitiful ten percent you got now…" Byakuran continued to rant, his fingers pinching marshmallow nonstop as he talked. "Then you won't be completely defenseless the next time you got in trouble, unlike Tsunayoshi-kun… your control is very fine so you're used to deal with miniscule flame pool."

I interjected him before Byakuran's rant got longer. "You will do that for me?"

Yuni smiled at me, nodding. "Yes… we have been discussing it for a while." She revealed. "We don't like the idea of leaving you defenseless… your family have been through so much for the world." Yuni pressed on before I could protest, holding my hands in hers. "We have been through so much… we're already losing Tsunayoshi… you too, don't refuse our help. You shouldn't… you're not allowed to refuse." She continued to press on.

She didn't have to be so insistent, I already knew rejecting their help was not an option at this point. "Alright… I accept." The decision I made back then had been selfish enough. I couldn't afford another for mere pride… not to them.

Yuni's hands on mind loosened before tightening again. "Thank you Mai-san…"

"Shouldn't I be the one who thank you both?" I pointed out, a smile curved my lips.

"No…" Yuni shook her head, "Thank you for letting us to shoulder some of your burden…" She smiled sadly at me. "You of all people know… how hard it is for us to do that… more than shouldering the said burden."

True… we were all selfish persons, and yet we were chosen to be the holders of Trinisette.

I sighed and I was about to say something when Yuni did first, "Stop the car…"

"Yuni?" I wondered when our driver, Tetsu-san who heard Yuni stopped as ordered.

She beamed at me, "Let's open the window." She said as she pushed the button to open the glass window.

We were confused but did as we were told, following her example. "What is it?" Byakuran wondered curiously.

"Hands out everyone!" Yuni said as she stretched one hand out, palm facing up to the sky.

Once again we did as she asked, hand stretched out of the window. Then she told us to shift, I had to pull my hand back a little and Byakuran should shift a little to the left. We were all confused of what Yuni was up to, until something tiny and white fell to our open palm like treasure from heaven.

"Ah…"

Yuni giggled, cupping her own piece of snow. "Our Christmas present from the sky… first snow, just for us."

Byakuran stared at his, "Hooo…"

I stared at Yuni, "Ha ha ha… I guess this is our Merry Christmas?"

Yuni beamed happily, "We're having white Christmas this year…"

I looked at the sky through the window, and indeed tiny piece of crystalized water was falling from the sky. "Present from the sky… hm…" A White Christmas, maybe it wasn't so bad after all…

* * *

 **SPR office (3** **rd** **POV)**

Since Mai, Tojo and Shima had prepared everything on the office next door, Naru didn't have much choice about the Christmas party. Although… no one said out loud that his participation was optional, both Naru and Lin still joined the party next door.

"Father Toujo decide to hold a memorial service for Kenji-kun tonight mass." John informed them happily. "Thanks to everyone, this case end well for all of us." For Father Touji, his children and most of all… Kenji-kun himself.

Masako chuckled at that, "I am glad for Kenji-kun…"

Bou-san munched on the piece of Buch de Noel he was eating before saying. "I feel bad for Lin, but you really looks hilarious when dealing with Thanat and Yuni-chan!"

Lin flinched at the memory.

Ayako snickered, "Well… that's hilarious and all, but still… I have but one regret in this wonderful white Christmas."

"?"

Naru had a feeling it would be idiotic.

"I want to see Mai's brother!" Ayako bemoaned sadly. "And to think! Bou-san… you didn't even try to take a picture of them, and Mai is in a dress too! Versace dress!"

They had told the rest about what happened in the forest, but by Naru's order they omitted the detail of said meeting. Especially the gunfight part, because in the end Foundation intercepted the cops and they were told to keep it quiet by Kusakabe because it would get troublesome if media was involved. They did however tell them about meeting Tsuna and Mai.

Tojo and Shima blinked at the Miko who was hounding the Monk for being stupid, while the Monk was failing from defending himself from the onslaught of her purse. "Erm…" They walked towards Mai's desk, another one she used for her Vongola business. "If you just want to see how Boss and Hime looks like, the framed picture of theirs is over here." Tojo gestured towards innocent frame on Mai's desk.

It almost scared them when Ayako looked like she teleported to Mai's desk and grabbed the framed photo. It was a picture of younger Mai, on her early teens and wearing a pale yellow school uniform. She was sitting on a swing that tied to a branch of tree, not looking at the camera but to a boy who was holding the rope of the swing. He was dressed in male version of Mai's school uniform with blazer and tie. He was leaning down and looking at her too, both of them were smiling at each other.

"Wow." Ayako mouthed. "Really Mai's twin, what a beautiful boy…" Different kind of beautiful than Naru though, if Naru was like the cool and pale moon… this boy was like clear sky.

Masako resisted her urge to look, in love or not she was still a girl and Ayako obviously had a high standard. If she called a guy beautiful, he was obviously good looking. Ayako looked at Masako and passed the photo, Masako just glanced as if she was not interested but in the end she stared long and hard.

Ayako snickered, "You're interested after all, not so faithful are you?"

Masako blushed a deep red and averted her eyes quickly.

"Che… now I really want to meet her brother in person." Ayako moaned.

Bou-san chimed in. "I don't think Mai will even let you look at her brother like that…"

Tojo and Shima swallowed heavily and inwardly thought, _'He is right… and you wouldn't live to see the next sunrise.'_ Although… to be honest they were torn about the issue of vague relationship between Shibuya-sachou and Hime, because everyone back home were under impression they were merely friends.

Chrome-san perhaps was the only one who noticed anything and perhaps, Mukuro-san too.

If they found out that Shibuya-sachou had kissed Hime regardless of the circumstances… formidable or not, they didn't think he would survive Vongola's wrath.

"By the way Naru-bou… what's with the ring?" Bou-san whispered as he flopped down on the sofa next to the psychic, eying the said ring curiously.

Naru surprisingly didn't take it off, only once to inspect it closely before putting it on. Closer inspection revealed there was another three colored gems on the back, indigo, yellow and orange. It also actually could be split to two rings, each with three colored stones. The ring was not standing out at all against his pale skin, which was perhaps why the girls didn't notice it.

"None of your business." Naru told him flatly.

Bou-san sighed, he and John had been sworn to secrecy by Lin to no tell the girls about the ring Mai gave Naru. Most likely because Ayako was bad at keeping things and Masako would be unbearable if she knew. However the ring couldn't be a Christmas present. They had been surprised that aside from a party Mai also prepared present for all of them.

He got a set of bass guitar maintenance kit, while he was happy for the thoughtful present he couldn't help but a little disappointed Mai was giving him something practical.

John was given a nice leather cover for his bible, most likely Mai noticed that back in Kokuyo Land John's Bible was getting worn out.

Masako opened her present and found a knitted flower pouch and a matching knitted stuffed bear, what made her happy was the bear was knitted by Chrome. A joint present from both Mai and Chrome for her.

Lin looked closest to overjoyed Bou-san had ever seen of him, when he unwrapped a thick Taoist book written by Fong Xiao Long and it was signed by the man himself.

Ayako however perhaps was the happiest out of all of them because of her present. It was not even wrapped, only tied with red ribbon. It was a bonsai Kaya tree and two bottles of plant supplements. Apparently to Ayako the tree talked, it was a young spirit tree with wonderful personality.

Bou-san could guess the spirit was flattering Ayako non-stop if her expression was any indication. It seemed somehow Mai's family had a flair at growing living trees and caring them. Ayako also had been eyeing fertilizer she was given curiously, saying it was brimming with life energy for some reason.

What was shocking however Naru-bou didn't only get one but four presents at once, one from Mai and the rest was from his friends in Italy. He however refused to open it in front of them. After he nagged, Masako eyed him almost threateningly and Ayako raising an eyebrow, Naru-bou relented to open two of them.

First was from Hayato, some of his latest thesis Naru was interested in and an expensive looking fountain pen. Naru sighed when he saw the attached note about how this Italian brand was better than one he was using.

Mai's present much to Bou-san and Ayako's silent cheer was a set of knitted winter apparels, a scarf, a long sleeved cardigan and a hat. All of them were obviously hand knitted, all dark blue in color but Mai had sneakily added in blue on slightly lighter shade than his eyes on the edge.

Naru however didn't look surprise by the heartfelt present. "She knitted the same things for everyone in her family…" And he happened to be someone close who had not gotten one from her. Growth spurt was a wonderful thing because she could knit a lot of things for her family as they would outgrew the one she gave last year very quickly.

What Naru didn't know however… he was the only one who got a complete set in one go, simply because after Mai finished the first she imagined how nice it would look on Naru if there was a matching set, started knitting the rest and couldn't stop.

* * *

 **Italy, Outskirt of Palermo (Mai's POV)**

Transporting back to Italy was giving us a headache, especially since we also transported the car we were riding on back too. It was a relief there was enough flame left to return, as Tsuna… or rather Giotto was still out of commission.

Soft snore from his lips snapped me out of my thought, bringing me back to reality. It was unfair for me to avoid him, because to see this body still breathing was like a fleeting illusion. My selfishness…

"By the way Mai-chan." Byakuran grinned at me, "Didn't you commission a ring from Talbot-san recently?"

I sighed at him. "You're so…"

"But why a ring?" Byakuran pressed on. "You know that to outsiders it could be interpreted as something else…" He snickered.

I sighed, "You know Talbot-san… he is a fickle man, when I requested this commission I wanted him to make something like wristwatch but… he gave me a ring instead." Even though he did took to consideration about the simple design at least.

"And yet… you're not going to take that guy for your family?"

"You know why I won't." I retorted back, closing my eyes. "I have drawn too many people from outside…" The least I should do was sparing Naru after everything was over.

I couldn't be selfish any longer… but when it would be over?

"Mai-san." Yuni called me, then I realized she was holding to a small flame of spirit.

I blinked at it, "Is that belong to the boy who possessed you?"

She nodded, "It's a very strong and warm soul… this is a small remnant he left me for some reason and I wonder…"

I smiled at her, "After this wonderful present you gave… why not?" I opened my watch. "You want to see, don't you?"

Yuni beamed at me as the tongue of flame was absorbed to my watch and as we closed our eyes the image of the past flowed through our mind.

* * *

 **Past Vision**

 _It was a church that was in the middle of construction, a scaffolding had just collapsed. A pries wearing raincoat and a number of men were panicking in the middle of that cold rain._

 _"He is not here!"_

 _"Where could he be?"_

 _Yuni saw Kenji-kun's prone body shivering beside the angel statue, his eyes clouded. So she got closer towards the boy and I followed her silently. 'No… Father Toujou is leaving, I'm here… I'm here…' We heard his silent plea echoing in our mind._

 _She shouted, "He is he-"_

 _"Yuni…" I called her, it seemed because she was feeling Kenji-kun's emotion so strongly she mistook this as her vision. "This is the past that has been set in stone." Unlike hers, the fickle future. Mine was never fickle, it was set. "It can't be changed… it has passed."_

 _She lowered her gaze at the men searching and trapped on what within their sight, and the dying child right above their eyes. "Future is sometimes if not always… scary to me, but for you Mai-san…"_

 _"It's just how it is to each of us… you're the turning point of time axis, Byakuran's is the present… and our Vongola is past to future that has been set." I murmured softly._

 _Looking at her saddened face, I added. "Maybe I should cut this now?"_

 _Yuni shook her head. "I… don't think Kenji-kun wanted me to only see his death."_

 _Then I saw it, his eyes slowly closed and slowly but inevitably death crept to this young soul. However instead of agony I associated closely with death, he looked peaceful. 'If it's Tou-san… he will find me and then we can go home…' Then he died with a smile on his lips, dreaming of his father and their home._

 _The vision shifted and this time it was an everlasting darkness, Kenji-kun's spirit or the remnant was glowing in the dark as he smiled at Yuni. "Thank you… for finding me, now… it's my turn to find Otou-san in heaven."_

 _I could tell… this boy was overflowed with joy that at last his long search was over and started with another but… it would be fruitful one._

 _"It seems… he is happy after all, he is going to find his father this time instead of waiting." I couldn't help but say._

 _Yuni smiled at me and I could feel the vision was ending and we were back to reality._

* * *

Byakuran was pouting, no doubt unhappy he was left out.

"Mai-san… you will find him for sure."

I blinked at Yuni, "That's not a prophecy, isn't it?"

Yuni shook her head, "No… but it's a promise you have made to yourself, your brother and family…"

I laughed softly at that. "Right… it's a promise…"

A promise I had no intention to break, it was my resolution… that one day like Kenji-kun. My search will end and I will get my brother back… at all cost!

* * *

 **Yes... yes... Tsuna you see is him in the flesh not in spirit. XDDD complicated... but I did hint this for a while. Mai in a sense could be categorized as a shaman of Vongola. Yuni shares this ability, kind of... considering she can call Primo's soul in canon.  
BTW I also hinting explanation why Naru and Gene has difficulty to remember Tsuna, this is not conveniently forgetful  
in their part anyway.  
**

 **This is the closing for Silent Christmas case... :) Kenji-kun I love you! Such a cute kid!**

 **Because it's been a while... I posted TWO OMAKES**

 **1st OMAKE: In which... apparently their skies is not so normal after all.**

 **ps: Please listen to 'Sakura Addiction' by CV Mukuro and Hibari in the background!**

Their boss and vice-boss were powerful individuals, that much was obvious. However this made the guardians –most of them- thinking Mai and Tsuna couldn't be sane with good amount of common sense if they were part of Vongola and follow Mafia's rule of thumb, the more powerful you were, the farthest you would be from sanity and normalcy.

Mukuro who had been in mafia since he was very young-not voluntarily of course- believed there must be some sort of error or foul play in their birth. For one, Vongola never gave birth to twins… it was usually hereditary but neither side of their parents had twins history. It was not impossible of course, but well… the chance was small.

Hayato waived this off as testament of their destiny to greatness.

Lambo would never admit it but Mafia's rule of thumb was true to majority of Mafia population. Just look at Byakuran, Hibari, Mukuro, and… the list was endless. Lambo was young but as Vongola Guardians and friend of Fuuta who perhaps someone who had met most of Mafia population alive aside from the old folks, he knew quite a lot of people and so far their leaders were exception among exceptions.

The closest was Dino, whose peculiarity stopped at being chronically clumsy and somehow manage to survive for so long without meaningful brain damage. At least he was still _weird_ and lacking common sense sometimes, like… letting his pet turtle loose anywhere near water. Or… forgetting his complete incapability to do anything right when no subordinate of his was on sight.

Tsuna and Mai used to be clumsy but after going through training with Reborn, he solved most of it if not all. Beside… their clumsiness once researched by doctors of Vongola and declared as a medical problem, something with being twin, strong intuition and psychic link that disoriented their bodies. So no… their clumsiness was not something fundamentally spectacular weirdness like Dino's.

So it was out.

Their kind and soft heart? Well… it was true that they were very caring individual, almost abnormal especially in Tsuna's case. However when half of your guardians used to almost kill you one way or another, you had to be filled with goodness in your heart to make them part of your family.

As time passed and they really got to know Tsuna and Mai, the peculiarities befitting their power started to show. If you could call it weird… or it was just the twins had peculiar sadistic side.  
They had learned earlier between the twins, Mai was… harder to get close with. Especially if you had tried to kill her brother a couple of times. It would take quite some time for her to even deign to talk to you…

Hayato almost committed harakiri to atone for his misconduct against Tsuna to convince Mai, that his pledge of loyalty was genuine.

Because Tsuna was such a good boy, he never got in real trouble with Hibari. However it didn't take long for Hibari to sniff out Tsuna's real strength and at the first opportunity to bite Tsuna to death –namely tripped over a cat then landed on gardening club's hydrangea that counted as school's property- he did so. Tsuna somehow managed to escape and by the next day a fresh bush of hydrangea replaced the one Tsuna landed into.

Hibari however got his just desert when he found his hamburger bento had been replaced with one filled with various kind of spices, and Hibari choked once the sharply spiced meat touched his tongue.

Mukuro was arrested so… Mai didn't get a chance to exact her revenge. Not to mention their next encounter was Mukuro in Chrome's body and Mai had standards. Mukuro however had a taste of Mai's revenge when somehow she pinned Disciplinary Committee's armband on his Kokuyo uniform, and when he realized it certain Skylark had seen the armband. Hibari for once didn't shove his tonfa to Mukuro's face but asked whether he at last understand the importance of discipline.

Mukuro was humiliated and indignant, and for once Trident was shoved first to Hibari's face.

Lambo was a kid, so Mai didn't do anything drastic when he almost exploded his grenade on Tsuna's face. However… his fifteen years old self bear the brunt when vengeful Bianchi greeted Lambo she mistook as Romeo. Lambo, five years old dreaded the day he was old enough for Mai to exact revenge for endangering her brother.

Ryohei escaped without scratch simply because he was only issuing a boxing challenge, and not aiming to kill Tsuna. He never knew what bullet he dodged for being fair and competitive.

Takeshi was another who escaped Mai's revenge, simply because it would undo he brother's good job in saving the suicidal boy. Takeshi however had a hard and long time to get Mai to warm up to him, until he risked his precious arm for Tsuna's sake, Mai accepted him.

In short for Mai between forgive and forget for her brother, there was a pay back in between. Only when the matter involved her dear twin brother though, for Mai it was hell hath no fury when Mai felt scorned for her brother's sake.

Another Tsuna related oddity of their princess was… no matter how exasperated she was with his too kind nature and naivety, she thought he was her god. Or something… she knew both bad and good side Tsuna had, but in her eyes her brother complex was still very much justified.

A fact that only Hayato would agree with her.

She would jump back and forth between exasperated and idolizing her brother, most of the time the latter…

Odd, but… she was a Vongola so it was justified.

Tsuna in the other hand, in spite of his openness and easier to get along with was harder to spot… Yes, his kindness and softhearted attitude was borderline abnormal… but not good enough to be marked as strange. He was strange for Mafia but…

Then one day they found the hard way… what peculiarity Tsuna had to justify his immense power.

Considering since Kokuyo Land Incident as they called it, the foregone conclusion was…Hibari hated to share breathing space with Mukuro. However it was inevitable for them to be in one room when they were both guardians of Vongola and even though Hibari was allowed to stay in Japan, reporting to their boss and other family related activity was something he had to do regardless he liked it or not.

Confrontation between Mukuro and Hibari most of the time was solved with both causing property damage significant enough for Mai to fly down like a vengeful goddess, threw something at their head and lectured them to take their nonsense somewhere else.

On one occasion in which both violent guardians had nothing to do when the rest was busy with preparing Christmas, the predictable happened and Mai was enraged because they still couldn't hold back on Christmas. It had to be noted it was their very first Christmas event as the host so understandably both Tsuna and Mai were under a lot of pressure. Not to mention their bond was still new so at that point Tsuna and Mai weren't good at tolerating their antics yet, especially violent antics.

So obviously Mai lost it, and they knew this however… they were obliviously unaware of Tsuna's own brewing temper.

Mai suggested bluntly, if they wanted to kill each other at least they should have a decency to not drag their surroundings with them, in Sahara or some uncharted island. Away from Christmas and their manor.

Tsuna rejected the idea because he didn't want their guardians to kill each other, so he calmed his twin down and told her to get a break. So Hibari and Mukuro for the first time since they became a guardian had quality time one on two with Tsuna.

He was still smiling as usual but also looking at them long and searching, as if contemplating something.

It was strange… their boss and princess came in one set all the time. It felt odd to interact with only one of them, Tsuna who was always kind, lenient and a little timid while Mai balanced the dynamic with being stricter and outgoing. Somehow they had a feeling, like an image of balanced scale wobbling and one of the pan dropped and hit the ground dramatically on their head.

This couldn't be a vision because of their link, could it? It felt like metaphorical judgement somehow.

Exhaling long and hard, "Haaah…" Then he gave them a look that as if said ' _Oh, Kyouya… Mukuro you guys are so…_ like a grown man dealing with brats in resignation, _boys would be boys_.

 _Did he just insult us with a mere look?_

"You guys are as energetic as always…" Shaking his head amusedly.

Only Tsuna would call unleashing pent up blood thirst as energetic.

"If you guys go on, it would be troubling for all of us." He chided them in good natured manner, almost fatherly and somehow it got on their nerves. "So… I know exactly where you can direct all of that energy, Kyouya… Mukuro…"

Somehow they couldn't help but felt dread pooling on their stomach at that line.

"We're all busy preparing Christmas… but I can't think of anything you can do for preparation, Chrome is working on Mukuro's part… and Kyouya is not suitable for this kind of job… preparing a party, both of you are not…" He said forlornly, as if he felt sorry about it.

Again… they felt insulted even though he didn't say anything insulting.

"So I can't really blame you for… entertaining each other because you both don't have anything to do…" Tsuna went on in sympathetic tone as if their lack of participation was something to be pitied.

The feeling of dread for some reason doubled.

"So! I will put you guys in charge of entertaining everyone…"

 _What?!_

"Isn't this wonderful? You guys will cooperate and get along to accomplish something!" They opened their mouth to protest but Tsuna didn't let them. "Chrome will be _overjoyed_ you participate in the party… she always _loves_ it when you go extra mile for her… especially since she is doing _your_ job too to prepare our Christmas party."

Mukuro clamped his mouth shut.

"And Kyouya… this is a _responsibility_ I entrusted to you. As a _disciplined_ individual, I expect you to do the task you're entrusted with… Especially since _everyone_ else is working hard for this." _And you don't_ , was unspoken but could be heard clearly.

Hibari followed suit.

For once in their life they inwardly agreed on one thing, their boss was scariest man alive who shamelessly using their weakness and managed to not leave even a stain to his own saintly image.

 **Christmas Night**

That was the first Christmas the tenth generation hosted, and it was smashingly a success. Of course the food and drink was excellent, the decorations were perfect, and the overall atmosphere was perfect. However what made the party hailed to be one of the best Christmas party ever hosted by Vongola family was the miracle of Christmas, their Neo-Primo blessed them with.

A miracle was a word to describe it although… more like something the impossible that shouldn't be happening in this lifetime happened. It was like a dream… not a dream came true because no one would ever dream of it, but more than half of the guests pinched themselves repeatedly to make sure they were not dreaming.

Hibari Kyouya, the aloof tenth cloud of Vongola and…

Mukuro, the tenth Mist and ex-convict with sadistic reputation…

 ** _"The cherry blossoms dance,  
falling into my empty hand…"_**

 _"Ephemeral! Gentle! And fragile!  
This flower that seems like you~"_

They were singing a duet on stage, not just any song… but Japanese song about sakura, delicacy and romance. Shouichi who had been tasked by Tsuna –and told specifically to compose that kind of song- to make the lyrics and music also thoughtfully added Italian subtitle on the screen.

"Maa… aren't they wonderful?" Tsuna raised his wine glass, laughing softly. "I never know Kyouya and Mukuro are amazing singers, and they make a wonderful duo on stage."

 ** _"The cherry blossoms, it flutters down,  
on my hand where there is nothing  
Fleeting and gentle, I'm afraid it might break,  
the flower that is just like you!"_**

Mai would have gape if that wouldn't be a hazard to her image as princess of Vongola. Hibari and Mukuro were singing the chorus in unison, their cloud and mist! "And they're not trying to kill each other!"

"Boss…" Hayato began in trembling voice, "You just created a miracle, as expected of you."

Takeshi nodded in agreement, for once he was not unflappable at something. "Wow."

Lambo didn't even notice the grape juice he was drinking dripped pass his chin and soaking his suit. "Lambo-san must be dreaming."

"Extreme…" was all Ryohei could comment, his voice was strangely small.

Chrome was recording everything avidly with her recorder, "Mukuro-sama and… Kumo no Hito… singing together…" She sighed happily.

Mukuro-sama even said this song was for her! She fell in love with him all over again. Arguably Chrome was the one who took this bizarre miracle better than the rest of her fellow guardians, imaginary hearts beaming from her person.

"Onii-chan…" Mai was still staring at the stage unblinkingly, she swore just now… trick of light or not Kyo-san and Mukuro looked like they were crying on stage when the camera gave a close up shot. "What did you do?"

 ** _"The ball I lost and gave up on...  
The one who found it for me, it was you wasn't it?"_**

 _"The spring comes, blossoms and prides…  
the ground sways by the wind"_

Tsuna just laughed as he pulled his sister close, clasping one hand over her shoulder. "Hm? Just _disciplining_ them a little… at any rate, Shouichi is surprisingly good at composing such a heartfelt lyric! We wouldn't have known he used to compose metal rock song."

Mai just laughed nervously at that, "Who would have known." She agreed.

That Christmas… as Mukuro and Hibari's surprisingly good duet singing in the background, the guardians came to a perhaps scariest revelation of tenth generation of Vongola.

 ** _I have come, to retrieve the lost article that is here, on my hand  
Fleeting and gentle, I'm afraid it might break, this flower that is just like you…_**

Saint like or not… Tsuna was still a mafia boss and Reborn's students.

On another note, both Mukuro and Hibari refused to even look at each other for months. Shouichi who had been involved in concocting the dreaded song also refused to look at either guardian on the eye. It was few days later after New Year Mai found out that Shouichi was guilty for unleashing a virus that shook America on one of his online escapade on Pentagon by accident.

So on Christmas, Tsuna didn't just hand out heaven punishment on two but three members of their family.

When asked…

"I don't want to hurt anyone… ha ha ha… beside I don't think I can get angry for long. Isn't it better if I direct them to do something productive instead?" Tsuna replied innocently, as if he had not just defeated, humiliated and used three of his family members to the point they refused to show their face in public of mafia society.

So… for the next few months they did everything they could to not displease their boss, which meant no mayhem and mischief but of course… they didn't last long so they resorted to plan B.

Mai was baffled at after few months of good behavior, and at last they slipped as expected –she never had that high of expectation in the first place- they came to her. It was almost sad, how all of their guardians were almost begging her to scold them whenever they did something wrong, before Tsuna got his hands on them.

She was torn between swooning over her brother's greatness and envious on how good he was at disciplining them when he tried.

 **OMAKE : In case you're wondering how the Christmas party of Vongola ended in their sky's absence...  
Hayato has a briliant idea...  
Mukuro rolled with it...  
And Coyote is a collateral victim... **

**Italy, (Vongola HQ)**

Christmas party of Vongola ended with a bang, literally.  
In short when Shouichi and Spanner were singing, Gianini jumped in and challenge their dancing robot with his with predictable result. Something exploded, and in Vongola that was like a gong to start chaos.

Their bosses and Hibari sneaked out in the middle of it.

Hayato with impressive maturity sat back and began to calculate how much property damage it would cost on his mind to distract himself from the chaos. Yes… ironically numbers distracted him from the cause of said headache inducing number.

Again… he had suspicion that Hime and to some extent Giotto were hoping there would be enough chaos, explosions, flames and what else to bring down the historical ballroom to rubbles. Just so they could build a new one.

Well, if Primo and Hime themselves wanted a new ballroom… he supposed they could build even a bigger one. It would be costly but would hardly put a meaningful dent on their wealth. Not to mention when their bosses' comfort was put to equation… which include Nonno's, it would be cheap in comparison.

Beside… casualties would be minimum if not nonexistent if prior experience was to be believed, a collapsed building would hardly kill anyone who bear the name Vongola as their family name. Especially if the said building belong to them.

With that in mind he discreetly tossed his own dynamites when his grandfather was not looking. Then silently approached Ganauche, and gave the tipsy Lightning an idea to knock his grandfather for him. Because the old coot would stop the joyous party… Ganauche didn't even think twice about it, so he zig-zagged towards Coyote who was busy hollering at anything that moved on sight. Ganauche tapped his shoulder and as soon as Coyote turned around, he was knocked out cold by lightning flame to the face.

Hayato winced, "That's a bit too much." Then again… if they were lucky his grandfather would be out cold until tomorrow, and out of commission for days.

By the time Coyote recovered… he would have everything to build a new ballroom ready. First… blue prints and budgeting could be done on day one, ordering building materials by day two, and by the time his grandfather was back to his feet, the construction would be underway already…

Perfect!

Mukuro somehow heard Hayato's plan, and passed the message around to his fellow guardians. Mukuro was thoughtful enough to warn Ryohei to not shouting the plan to the world. Takeshi was always game for some fun destruction, especially when Hayato was giving him permission. Ryohei naturally bulldozed everything on his path. Chrome decided to sit back somewhere safe and watched after she grabbed bewildered Hana, Kyoko and Haru to safety with her.

That was how the infamous Sky Ballroom was brought down to ruin in the tenth generation, by the first generation of Neo Vongola. Of course… in history it was just waived off as another collateral damage caused by their over-excitable and natural destructive nature.

Back in Japan, Hibari Kyouya suddenly felt like he was missing something good and certain pineapple herbivore was going to gloat about it. He also felt strangely left out by his fellow guardians for a millisecond, before squashing the herbivorous thought to bits.

Mai who was also still in Japan suddenly had a feeling she should feel very proud of their guardians for some reason. She said this out loud to her fellow skies absentmindedly.

Giotto in Tsuna's body cracked one eye open and voiced the same opinion.

Silently Yuni and Byakuran swore, the moment they were back to Italy the first thing to do was checking the latest fiasco in Vongola Manor. For some reason they also had a feeling they shouldn't miss this one.

* * *

 **Please review... and hope you enjoy this story XDDD BTW...**

 **NEXT CHAPTER: Because I have been so cruel in last chap... I give you a peek now.  
**

Something drawn me towards the mirror and I couldn't resist as my legs carried me there, and I was face to face with my reflection. I raised my hand, touching the mirror. Then I froze when my reflection instead of frowning with narrowed eyes like me, it was titling his head to the side with open curiosity on his face that was almost child like.

Like Gene…

"Gene?"

"Noll?" That was not me who said that.

 **Twin's reunion in next chapter, after the twin skies it's Davis twin's turn!**


	24. Post Case 05

**Interlude X-3**

Mai returned after New Year and looked so exhausted Naru almost thought she had to stay in hospital instead of her apartment. After all if Mai, who he almost suspected was a ball of energy and stamina didn't even make it to her bedroom, instead of sprawled to her sofa, this must be pretty serious.

Hayato had called him at midnight and he was about to snap at his friend when Hayato informed him that their princess was either on the way or already at her apartment and it was hectic in Italy so please check on her. Which lead to Naru finding Mai in such a sorry state.

And for the first time since they met, Naru made Mai a cup of coffee. Mai however had never stocked instant coffee even once in her life, so instead of a cup, hot water and grounded coffee. All Naru could find was a metal case with tools even his genius mind couldn't tell what.

A barista set, an espresso machine and a grinder.

Somehow he managed to produce a cup, the color looks right at least. Mai was too out of it so she drank a sip before promptly collapsed again.

He didn't poison Mai, did he? Curiously he reached out for the cup but stopped by Mai. "Naru… don't even try it."

"So… you're alive."

Her eyes closed, facing down so Naru couldn't see what kind of expression she made. "No thanks to you… but still I'm touched you try. That coffee could wake the dead, I swear…"

Naru felt his cheeks heated up, uncharacteristic of him. "I don't understand how you could like coffee so much, especially since you need one suitcase of equipment just to make it. Tea is a much simpler drink to brew."

She snorted, "Like I understand why you like tea so much…" She murmured softly to him, then much to his shock she downed the rest. "Ugh… it's so genius of you to brew such coffee… how did you wrecked grade 1 ground coffee this badly?" She grumbled to the pillow of her sofa, her voice was muffled but Naru could guess the gist.

"Then why did you finish it?!"

"Because you make it." Mai told him with a grunt. "It's a historical event… Naru made me coffee… the tea addict, although…" She cracked one eye open at direction of her kitchen. "I am kinda afraid to see the current state of my kitchen."

Naru regretted even trying to make coffee, he should have just make tea. He was no expert tea brewer but at least as heavy drinker of it, he could whip up a decent one. It was all because stupid and sentimental thought that Mai prefer coffee, he even tried.

"Ne… Naru…" Mai murmured again. "Why you're here…"

"Because an idiot came home exhausted, she didn't even lock her door and collapsed on her sofa." Naru informed her in flippant tone. "And because certain U.M.A nerd called me to make sure you're alright. Which make me wonder… what the heck happened in Italy? Hayato sounded like he was half-sobbing when he called."

Mai sighed, "Let's say… there is this part of our manor I hate to see, but because of its historical value I can't just demolish it."

Naru had a feeling he'd better of not knowing why Mai hated certain room on her manor and it was a historical site. "So?"

"And so… when Tsuna and I left the party in the middle of commotion." She sighed before adding. "Don't ask how it happened, but Shouichi, Spanner are involved in not so friendly robotic rivalry… the ball start rolling from there and Hayato because of piled up stress or reading too much of his U.M.A magazine decided… might as well saving our time and money to demolish the ballroom so our Christmas party ended with a bang, a ruined ballroom, and an enraged grandfather of his…"

Not to mention the New Year party that followed next week, Byakuran had to be convinced to not put anyone's head on the sky. Well, at least that damned ballroom was gone, it was so worth it to get half-deaf from Coyote's shouting. Not to mention behind his back Nonno gave them a thumbs up to get rid of that damned ballroom at last.

Naru recalled how Spanner once tried to tinker one of their precious camera to be ghost chaser robot, in which the robot chased nothing to their large pond and then exploded. "I can imagine…" A ballroom for family as rich as Mai's would be… how was that saving money?

"Did Hayato, Shouchi or Spanner destroyed something in your place?" Mai wondered, face still buried on the pillow. "Send me the bill please…"

"It's just a pond, and aside from a number of dead fish… no lasting damage." Naru assured Mai.

Mai giggled, "Who?"

"Spanner."

"That's all?" Mai grumbled.

Naru sighed, "There is an old tree house turned rocket by Hayato and Shouichi…" Then he added, "And no, I will not send you the bill." In the first place all damage was because Gene gave them ideas. "At any rate… are you feeling better?"

Mai nodded, flipping herself around so she was on her back. "What time is it now?" She wondered as she grabbed her pocket watch and flipped it open. "Hm… two in the morning?" She pinched the bridge of her nose then her hand wandered up to her eyes.

It had been an hour since Naru found Mai in sorry state then. "You should sleep…"

Mai craned her neck to the side, and Naru froze at the sight of her amber colored eyes. She had taken the contact lens off. "Ne… Naru…"

His breath hitched at the sight and inwardly he was curious why he was so affected by her eerily beautiful eyes, while some part was grateful Mai covered them most of the time if he was affected like this. "What Mai?"

"If you have lost someone precious… what would you do to get them back?" She asked with a mysterious smile on her lips, she sat up and much to his surprise she crawled to his seat that was next to sofa she occupied.

What came over her all of a sudden? Naru was no stranger to girl trying to seduce him, it happened a lot in UK and he always brushed it off. Mai however… no, she was not seducing him for sure. This was Mai trying to read people closer, deeper, gauging them with her intuition.

Her hyper intuition…

"Naru…" She pressed on, getting impatient.

She was not using cold reading on him, was she?

He regained his composure, close proximity with Mai was something that already familiar to him. "If you mean lost as in this someone has passed away, then there is no getting them back… we can only grieve and move on."

She frowned at that, "Let's say this someone is precious, and not died yet…"

It was his turn to frown, sensing the tint of desperation on her voice. "Your brother is alive…"

Mai's eyes widened at that, "Do I ever say anything to imply he has died?" There was a strange note on her voice now, one he didn't recognize.

Naru inhaled sharply. "Foolish of me, but it's merely my assumption… the way you talked about him back then…"

Her eyes narrowed, "Is that so… hm, so different and yet… similar thought process?" She edged closer until there was only a mere inch between their face. "You never quite answer me… Naru."

"Why did you ask this?" he asked back instead. "It's late and not the right time for vague question." He told her coolly.

Mai just smiled at him. "Because I need to know to decide." She answered him. "About what I should I do next to you?" She withdrew and he instantly felt the chill after the heat her body radiated left close proximity. "Beside… sooner is better, nothing like the present…"

He sucked in the breath he was holding and said. "If this important someone is lost not by death…" If Gene… was still alive. "I will do everything I could within my power to get them back." It was not a heartfelt confession, but merely a fact.

Mai smiled at him and suddenly Naru found himself enveloped by her warmth, she was hugging him close. "That's a good answer… I will accept that as your resolution."

Resolution? He was resolute about getting Gene back, alive or dead. But what did she mean by accepting it?"

Once again she pulled away but still close and her right hand reached out so the tip of her forefinger touched his forehead. "What did you."

"Sorry Naru…" She smiled gently at him, her amber eyes glimmered in eerie glow. "but for your sake, his sake… and also my own. I welcome you at least temporarily…"

Welcome to… "Where?"

Then he felt something blazing on his forehead, was that… flame? Suddenly his whole body stilled, and something warm flowed from his the top of his head all the way to his feet. His eyes fluttered close against his will and he knew no more. Howered he heard the last thing Mai said... so softly he almost missed it.

 **"** **Welcome to our sky Naru…"**

* * *

 **Palermo, Vongola HQ**

"Hime's condition is getting slightly better, she was at 25% of her full power…" Shamal informed the storm guardian of their latest medical checkup. "It will slow down the worse… at least."

He cleared his throat, "On our boss' case… I think he can stay awake longer again, but just to be safe… do schedule his appearance in our society carefully."

Which mainly to keep this society under control, they had three great skies but out of all two skies and two halves, Tsuna held the most influence so his absence was not something they could afford.

Hayato sighed in relief, "That's one worry out, at least temporarily…"

Shamal nodded, "Haaah… being personal doctor to inner circle of Vongola is troublesome, keeping secrets piled with another…"

"…We're in mafia, what do you expect?"

He coughed, "So… did Hime answer what had been nagging your mind lately?"

Hayato tensed for a moment before he relaxed. "Yes."

"Are you upset?"

He sighed, "A little but in the end she… she is just doing what she think is the best for all of us, I could only hope Noll understand that…"

Shamal snorted, "That boy owe Hime his life whether he know it or not…" Hayato tensed again. "Although… I couldn't help but wonder how long that genius will figure it out, what his medication's main ingredient is made of."

Hayato's mouth pressed to a thin line. "He doesn't need to know that…" He exhaled slowly. "Hime wouldn't want him to feel indebted."

Shamal shrugged, "Well! Indebted or not… what right he has aside from accepting this is the reality… after all." He walked towards the test tube on his desk, one with elaborate lid and base. Inside was red liquid and if one looked closer it was tinted with amber glow. "Blood of Vongola since genesis of mafia is such a powerful thing…"

"…" Hayato stayed quiet as he watched Shamal, his mentor idly twirling the tube filled with precious blood.

"Especially the blood of current generation… " He raised the vial so he had the blood against the light of his lab, pronouncing the subtle glow. "Primo's blood is called 'Judgement' as he is the first who set the precedent of Vongola, so his blood judge resolution of his successor… however the blood of current Vongola, Tsunayoshi and Mai is…"

 **Armonia**

"Harmony… the blood that give strength to those who weak and control to those with strength…" Shamal murmured softly. "Truly… the blood that deserve to be called true blood of the harmonious sky."

"…"

Shamal snickered, "Although… even if your friend know, it should be fine… only a drop of Mai's blood used for one full case of meds." After all if one vial was potent enough to power up Trinisette, when used for human body a drop was more than enough.

Hayato's left eye twitched, "I don't think the concern is how much blood contained in one pill."

* * *

 **Somewhere unknown…**

I wake up in my bedroom, which was not unusual and normal. At least I thought so until I realized that to be exact it was bedroom of my house in London not Tokyo. It was more spacious and the room had dark blue wallpaper, half of it was my personal library, while the rest of furniture was only a closet a desk and a chair.

It was really my bedroom in London.

This couldn't be… I quickly rose from my bed and noticed I was still dressed in my all black attire, the same as I wore when I went next door to check on Mai.

Mai…

She did something to me? I gingerly touched my forehead, but I couldn't recall it well just conversation about getting someone important back and then… warmth that later heated up to almost unbearable level yet pleasant and then, I just…

What did she do to me?

Then as my eyes swept to the room, for a moment I thought all that happen in Japan might be a figment of my imagination. Something was off, but first thing I noticed was different from my bedroom was the door. Since when there was a full body mirror attacked on it?

Something drawn me towards the mirror and I couldn't resist as my legs carried me there, and I was face to face with my reflection. I raised my hand, touching the mirror. Then I froze when my reflection instead of frowning with narrowed eyes like me, it was titling his head to the side with open curiosity on his face that was almost child like.

Like Gene…

"Gene?"

"Noll?"

That was my voice, but the tone… it was Gene. I was about to say something, perhaps a query but before I could, I felt air knocked out of my lungs as my 'reflection' tackled me and I was knocked off of my feet.

"Noll!"

Warm… he was warm like he was alive, and tangible to my touch. I sat on the floor, motionless as I felt how real Gene's hands around my shoulders and the warm tears soaking my shirt. Gene was repeating, "I am sorry Noll… so sorry! I am sorry I left you!" Like a mantra, and I remember that was his words when I saw the vision of his death.

My throat was dry as I manage to croak his name. "Gene… it's… really you?"

Gene pulled back so I could see his tearful face, he looks awful and idiotic… the image that usually would make me want to scold him because it felt like looking at myself with idiotic expression. However I didn't find it in me to throw snide remark, I don't even know what else to say even when Gene before me was nodding frantically.

"Of course it's me, idiot scientist!" Gene huffed, rubbing his teary eyes. "One and only brother of Oliver Davis!"

"Thank God for that." I uttered my reflex answer before I could stop myself.

"Hey!" Gene laughed at me. "Is this how you treat your brother after we met for the first time after long separation?!"

I inhaled slowly, organizing my thought before I gave him a verbal answer. "What's going on here Gene? This isn't… our house."

Gene blinked owlishly at me. "Of course not…" Then without warning Gene pulled my hand towards the mirror on the door, and we passed through much to my shock.

"It's your room." Gene's room looked much like mine, but more furniture and photo frames… more personal touch.

He smirked at me, "Right, captain obvious no wonder you're a professor." I glared at my twin. "Obviously our room back home is not connected by mirror… so no, this is not our house in London."

"So where is this place?"

Gene grinned at me, throwing his arms in grand gesture. "Welcome to astral world Noll, my astral world to be exact!"

I didn't know what kind of face I made at that revelation, but obviously Gene saw and he was laughing at me. "I am not an astral walker like you… how did I get here? Beside… if you can't contact me as a spirit, why now? How?"

"Whoaa… slow down Noll!" Gene raised his hands at me. "For the first one… you're not but I am and we are twins with psychic link so I think in theory you can come into my place, but you can't go anywhere else in this realm."

That made sense.

"As for contacting you as spirit… well, for some reason our psychic link after that incident become one way line." Gene rubbed the back of his head, "I can't send anything from my end to you but I can see from yours… vision and what happen in general around you, cases especially!"

Because he died?

"Is that because you passed away?"

Gene quieted down at that and I waited for him to chide me for reminding him. "Uh… how to explain this, you see… apparently I am not dead yet."

For a moment I wondered if this was a dream and Gene before me was my imagination. Then I realized a vivid dream was not just a dream and Gene was Gene. I didn't expect Gene to have this problem, a medium in life and in death he denied his death.

Gene glared at me, "I am not delusional, thank you very much little brother… your faith in me is very touching…"

"…"

"In case you don't realize… I am talking to you perfectly, no repeating words or stuttering, and I am very lucid." Gene listed on. "I also have new memories… perfectly clear recollection of it, how ghost like I am to you?"

He was indeed peculiar for a ghost, Gene was lucid and he was denying his death with clear reasoning instead of bemoaning nonsense denial. "I saw you… no, I felt your death."

"Yes, I felt it too…" He let out a shaky laugh, "Getting run over twice, wrapped and then tossed to a lake."

I frowned at him.

He inhaled sharply. "It was horrible… and felt so real even though it's not…"

My eyes widened in realization, image of giant lotus flower burst through the ground followed by pillar of fire. The sweet scent of flower and the heat felt so real but it was all… "Illusion?"

Gene nodded, "Yes… it's an illusion, my death we felt… is a very realistic illusion like one Mukuro-san and Chrome-san created." Sensing my darkened feeling Gene added. "No… they have nothing to do with it, they're the first you met but not the only illusionist in the world… not to mention I am a medium, I am very receptive of this kind of thing."

So Gene and I had been fooled by an illusion all along? I felt anger boiled on the pit of my stomach at the thought. Someone had fooled us, me!

I was snapped out of my thought when Gene grabbed my shoulders, shaking me. "I know you're angry Noll… but you should control yourself! Your body is not here and if your PK get out of control…"

"Right." I exhaled slowly, calming myself down.

Gene grinned at me, "I am happy though… you're that angry for me."

I glared at him, "Actually I am angrier at the loss chance to dissect a perfect medium."

Silence…

"Noll…" Gene growled, pinching my cheek much to my exasperation. "I know you're joking but for a moment I almost thought you're serious, your sense of humor is as bad as ever…"

"…"

"Especially when you're joking, your tone didn't sound like you are. If you keep this up you will degrade from idiot scientist to mad scientist." He told me as he released my throbbing cheek, apparently in this realm pain could be felt.

There was too many question piled up on my mind and for the first time in my life I don't know where to start. "Gene… my sense of humor aside, let's just say you're alive." Ignoring his indignant 'I am' and continued. "I have not seen your body yet, I am a scientist so I need a tangible proof."

Gene snorted, "Said the Ghost Hunter."

I resisted my urge to roll my eyes at Gene, "Just because I study incorporeal entities doesn't mean I don't need physical proof." I said pointedly to my twin.

"Right." Gene shrugged, "At least you are not accusing me to be a ghost who didn't even realize he is already dead, that would be too embarrassing for a medium like me."

I wouldn't put past this idiot brother of mine actually.

"You do realize as my twin and living in my astral world now means… I can hear your every thought when you don't shield your mind well." Gene said pointedly with annoyed expression.

Slamming mental barrier over my mind, I shot him an annoyed look. "You should have told me."

"I thought you can figure it out yourself, oh genius brother of mine…" Gene grinned smugly at me. "At any rate… my fake death aside, what are you going to do?"

I raised an eyebrow at him, "Find the lake."

Gene groaned, "I didn't drown there."

"There must be a clue there, while let's say you're right about your fake death." Gene rolled his eyes, "Shouichi hacked security camera of train station around your hotel before you went missing… you did board a train and went off by yourself…"

Gene nodded, "I think I take train somewhere… then hitch a ride with a nice old man's car, I don't know it's illusion or not but boy… I did remember the smell of cauliflower that got stuck on my clothes." He grumbled as he flopped down to his bed and gestured to me to take a seat beside him.

I pulled the chair from his study desk instead so I was face to face with him, Gene just chuckled at my behavior. "You hitch a ride on a farmer's truck?" I knew Gene liked to ask for help from strangers, and they were endeared by his warm personality, but a truck?

"I think so… I don't remember where he dropped me off though, to tell you the truth when I wake up in Limbo I was pretty confused of everything… aside from I am dead." He began to explain in somber voice. "I can't contact you even though I know where you are… I can sense you but my voice can't reach you…"

Gene, he…. Why he couldn't reach me? It must be a horrible experience for Gene to lose contact with me like that and alone in Limbo. Though as expected of Gene too to be able to come out of it with his sanity intact.

"I keep trying but ended up in Mai's astral world instead… and man, that was very rude of me." He drawled on.

I froze on my track, "Mai's astral world?"

Gene gulped nervously. "Oh right… first of all, don't get mad at me! I don't really get it myself! So after I failed to contact you…"

Then Gene began to tell what happened to him when he tried to contact me in the middle of investigating old school building case. My first case with Mai… I was out researching, Gene by accident landed himself in Mai's astral world. Gene was an astral walker, he had a gift to leave his body but he never ever met another astral walker or even walked on someone else's astral world.

Gene said he didn't really remember how he got there, but Mai was furious he was trespassing and drive him out. However in the end somehow he returned to Mai's astral world as if something pulling him back to her like the call of siren. This was repeated three more times, and he revealed to me he also the one who show Mai the vision of the past related to our case.

"It's very easy to show her the dream… like I bring her the CD and she already have the player with her."

That would be her natural post-cognition ability, so psychic ability wise Gene was compatible with Mai?

"Then on the case with Morishita family, I failed to contact you again so…"

Then Gene found himself in her world one more time, they talked about their psychic link. "The memory of it is a little fuzzy to me, but her psychic link to her brother is not like ours… it's much more complicated." Gene heaved a sigh, "Then again… there is something in her world… some sort of defense mechanism I guess. It makes information I get from there wouldn't leave with my spirit intact."

Defense mechanism?

"Astral world you see… is the reflection of our soul, so it's innermost part of your existence you wouldn't want to open just to anyone…" Gene smiled sheepishly. "I know what astral world is but since I never met astral walker until Mai… I don't know my manner at all…" Looking at Gene's blushing face, I had an irrational urge to throttle him.

"How private?" I couldn't help but ask.

Gene clamped his mouth shut and I glared at him, prompting him to spill. "Private enough that trespassing is a crime that would make me deserve to get exorcised." Gene answered reluctantly. "My ignorance is not a good enough excuse…"

"Gene…"

"I was just trying to help!" He defended himself, "Beside… it's out of my control whose world I got attracted to!"

Attracted… Did Gene just implied he like Mai? Well, it was not hard to imagine someone like my older twin to have that kind of feeling for Mai. If I was asked what kind of girl Gene would like, Mai would be the first that popped up on my mind. It was so Gene to be head over heels for Mai.

Gene laughed suddenly and I realized my mental shield was down because I was distracted. "Gene!"

"You're the one who leak your thought out!" Gene pointed at me, "Don't blame your recklessness on me Noll!" However his smug expression said he knew something else too. "My… who would have thought, well I am no believer of love is a battlefield anyway. It's up to Mai in the end."

"What are you talking about?" It irked me in this realm I couldn't read Gene's mind at all, just his amused face telling me he knew something I didn't.

Gene sighed, "Idiot scientist… let's set _this_ aside for now." What the heck you meant by _this_ anyway?! "Let me tell you one thing Mukuro-sensei told me."

"Mukuro?" That pure medium?

He nodded, "Once again… my memory is blank but somehow I got into his astral world next… and from what I gather he is an even more experienced astral walker so he taught me a lot about astral world. Mai… entrusted me to him so I can learn…" Gene smiled at me. "So I can relink myself to you again…"

I inhaled sharply, Mai… did all this behind my back. "She didn't tell me…"

"She has her own reason is all I can say…" Gene said in solemn voice. "Beside knowing you… will you believe something as absurd as we're both fooled by death faked by illusion? Especially since you saw illusionist in action just few weeks ago? I myself could hardly believe it when I am living it."

"…" True… I was a scientist, I needed concrete evidence. "Wait… does this mfaiean Mai already know my real name?"

Gene clamped his mouth shut and averting his eyes.

"You told her?" If he knew what was going on around me, Gene should have known I was keeping my identity a secret. "Gene!"

He winced, "To be fair! I was a suspicious trespasser who looks like you! I have to be honest to defend myself… and you know lying is not an option to Mai!"

"That…"

"She has been keeping your secrets for you anyway!" Gene pointed out. "Beside… even though she know your real name is Oliver Davis, I think she…"

"She what?" I pressed on, getting impatient.

"I think she never tried to research on you at all… I don't know, out of chivalrous sense or something… if she know who Oliver Davis is aside from a friend of Hayato and co, my brother, and a genius who write good thesis… she would have known you're a psychometry user!"

How did that one fact matter?

"Then she would have found out about the vision you took a peek from her… I saw it too…" Gene trailed off hesitantly.

My eyes widened as I recalled the night when I touched her pocket watch, then the flood of that horrible vision filled my mind. That was also when I heard Gene's voice.

"Then it's really you…" I breathed out. "Who told me to cut the link to Mai's pocket watch."

Gene nodded, "I didn't know how that happen either myself… but I saw everything, the tragedy, cruelty, blood… and flame… it's awful." He swallowed heavily, "I was talking with Mai when that vision flowed through our link, and she was as confused as I was what had come over me all of a sudden…"

"She…"

Gene heaved a sigh, "I don't know why but Noll… I am sure you also have a feeling those visions are something _very_ private, no… I don't even think private is the word to describe it…" Gene looked scared, and I couldn't blame him. Back then I didn't just almost kill myself, but also Gene. "It's something not meant for our eyes… a Pandora box we shouldn't even look at… much less opening it."

I palmed my face, groaning softly. "Alright… so what's going on here actually?"

"There is something Mai wants…" Gene murmured softly. "That's what Mukuro-sensei told me."

I narrowed my eyes at that, "Something she wants?" Which was her reason to learn parapsychology from me perhaps? "What could it be?"

"Something about her brother perhaps…" Gene told me in thoughtful tone.

"He is alive… Sawada Tsunayoshi… the last time I saw him, he… perhaps not so well but alive." I informed Gene. "I don't think there is anything Mai could get from us to help her brother." Especially since when it came to curbing side effect of psychic power her family was way advanced than anything SPR could offer.

Gene's eyes hardened, "I don't think his problem is the same as yours Noll…"

"Why did you think so?"

"Because…" Gene trailed off, "If there is one similarity Mai and shared aside from our astral walker ability, it's our natural ability to control our twin's overwhelming power… Tsuna-san from what I know could be even more powerful than you are. And yet… he lives separately from his twin, why is that?"

True… why Mai and Tsunayoshi were separated? In fact this arrangement seemed to cost them. "I don't think Mai will answer even if I ask… she is strangely tightlipped about her brother…" In fact everything she told me most likely. "If she tell me something it must be because she keeps secret about you from me…" She had this off sense of fairness. "Even so…"

"Even so…" Gene echoed. "You still want to listen to what she has to say, because like it or not you have faith in her." He smiled at me knowingly. "It's not sentimental or stupid Noll…" He read me again. "I feel the same… since I meet her and getting to know her better, I know Mai… is a very good person I can trust with my life."

Trust her with your life? Gene you…

Suddenly Gene rested half of his body fully on his bed, his feet dangling. "However… I am sure you understand Noll, that Mai… sometimes it feels like she didn't belong in the same world as us."

"?"

Gene grinned at me and then said, "Her astral world is also _so_ like her."

Her astral world… reflection of her soul.

"What's her astral world looks like?" I asked before I could stop myself.

My medium brother tensed before he sat up and stick his tongue out childishly. "Not going to tell you… it's our secret."

Of all things to keep a secret! Then again it was private, but… I didn't know why but I didn't like the thought Gene knew this and I didn't.

"Of course… you can try to ask Mai yourself."

She won't answer such thing, idiot medium! It was like…

"She did say inviting myself in is like going inside a girl's room and peek at her wardrobe, so I imagine asking about her astral world is like asking…" Gene continued the rest mentally and let me heard it.

"Gene!" I hissed.

"You are going try to ask if I didn't warn you." Gene scoffed, "Be thankful I told you, because the result won't be pretty if you try… this is not about keeping secret… no one would want to spill such thing to anyone."

I glared at him. "You know by accident."

"Yes… if not because of my unusual circumstances I don't think she will ever forgive me." Gene said in somber tone. "But even so…"

"Even so?" I echoed.

"While I wish I get to meet her in another way, I don't regret meeting Mai anyway."

It was official, he was head over heels for her.

Then he grinned at me. "I won't tell you let's say… she has a very beautiful soul."

That didn't tell me anything, Gene.

I sighed at him. "Whatever then… still, you trust Mai and like it or not after this far I don't think I can dismiss she is someone I trust too." She had secrets but knowing her she didn't keep it for secrecy sake.

I was almost knocked off of my chair when Gene once again hugged me, although this time he was more mindful with his strength to not send us to the floor. "That's my little brother! As always _deep_ down you're a good person!"

I sighed at him, patting his back patiently. "Yes… yes…" Anyone else I would have scoffed at them for that frivolous remark but Gene, I would just indulged him. Just now I was so shaken by his not so dead status, then by Mai keeping secret that related to Gene from me and suddenly it didn't matter as I was swept away by Gene's whirlwind of emotion.

He had a flair at this, sweeping people away to his tune.

"So… how do I get out of this place?" I asked once Gene released me. "And how to contact you in physical world?"

He grinned at me, "It's easy… I will assist you on that, and for the second… you will find out once you're back to your body little brother!" Then he snapped his finger, and I was about to say a snide remark about the lame gesture when everything suddenly became dark.

* * *

 **Real World (3** **rd** **POV)**

His eyes snapped open and he was greeted by a familiar white ceiling, or so Naru thought when he realized the bedside table was not familiar because he didn't put Murano glass table lamp, and the room was the size of guest room instead of master bedroom h owned that was around one and half times the guest room. The dark purple bedsheet was also unfamiliar.

This was Mai's guest bedroom, the wall was soft cool grey with white curtains covering the full length window. The furniture was dark grey close to black and everything else was in various shade of purple and grey. Giving the room cool and solemn atmosphere instead of cheerful and colorful like the other part of her apartment.

Naru looked down and noticed he was still wearing the light blue pajamas and dark blue long sleeved cardigan Mai gave him for Christmas.

"Yo… you're awake." Someone opened the door, and his eyes snapped at the newcomer. "Good morning, Noll."

Naru's eyes widened at the familiar red haired figure who was adjusting thick framed glasses perching on his nose while balancing the tray of tea sets and plate of sandwich. "Shouichi? What are you doing here?"

Shouichi snorted, "Anyone else would have called you out on rude inquiry after meeting your old friend face to face after a long time…" He said pointedly at the other scientist. "At any rate… this is fourth January in Japan… it's still new year in Japan until the fifth so I suggest you close your office today."

"…Shouichi." Naru was getting annoyed, "You didn't answer my question."

He quirked an eyebrow at the psychic, "Well… I am sure Hime mention about how I didn't get any break for Christmas and New Year, so I get it now… and I now I am seeing my old friend. By the way Spanner is in London now, he is set on fattening himself and you know…"

Consoling his mother in his and Gene's absence, Spanner was always fond of Luella and if not because Spanner was already adopted Luella would love to have him as their third son.

"I see…" He inhaled slowly. "So are you here to explain the whole 'Gene is not dead' and what else?"

Shouichi came in and placed a cup of steaming tea. "Hime left this for us…"

Naru narrowed his eyes at his friend. "And where is she?"

"Out for business… she didn't say when she will be back, but she thinks it's better for you to see a familiar face." Shouichi explained as he grabbed a sandwich and started eating. "And no… I am not here to explain in her place, most of the things you want to ask is something I have no privilege to answer… however you're free to try though."

Naru quirked an eyebrow at that as he took a sip of his tea. "Alright… so do you have any idea what Mai wants from me and Gene?"

Shouichi shook his head at that, "No clue… but I do know she helps because she wants to, empathy is part of it."

"How long have you known about Gene's status?" Naru pressed on.

"Since Hayato returned bearing the news that you're now Shibuya Kazuya… Hime told him back then." Naru's eyes widened at that. "Unlike you who need concrete evidence we're more open to bizarre things Hime said… I am sure you already know Hime is a horrible liar, so horrible to the point she doesn't even bother trying… you see she is one of few good people in the world who can't tell a lie because she never did."

That was so Mai…

Shouichi eyed me skeptically, "Are you angry at us for keeping this a secret?"

He shook his head and corrected, "More like not telling me before you can present me a solid evidence I can accept, which is shoving Gene inside my mind." He tapped his temple. "How did you do that?"

Shouichi waived his hand in negative. "I know robot and computer but don't ask about supernatural to me, you're the one with doctorate in parapsychology." He said pointedly. "The expert on this in our family is Mukuro… and since it's related to experiment he suffered before we got him, I don't think he will deign to enlighten you about it."

"What experiment?" Naru asked curiously.

Shouichi sighed, "I only heard about it in passing… but it's related to his unique mix of ability as a medium and an astral walker." The red head finished his sandwich and took a sip of his tea. "In Buddhism… there is a belief of other realm of reincarnations, six of them… and…"

Naru raised a hand, stopping Shouichi. "I am majoring in philosophy of religion so I know about six realm in Buddhism… the idea is that after death human will reincarnate to the other realm accordingly to their way of life. Those with greed will end in realm of Preta… and bloodthirsty human will reincarnate to realm of Shura and so on… those who reincarnate and achieve enlightenment will escape the continuous cycle of reincarnation. In short… they become a Buddha."

Shouichi nodded. "Yeah… which is why you see, if you have seen Mukuro's illusion they're all Buddhist themed. It's not like he can't do other kind of illusion but those came easier to him…"

"And… how is this explain his expertise in spirits or Gene's circumstances?" Naru pressed on impatiently.

The mechanics huffed, "You see… back on the age of industrial evolutions… let's say V.G corps decide to expand from their logistic business." Looking at Naru's shocked look, Shouichi sighed. "Yes… V.G is originally a logistic and shipping company, what did you expect? It's the era of conquest… so V.G began to look at industrial technology." He pointed at himself, "Then they began to gather people like me to their family… and since they're gather talented people under their wings somehow psychics made their way to our family too."

Protection… psychic in any era was admired but also feared, and since V.G corps was gathering talented people, the description was very broad and suddenly they got psychic seeking protection from them. If Mai's attitude was attributed at how she was raised…

 _As the head of family, it's my duty… to accept, to understand and to influence them._

It was no wonder they flocked to her family, a group who accept anyone who wanted a place to belong.

"Of course…" Shouichi cut his train of thought. "Our rivals is unhappy with our growing family… and think it's all because we're using psychic members of our family. It's around the era of grandfather of Hime's grandfather's… seventh generation head and continued to the eight head."

"Mai is…"

"Hime and Boss is the tenth generation." Shouichi informed him. "We have no problem using psychic power to run business~ but sooner or later we find it unwise, we're gaining enemies too… so by the era of ninth generation, the boss before Tsunayoshi we start to cut down on psychic power use… and Tsunayoshi-kun and Mai-chan completely overhaul the whole psychic power-use policy completely."

So in spite of their short reign and young age they brought such a drastic change to their company, which was probably why Mai, Hayato, and perhaps all of younger generation of V.G corps kept butting heads with their predecessors.

Naru couldn't help but blink in astonishment. "Mai… and Tsunayoshi-san did all that?"

Shouichi nodded, "In Sasagawa-san's words… very extreme of them. And that's just one of _few_ things the changed, why do you think we have 'Neo' in front of our company name now?"

Naru wondered if Mai and her twin should be called amazing or very reckless.

"Amazing…" That sounded like his voice but he didn't remember opening his mouth. "So Mai and Tsunayoshi-san are herald of revolution to their family."

Naru turned to the side where a full length mirror reflecting him who was sitting on bed was talking while he wasn't. "Gene… you!"

His reflection grinned, "Hi Noll! Hi! Shouichi!"

Shouichi sighed, "So… this is how you will communicate with Noll from now."

"Yes! Through any reflective surface." Gene beamed, "So… continue your story Shouichi."

The mechanics sighed louder. "At any rate before the change in policy… we're pretty much hated because those with power and talent come to us willingly… but since talented scientist like me is not as rare as psychic… it's no wonder our raise of power is assumed because we use psychic ability while in reality it's joined effort." He took another sip of his tea. "Which prompted some people to do stupid things… and innocent children become the victim."

"Mukuro…" Naru murmured softly. "He is one of the children."

Shouichi nodded, "One of the organizations involved in this foolish ambition to harvest psychic power for themselves is …" He shook his head before any question could be launched. "I will not tell you the full name, you will get in trouble if you try to pursue them… let us to handle this."

Naru glared at Shouichi, "But they could be-"

"Listen first!" Shouichi glared at him harder, silencing both twins. "This organization is already destroyed… one of their experiments backfired spectacularly."

The dark haired scientist narrowed his eyes, "Backfired… you mean!"

"Yes… Mukuro-san is the experiment that backfired spectacularly on them." Shouichi said in grim tone. "He was a twisted soul when Tsunayoshi-kun and Mai-chan found him… he is better now, you wouldn't want to meet the old him. A young boy with broken soul… if not because of Chrome-chan… Tsunayoshi-kun's and Mai-chan's kindness. Our predecessors would have locked him up because he is too dangerous…"

Naru glanced at Gene who mirrored his action, it was Gene who spoke. "I think I understand… after all I have been inside his astral world too. His world is so… twisted and yet somehow he manage to have full control of it regardless… but what kind of experiment could break someone's soul that badly? And does this have something to do with me who have the same mix of ability?" Gene asked warily.

Shouichi took a deep breathe. "Once again… this is something I heard in passing and learned before I came here. Everything about experiment on Mukuro, the detail is top secret… but I do have enough clearance to know what they want from Mukuro…"

Naru narrowed his eyes, "So you're saying… most likely someone get a wind about this experiment and want to produce second Mukuro-san out of Gene's body?"

Shouichi paled. "Well… like we need another Mukuro-san on earth, but well… it's possible."

"So the experiment is for what?"

Shouichi fidgeted a little, "To create a god like human…"

"…"

"…"

"I know it sounds ridiculous… but that's how it is. The experiment is to artificially create an enlightened human… I don't know how, but Mukuro-san is what they get and…"

"You're telling us this is trying to create a Buddha." Naru sounded unimpressed.

Shouichi rolled his eyes, "Well… what do you expect?"

"Maybe someone nailed my body on a cross…" Gene began, no offense to Buddha but the image was just... Buddha of Nara crossed his mind and he shuddered.

His twin rolled his eyes, "You have been missing for almost a year not a few days idiot… and you didn't descend to hell."

Well… he saw hell, did that count? "Actually…"

Shouichi interjected. "Be more respectful to God, for a medium and someone majoring in philosophy of religion you have no respect at all…" Shouichi chided them, a tick growing on his forehead. "And no… I don't need to hear what you think about God… for all I know Noll, if you meet one that get on your nerve you will try to best it."

"What a relief you're not Mai." Naru grumbled under his breath.

"That sounds like something that bound to happen." Gene muttered to himself. "It's my idiot scientist twin…"

The red head perked up, his glasses flashing ominously. "Did you say something?" Shouichi turned his flashing glasses at Naru and Gene, this always creeped them out since they met the red headed genius.

 **"** **Nothing."** They chorused.

Shouichi stood up, stretching his arms. "At any rate… I have to go home to Namimori to visit my family, if you need me just call and I will be back to Tokyo as soon as I can."

"I wouldn't want to interrupt your family time." Gene said thoughtfully.

Shouichi let out a long suffering sigh. "Hh… not everyone likes to spend time with their biological family."

Silence… it was no secret that three of their genius friends namely Hayato, Shouichi and to an extend Spanner had a shaky relationship with their biological family. Hayato came from a broken family and now he was under guardianship of his grandfather from his mother side, he didn't get along with his grandfather either. Spanner was raised by his grandfather since he was young and inherited his talent as mechanic, after his grandfather passed away none of his relative could relate with his robotic obsession and deadpan antics. In Shouichi's case… there was nothing wrong with his family, aside from how detached they were with his life and suddenly he made a name for himself and money. They just let him get away from familial relationship, like it never mattered… as if he was not important.

Shouichi smiled apologetically at them. "It's fine… the least I could do for them is bringing souvenirs and showing my face once in a while so they know I am alive." He craned his neck at the sandwich and tea. "Finish your breakfast as I am under strict order to make sure you eat properly…" Then he placed a familiar brown boxes. "And here is your meds for the next three months."

Naru eyed the meds with a quirked eyebrow.

"And as a scientist… do drink your meds…"

Gene giggled in the background.

Shouichi stood in the doorway, craning his neck towards the twins. "And also… Noll, Gene… let me leave you one advise." The twins perked up, "If there is one thing I can tell you about Hime and Boss… is they're our sky that draw all of us together."

"Sky?"

That was how Mai felt to them, impression that imprinted strongly to her presence.

Shouichi just grinned before he sped past the door as he bid them a good bye, leaving the Davis twins to their own device.

* * *

 **Few Hours Later…**

"What a boring house… all grey, black, white…" Gene couldn't help but commented as Naru splashed his face on the bathroom of his apartment.

Naru glared at his twin. "Great… so now I can't look at my own reflection peacefully."

"Is this how you treat your own brother?" Gene asked in faked indignation. "I am just commenting on your dreary apartment Noll." He said, his eyes softened at his younger twin. "I mean… Mai's apartment is very cheerful in colors."

"Is there no other way to converse with you other than this?" Naru asked, "I don't think I want people to see I am talking to my reflection." It would be like Gene talking to thin air again.

Gene crossed his arms, "Hm… I am sure with time I can astral walk to physical world and hover around you like any other ghost."

"On second thought… perhaps you better off staying in the other side of the mirror." Naru retorted, he wondered getting Gene's soul back was a blessing or a curse if he had to deal with Gene in every waking and non-waking moment from now on.

Gene smiled at him. "Actually… I can't stay long, astral walker or not… out of body condition is unhealthy. So I won't bother you all the time Noll… I will be like a cat… sleeping off more than half of my days."

Naru stilled at that, "Are you going to be alright?"

"Yes… I am just hanging around now to assure you I am here." Gene told him with a gentle smile. His eyes fluttered, he was getting sleepy.

So Gene was… forcing himself for his sake? "Idiot medium."

Gene beamed at him, "I will be alright… if Mai is around this will be easier…" He yawned, "I am going Noll… I will be in my astral room." He tapped his temple. "Our link is connected again so you can call me anytime you want…"

So once again he had Gene to be his partner in cases again.

"Good night Noll."

His rare smile grazed his lips, "Good night, Gene."

* * *

 **Somewhere else**

"Sorry Hime… this is getting messier than expected." The Japanese boy said, grinning innocently as he waived his bloody katana around to get rid of the stain on the blade.

She narrowed her eyes, surveying the mostly abandoned warehouse and barely breathing bodies littered around them. "It's fine Takeshi… I am not expecting any less than a clean-up job by you."

Yamamoto Takeshi was still grinning as he slammed his feet down on unsuspecting sprawling Mafioso who was reaching for the gun within his arm reach. "Argh!"

"Have you contacted Hibari for handling the rest for us?" He asked as he grinding his foot, crushing the stray limb.

Mai sighed wearily, out of all guardians they had Kyo-san and Takeshi are the most ruthless to their enemies. "Yes…"

He smiled sheepishly, "He will not be happy about this wrecked warehouse though."

"Kyo-san is unhappy with a lot of things…" She said pointedly. "Still… for the remnant of Todd famiglia to end here."

"If they dissolve peacefully and remaining members seek protection from other family, I wouldn't be sent for a clean-up though~" His eyes narrowed and Mai wondered if she was not his sky, she would feel threatened by those cold eyes.

 _'_ _Yamamoto is your rain,  
be thankful he is yours… Tsuna, Mai.  
This boy is a _natural _born hitman.'_

Their very own hitman… if they didn't pull him in this boy would be a famous baseball pro or a humble sushi chef.

"Hime?"

Mai shook her head, "Vindice is here."

Flame of darkness ripped a dimension gap, revealing men with bandaged body and tall hat, **"Greetings… one half of Vongola great sky."**

"Greetings to you too, Jager." Mai returned, smiling at the co-leader of Vindice while inwardly she and Takeshi were alert and cautious.

Takeshi beamed, "I hope we're not filling up your prison too quickly!"

 **"** **Nonsense… we always have enough place for those who break the law of our society…"** The long haired warden said in haunting voice, his chains shot up and bind the members of Todd famiglia.

Inwardly Mai wondered if these people could be classified as zombie or ghost. "I have a question to you… Jager."

The warden left the pulling unconscious prisoners of theirs to his subordinate and turned to her. **"What is it? Princess of Vongola?"**

"Do you have any former member of Estraneo in your prison left?" She asked.

 **"** **Your current mist is the last… Estraneo has committed great crime against our society, we will hunt every last one of them** **if they're still alive…"** Jager answered in his haunting and deep voice. **"Is there something you know you didn't tell us…? Sawada Mai?"**

Takeshi stepped forward in front of her, fingering his sheathed katana threateningly.

"It's just a mere speculation… not important enough for your attention." Mai closed his eyes briefly. "If your presence is needed your service will be requested… Vindice."

Jager nodded, satisfied by her answer. **"It's always a pleasure to be in your service, one half of Vongola great sky…"** And with that parting words the Vindice disappeared in whirlwind of night flame.

Mai put her hands on her hips, huffing. "That went well…" By standard of dealing with Vindice at least. "Hm?"

"Hime?"

Mai shook her head, "Nothing Takeshi… you should go back to Italy, as your next mission is waiting for you."

The rain frowned, "If you say so… Hime."

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

As soon as I was out of Takeshi's range I set out to another side of the port. My family would be so angry if they knew what I was up to. Then again this was Japan and those who have right to scold me were my guardians, I belonged to them after all. Even so…

The recent shift that cause anxiety in our society…

WHAM! CRACK!

I jumped backward, dodging the debris and pieces of colorful containers stacked on both side of my path, looking up I saw two gigantic monster looking man with horn like purple flame on both side of their head.

"Ah… good afternoon, assassin of Pesca famiglia." I greeted them with a smile, "I can't say it's a pleasure, more like a hassle to have you in Japan."

Enhancing their own body with their flame was Pesca famiglia's specialty.

"Did you guys follow Todd Famiglia footsteps and track me down?" I wondered out loud as I dodged the containers one of the assassins hurled at my direction. There was no reaction from them, all they had in mind was…

 **"** **Kill!"**

Dashing to the left, dodging their charge that landed them face first to metal containers and breaking hundred thousands of yens worth of shipping in the process.

* * *

 **Shibuya (3** **rd** **POV)**

It was almost dinner time but there was no sign of Mai, on off day like this usually they had early dinner and considering she had been gone for a while… the fridge was empty and she couldn't be shopping by herself… could she?

Deciding to get his mind off of her, Naru decided to walk through Shibuya busy street. Not the brightest idea considering the area was packed, he should have gone home instead.

But Mai was not home yet… or she would have call him.

Still… she couldn't be avoiding him now to delay an explanation. Actually for once in his life Naru was not really looking forward for an explanation. Especially after everything she had done for him, for Gene… perhaps in the end it didn't matter at all what she wanted from them.

 _"_ _There were times I wished I don't have this power… but since I can help people with my power."_ She always tried to appear strong, she was… but…

 _"_ _Onii-chan… don't leave me."_ Sometimes she was so frail too.

 _"_ _Naru, I care about you…"_ And yet she always care for people around her.

At least… her compassion and empathy for others were honest feelings that couldn't be faked.

 ** _"_** ** _Noll! I think… Mai is in danger!"_**

His eyes snapped open, wondering what the hell Gene was talking about so suddenly. Then he felt it… the sense of trepidation and then a vision…

Mai was running as a big shadow was chasing her, and then colorful barricades around her started to collapse.

It was a very brief vision, and he barely could make out anything from it.

 _"_ _What was that Gene?"_ He replied mentally.

 ** _"_** ** _I only saw the same thing as you… I just notice it earlier than you but I know no more than you… Noll."_**

 _"_ _I think there is a label on the container that read… Tokyo Port, so Mai is there."_

Naru looked around and contemplated for a moment whether he should call Lin or not, but knowing the older man he would be told to wait for Lin to fetch their car and what else. Wasting time they didn't have…

If he was right just now the location of that vision was Tokyo Port and from here it would take around half an hour by taxi plus time to explore such a large port. However since most likely there was a huge commotion it won't take long… Now he should look for a taxi.

"Yo! Bishonen over there?! Do you need a ride?" For a moment Naru thought another cougar had offered him a ride, but the voice was familiar.

Naru blinked at the familiar face grinning at him inside the driver seat of Suzuki wagon. "Bou-san… good timing."

Bou-san blinked, did Naru-bou just compliment his timing. "Eh?"

"Drive me to Tokyo Port… now." He said as he walked across the car and the next thing the monk now he became Naru-bou's personal driver.

 **On the other part of Tokyo Port (3** **rd** **POV)**

"Maa… ma… Hime is so sly." Takeshi commented as he and Hibari watched her latest venture through surveillance camera installed on small beetle shaped robot. Leaning against the backrest of the car seat.

The cloud was sitting pretty far in the spacious car, but close enough to see watch the TV screen with the rain. Kyoya sighed, "Looking for problem again." Well, it was because they were such an amazing trouble magnet he followed them. Life was interesting with their sky around.

The rain pouted, "Still… I don't like the idea of letting Hime to deal with…"

He sighed, this person was one of few among guardians he tolerated to work with. Yamamoto Takeshi unlike other guardians was a carnivore, one that liked to pretend to be herbivore and hiding his fangs. "Did Hime and Boss ever step back in any battle?"

 **"** ** _All you stand back."  
_** _Said their Boss, stepping forward._

 ** _"_** ** _This insolent man is mine…"_**  
 _Their princess said,  
_ _ **"Don't interfere."**_

Takeshi frowned, "No… they lead us forward."

"Then she knows very well… as the sky that shines onto all and envelops everything, she can't sit back forever." Hibari closed his eyes. "If… she keep protecting herself with keeping her head down, it's like she is giving up on being the sky… one day Sawada Tsunayoshi will return to us and he need her to be by his side so…"

He smiled sadly, "So that's why… she decide to confront them, just to give herself a peace of mind. A sign of resolution that… she is not giving up."

Good, if he understand…

Clank! Yamamoto used his thumb to snap his katana out of it sheet a couple inches, "However~ If they hurt Hime… even if it's a small scratch, I will cut them up some more before Vindice take them!" He exclaimed cheerfully.

Hibari sighed exasperatedly, _'As usual… you idiots pamper her excessively and you wonder why she pull this kind of stunt_ all _the time.'_

The irony was… Mukuro of all people was the only fellow guardian of his who wouldn't mind Hime jumping to danger when she had to. If there was anything he and Mukuro grudgingly agreed, their fellow guardians fret over their princess too much.

"Hey! Hime is looking at our direction!"

Hibari sighed again, _'Robot or not… she must have sensed she is being watched.'_

"Ganbatte Hime!" He cheered.

The cloud crossed his arms, wondering if she was looking up in search of their approval. _'Idiot… we acknowledge you as our sky, and as always…'_

 _"_ _Is it okay Kyoya? Hayato?"_

 _"_ _May I? Kyo-san?"_

 _'_ _Why the heck you even bother to ask?  
You're our sky… do as you please.' _ Hibari answered the silent question. _'As always.'_

* * *

 **(Tokyo Port) Mai's POV**

The difference between my brother and I as the tower control of Vongola's sky was… Due to his immense power, his body instinctively put him in tight shackle which was why he needed medicine to unleash it.

I didn't need outside stimulation to enter my hyper dying will mode. Not because I was more talented, or skilled… but simply because my fine control and considerably smaller flame capacity. So to my body, hyper mode is not going to task my body as much as it would my brother.

But… because long abstain from battle, my body started to forget that sensation.

I missed it… so I need to regain it, the desperation, resolve… the heat of the sky flame cursing through my body as I defy gravity. I longed to feel it once again!

Whoosh!

In the end, I couldn't discard who I was and lived a peaceful life of a civilian after all. I thought partly sad and partly happy as I felt the heat of flame crown on my forehead that spread through my hair, dyeing it in amber glow as if every strands of my hair was aflame.

Standing on top of the stacked containers and gazing down at the two enlarged hitmen below, I smiled. "Over here…"

"Grab her!"

Coming from below against a sky was never a wise move… I descended towards them, enveloping my legs in sky flame while my hand clutched my pocket watch. **"E'la nostra ora incise sull'anello,** **solo per un momento** **farò girare la clessidra congelato, nel mio sangue e il nostro peccato... Terzo!"**

Unfreezing the time recorded within time space axis, a middle aged man wearing dark grey suit and wielding flaming knife burst out of her pocket watch.

 **"** **Bene... what a troublesome princess we have in this generation."**

I was ticked, _'Why almost all of them except Giotto and Daniella all comment on that like broken record?!'_

My feet dug onto the assassin's enlarged face, their gigantic body meant bigger target.

CRUnCH!

I landed my feet on his nose, so most likely I broke it. He grinned, so... he also numbed his pain receptor. I was right after all... these assassins were...

"If you're waiting for your other friend to attack me from my blind spot, don't bother."

His eyes widened in shock as I pointed to my back and he could see another gigantic comrade of his was pinned by numerous knife coated in sky flame to a concrete wall. "One down." Turning pain receptor off with drug or not...

I swung my leg up and brought it down to his forehead, a sensitive spot that won't matter if you didn't feel any pain because you would be knocked out cold regardless

WHAM!

"Two down..." I said to no one in particular as I landed on the concrete ground smoothly on my feet, clutching my closed pocket watch as I felt the time recorded of Vongla Terzo flowed back. "One... no two more to go."

I didn't take pleasure from battle like some of my guardians, and neither did my brother. Even so... this was simply something we had to do as the great sky of Vongola.

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

Obviously Bou-san was unhappy I ditched him as soon as Gene told me where I should alight, not to mention I didn't give explanation whatsoever on the way to Tokyo Port why I asked him to drive me to this place.

 _He also going to get some hell from Lin too, not to mention I am sure a police car was chasing the car to fine him for speeding._

Right Gene, I really did get Bou-san in so much trouble this time. I would pay the fine and fuel the next time I saw him. But now... we're looking for an errand princess.

 _You start to sound like Hayato and co, calling her princess. Are you going to call her Hime then?_

Absolutely not, I was being sarcastic and Gene took me seriously. Not to mention I had enough of one pampered princess in Hara-san, let Mai be a princess only in title.

BOOM!

CRACKLE

WHAM

As expected, finding Mai was easy. I started to associate chaos and her in the same pool, or rather her family was chaos and vice versa. Something explode, shatter and falling... typical. Was it normal to get used to so much chaos after meeting majority of her family in one case?

 _Noll, why this kind of thing keep happening to her?_ Gene asked me.

I wonder about that myself, then again... we should get a clue when we found out her family adopted Hayato, Shouichi and Spanner, _all_ of them. I thought as I ran towards the ground zero of chaos, it was not too far.

"Noll!"

I stopped on my track, Gene's tone was halting me. I knew it from his voice, he wanted me to stop. _'What is it Gene?'_ I asked him through our link.

 _'_ _Something is coming... it feels like spirits, but in the same time not quite. Dark and hollow... not evil but...'_ Suddenly I felt Gene was hunching, palming his face as his voice trembled. He was scared of something. _'It scare me... like endless abyss, it gives me bad feeling.'_

I started running again, _'I am here Gene... calm down.'_ Gene used to fear vengeful spirit or any ghost with evil intent –a legit fear as he was a medium with subceptible body- but that legitimate fear as he grew ebbed away along with his spiritual strength but whatever Gene sensed... I had a feeling this was something even I should fear.

Fear in parapsychology was just something you should conquer. Fear and respect the unknown but never let it cloud your judgement. That was what our father taught us.

Even if...

Then I saw what Gene sensed, not one but three of them. The first word I thought of when I saw them was... Shinigami, the grim reaper... The three entities were wrapped in bandages all over their bodies and wears black torn cloaks that looked like it was ripped from the night sky. On their bandaged head a black tall top hat rested, as if they tried to appear as a noble or a gentleman. Their bandaged hands were holding multiple chains that tied around unconscious men's neck, and pulling them away as if they were dogs or even dead meat.

 _'_ _Noll…'_ Gene's voice echoed through my mind. _'We shouldn't look at them, this is something we shouldn't see… ever!'_

What was Gene talking about?

One of them who had furred collar on his cloak turned his attention to me. **"Outsiders…"** The tallest one who appeared to be the leader murmured in haunted and barely human like voice.

 **"** **Why an outsider is here… the presence of the sky would have driven outsiders away…"** The other chimed in.

The other one on the left joined, **"Perhaps not an outsider…"**

 **"** **He is however… someone very powerful, he is not awakened yet… but already so…"** The leader murmured in awe.

He was eyeing me like a predator would his prey.

 _"_ _Noll… we have to get away now!"_

His eyes… or rather what I could see peeking from small gaps he pulled down as if he could see well that way. His flesh… his face was rotten like corpse. What are they really?

A chain shot up, almost faster than what I could see. Summoning my PK I batted it away, just small enough energy to direct the chain to nearest concrete wall. The chain tore through the wall like steel ball against dried clay. If that chain reached me, I would be dead.

I narrowed my eyes at the entities, Gene told me to run but I didn't think I could escape from them. Those chains were definitely good at catching it seemed. "It seems I am in the wrong place and time… why are you attacking me, mister…"

 **"** **I am Jager…"** He sounded amused and I had a feeling he gave me his name just so I could address him properly.

"Jager-san… then." I flexed my hand, willing myself to stay still and alert. "Why did you attack me?"

Somehow I could tell beneath those bandages he was smirking at me, **"I am curious… such a raw diamond in the rough, people like you usually have not enough power to do anything significant like what you just did… reflecting my chain like that…"**

People like me… psychic, PK user… Spirit or ghost wasn't usually livid like these guys.

 **"** **Not to mention…"** He pointed at me, **"Your aura… there is someone else connected so closely with you, what an interesting specimen. A medium…"**

 _'_ _He senses me.'_ Gene pointed out the obvious to me.

 **"** **How interesting… now then, would you come peacefully to us?"** Jager asked as he stretched his long arm towards us.

Why he was interested in us all of a sudden? Was it for my power? Gene's? Or both… or was it something else?

Then I felt a firm hand pulling my arm and I staggered backward and almost crashed towards something warm and soft. I had not regain my balance when the hand let go of me and replaced by a pair of warm arms wrapped around my neck protectively and almost possessively.

This warmth… and presence… "Mai?"

Mai was not looking at me and I briefly noted she didn't wear contact lens so her amber colored eyes were bare to the world to see. She was glaring at Jager and his companions, and they shifted as if… they felt threatened by her.

"Do your job and get lost." She hissed at them threateningly.

 **"** **Aaah… is he… are they a new addition to your family?"** Jager asked, and for the first time I heard reverence in his voice instead of superiority.

Mai narrowed her eyes at him, "They are _mine…_ which mean they're off limits. Unless you're going to cross me and my family for them…"

 **"** **I see…"** Jager took one step back, **"We wouldn't dare to cross… after all the law is maintained by the three families and us. Doing so will break the balance…"**

Mai had not loosened her hold on me, and I stayed very still in shock. Gene was no better as he had gone quiet in my mind. "In that case, **get out of my sight! NOW!"** She ordered them.

The three entities, Jager and his companions bowed to Mai before they pulled their prisoners with them and disappeared to whirlpool of abyss. What was that just now… they teleported? How much power required to do such thing…

 _'_ _Noll… I think you should hold off wondering about mystery of teleportation and ripping fabric of dimension…'_ Gene told me in nervous tone.

"Care to explain what the hell are you doing here?" Mai growled at me as she released her hold on me.

I stared at her unblinkingly, she looked the same as usual… overly long hair and wearing formal white-orange clothes. This was the first time I saw her amber eyes so openly after Yuasa though.

Mai was ticked, "Yes… yes, I get it my eyes are fascinating. But I do want an explanation before it gets dark."

I blinked at her, my eyes narrowed. "That's my line Mai…"

She pointed at my chest, giving me a painful finger jab. "Listen… on second thought I don't care how did you get here or why?! But you should know… you almost get yourself caught by the most troublesome peoples in the world! Danger is not even enough to describe what you almost get yourself into!"

"What are they?"

"Nobodies you shouldn't ever laid your eyes upon!" Mai answered me, hissing indignantly. "I tried so hard to keep you out of boundary but you keep skipping around them! You already have enough trouble in paranormal world, psychic, ghost and what else!"

I frowned at her, "You talks as if we are from different world."

She smirked at me, "Aren't you so smart, Naru… nice. Yes… your world and my world aren't the same and I will appreciate it very much if you keep your nose out of it!"

Different worlds? She was serious…

"There are unknown things in the world you should fear and leave it be as unknown…" She told me in determined voice. "A boundary you shall never cross…" She said as she started to walk away.

I didn't know what came over me, maybe Gene was partly at fault because before I knew it I grabbed her hand and pulled her back flush against me. "Are you going to go away?"

Mai blinked, "I am not going anywhere…"

"I am not going to ask if you don't want me to." I told her in the most sincere tone I could muster. "You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to say…"

Mai sighed as she pulled away so she was face to face with me. "Naru… for someone like you to hold back that much for my sake is enough… " Her warm hands cradled my face gently, "Both of us have not been open with each other but in the same time we never lie either. Keeping the truth yes, deceiving each other? No… we didn't."

I could only look at her in the eye and wondered if she was really going to stay…

"I didn't go through so much trouble to reunite you and Gene because I want to leave you…" Mai assured me, her voice was gentle and her eyes softened. "It's just you deserve to be together with each other, no more and no less… beside… being with your twin makes you happy ne? Naru… Gene?"

I opened my mouth to say something but nothing came up, I was just too stunned to know that she got Gene back for me just because I would be happy with him. Gene was no better, he was as stunned.

"I am sure Shouichi has warned you as I ordered… that there is something I want." She closed her eyes, but I could tell there was guilt and sadness in them. "Something I want so badly no matter what, and yes… I wish for your happiness but I have my own reason too…"

"…"

"You may never forgive me… you can be angry for it, but I promise you one thing… no matter what I will never intentionally hurt you and Gene for my selfishness." She promised us with all sincerity she could muster. "And I never break my promise…"

I heaved a sigh… this girl… how could she do this to me? Making me so helpless… she kept so many secrets from me, but in the same time she tried her hardest for me too. She accepted me for who I was… and for that alone…

"Alright… I believe in you." As long as we had this mutual trust. It was enough… for now at least… it was sentimental and illogical, even foolish but… I had Gene and Mai…

 _'_ _It's not foolish to follow your heart, Oliver Davis-san'_

* * *

 ** _Faster update than usual but well... let's see how it goes later_**  
 ** _（￣ー￣） NO OMAKE for this time... I do have two omake in my computer. I will save it for later...  
Let's say one is a SEXY and the other is FLUFFY~ which one do you want to be added to AT LAST part one of ROKURYO high arc?!  
MAN! I feel like it take forever to get there... PLEASE VOTE in review.  
_**

 ** _FEEL free to ask question popping from this chapter ^w^ to be honest I wrote this chapter with feeling like this_** (╯°□°）╯ **just type whatever crossing my mind and SOMEHOW vindice is involved. It's Kokuyo all over again... expanding chapter.**


	25. Case 06, Prologue-01

**Case 06, Prologue**

At the time like this Gene wondered if it was normal to fear someone who was smiling at you and your twin. There was no killing intent, or any pressure… NAY~ then again… considering the smiling man in front of you is the older twin brother of the girl you and your twin were taken by...

Maybe there was a legitimate reason to be scared of him.

Oh, and did he mention Sawada Tsunayoshi happen to be the stronger twin of Mai who oozed power like it was out of fashion? Even worse than Noll? Yep, getting scared of him was a very normal reaction, and it didn't escape their notice that coffee he was drinking was still steaming since half an hour ago for some reason while Noll's tea was already lukewarm. The heating in the room also should have been set to standard room temperature and yet... even him who was a ghost felt it through Noll the room was very warm.

"What's wrong, Shibuya-san? Is the taste not to your liking?" Sawada Tsunayoshi asked as twirling pasta with clam on his plate absentmindedly, shooting warm and gentle smile at their direction.

"It tastes fine." Noll replied coolly.

How did this happen? Well… let's get back to half an hour ago.

* * *

 _Flashback_

 _"And so…"_

 _"Hi! Lin!" Gene smiled at Lin, waving at the onmyouji through the mirror._

 _Lin stared at Gene who supposed to be a reflection, and then back to Naru. "I think I need to sit down."_

 _Gene smiled at him. "I think I should say sorry for dropping off of the face of earth so suddenly, and glad to inform you I am not so dead after all… but please keep this a secret from Madoka and our parents! We're not sure to tell you the truth but we realize your shiki will notice me somehow…"_ _Mai had told him that he could choose to people he wanted to reveal himself to, not even other medium could sense him. Since technically while he could communicate with them he was not living in the same realm as them._

 _Lin sighed, sitting down on the chair. "It's good to know you're alive somehow Gene… Sawada-san hide too much surprise."_

 _Naru shrugged, "And chaos…"_

 _"What did she tell you about…" He craned his neck at Gene who was still enjoying himself. "Why?"_

 _"Nothing I don't know already and it's Mai… I learn to take everything coming from her in stride, try to figure it one by one instead of giving myself a headache to unravel her mystery all at once…" Then he added. "And I trust her… our mutual trust is enough…"_

 _Lin's lips quirked up, "You changes Noll… for the better." Because of her…_

 _Naru wondered Lin had just compliment or teasing him, or both._

 _RING!_

 _The dark haired psychic eyed the ringing phone on his desk and picked it up on the third ring. "Moshi-moshi… Shibuya Psychic Research, how can we help you?"_

 _"Moshi-moshi… Shibuya-san ne? This is Sawada Tsunayoshi."_

 _Silence… it took a while for Naru to recall it was the full name of Mai's ever smiling older twin brother. Part of his mind still think he was dead, missing… or something…_

 _"Oh… Sawada-san." In the same time he also informed Lin and Gene who was calling. "If you're looking for your sister-"_

 _"I believe she is still in school." Tsunayoshi sounded amused. "If I'm looking for her I would have called her cellphone, instead of the office phone…"_

 _This man was a CEO of a company, he knew professional manner to not use office phone for private purpose at least._

 _"Which mean… you're looking for me?" Naru guessed._

 _"To be exact, I want to invite you to have lunch with me."_ He was in Japan now?! _"Yes, I am in Japan…" Tsuna confirmed as if he heard what Naru was thinking._

 _These siblings… they unconsciously borderline reading mind again, and Mai said voice through phone was not good enough for reading. And yet… she and her brother seemed to have no problem wild-guessing phone calls. Speaking of lunch out… this was eerily alike with Hara-san's blackmail._

 _Naru sighed, "This lunch…"_

 _"No blackmail involved of course." Tsunayoshi once again said something in reply of what was going through his mind. "I just want to talk with employer of my little sister…"_

 _Naru doubted if there is anything to talk about with him, as he didn't even pay Mai so it couldn't be about salary. Beside… he was sure while strict he was not a bad employer and he treated Mai fairly._

 _"You know Shibuya-san… this is a concerned brother who wants to talk with the man who employ and teach his beloved little sister. All I ask is spending your lunch break for a short conversation… I make sure I am not bothering your working hour, don't you think so? I even didn't come in person to your office for your assistant's sake… after all I did chase his shiki off by my mere presence…"_

 _'This person! He was guilt-tripping me!' As expected of Mai's brother, no… he was even worse! Naru only met him once and he had the gall to guilt-trip Naru to do his biding, not to mention…_

 _'Noll.' Gene called him telepathically. 'If you don't go…'_

 _'I will be labelled as someone with horrible manner who didn't even deign to have lunch with family member of my student and employee who go out of his way to make the invitation as convenient as possible for me…'_

 _Since the very beginning Sawada Tsunayoshi was inviting him to lunch as if he had a choice. The choice was there but Sawada Tsunayoshi had stacked the favor to his desirable choice so high, that the possibility to refuse was illogical, impolite and self-defeating._

 _And this was why Naru went out to have lunch with Sawada Tsunayoshi, and Lin didn't utter a word of protest because the onmyouji had no wish to be dragged across the town by his shiki because they were scared of Sawada Tsunayoshi. The next thing he knew a Roll Royce phantom was parked in front of his office building, a man with scarred face who introduced himself as Lancia requested him to hop in because the boss was already waiting for him._

 _He was dropped off in Royal Imperial Hotel of Tokyo and led towards their restaurant, one with no one but him and Tsunayoshi along with some of their family members. The whole restaurant was reserved…_

* * *

Back to the present…

"By the way… it's fine to call me Tsuna, after all… you call my sister in first name basis."

Naru had a feeling this man didn't like their first name basis with Mai and went out his way so Naru didn't score even one victory over him. In short… he was daring Naru to address him as familiarly as Naru did Mai.

 _'Noll… could it be he…'_

 _'I don't think this lunch out is incited with genial intention.'_

 _'I don't even know there is something called beating people civilly like this.'_

He just talked a few lines Naru and Gene could pick up easily the meaning between the lines, and it sounded like he was scolding them.

Not to mention…

Shouichi who was sitting on right side of Tsunayoshi had this look that said, _'Just hang on there, Noll… Gene.'_

"I am surprised Hibari-san is not escorting you… I am under impression he is responsible for security of both you and Mai in duration of your stay in Japan." Naru said, stirring the conversation to a more civil ground.

Tsunayoshi smiled at him, all the time actually… "Kyouya is on business trip to China, he is not going to go visiting his family for Chinese New Year so he has to make up for the lost time…"

Family… he was related to Fong Xiao Long after all.

"He is pretty upset about the annual visit that can't be avoided even if he has a job to do in Chinese New Year…" For a moment Naru wondered if Tsuna was going to keep talking about the cloud guardian. "But family always worries about those who live far away from them." And just like that he stirred the topic back.

 _'Noll… Tsunayoshi-san is not related to Madoka, ne?'_

 _'Hopefully not.'_ That meant Mai was related to Madoka too. _'But he is worse than Madoka.'_ As Naru already felt defeated, and Tsuna had not brought up proper manner or anything that was his weak point like Madoka did.

"So back to my dear sister." In the same time he implied, _don't bother changing the topic._

An order that didn't sound like one in spite of strongly implied as one.

"Apparently… you met some unpleasant companies yesterday?" Tsuna asked as he put his fork down.

Naru just nodded, "You can say that… bandaged men wearing black cloak and hat."

Shouichi tensed, shock written all over his face. It was impressive how he had great self control to not say anything. "I see…" Tsuna murmured softly. "Mai didn't tell you anything I suppose?"

"If she doesn't want to say a thing and deem it as something I should not know, I will trust her…"

"So you trust her."

"Mutually." He replied evenly.

Tsunayoshi quieted down, his eyes searching and his intuition flared.

Naru sighed. "I am sure you can tell I am not lying… I have known Mai for quite some time. Lying to you or her is an exercise in futility… I am not someone who do useless thing."

The sky cupped his chin, "You… do you know what my intuition tells me about you?"

Naru shook his head, "No…"

"A confident person, dignified… critical… prideful… curious…" He listed on. "Very resolute…" He tapped his chin. "It all sounds like good traits to have but in the same time…"

He narrowed his eyes. "Pardon me but I don't think even Mai who knows me for quite some time assume she can just list down my traits as if I am an open book. From what I see so far of your Hyper Intuition it didn't make you all knowing super human."

Tsuna blinked at that, while Shouichi groaned tiredly. "Ha ha ha… I didn't say I know you better than my sister, in fact what I list on is merely a shell of your person. If you ask any of your coworkers they will agree you have all those traits… but the real personality of a human is not easily describable as that… I am sure Mai have told you, human is the most simple and complicated creatures in body, mind and soul…"

This man… he saw the world and human in the same way Mai did, they shared the same eyes. The Davis twins couldn't help but wonder, how Tsunayoshi and Mai perceived the world through their amber colored eyes.

Eyes were window to the soul, but in their case… they reflected the soul of people who gazed into their eyes.

"But at least… so far from what I heard from Hayato, Spanner and Shouichi. They trust you and your twin…" Tsuna continued, snapping the twins out of their thought. "It's alright for Mai to trust you, for us to have faith in you…"

What was that supposed to mean? Not just Mai but all of them…

"Maa… the world is not in a good shape."

These two were more twin like than he and Gene for sure, suddenly he said something that sounded like it ought to be related to previous topic but didn't make sense.

"He he…" He smiled again, sincere and gentle smile that lighted up his person.

And he smiled a lot, and what unnerved Naru was… while he didn't have their sharp intuition he and Gene knew how to distinguish fake and sincere smile. Tsunayoshi's smile was sincere and very real, it came naturally to him.

Click!

Tsuna turned on the TV of the restaurant, which made Naru puzzled because he was sure a restaurant like this usually wouldn't want to put TV that distract customers from their food. Then again this was a private booth, and Naru had a suspicion that V.G own this hotel.

"By the way about this paranormal case." Tsunayoshi pointed at the TV.

The headline on the news said 'Paranormal sighting in Rokuryo High School' and a reporter was interviewing a teacher who vehemently denied seeing anything and said kids hallucinate and making up things.

 _"You know children… they're naïve so trick of light fool them to think it's a ghost! We adults didn't see anything."_

Ryokuryo High… the school that became the center of attention lately because of continuous paranormal activity happening there. The students were terrorized while their teachers and faculty members denied there was anything worth mentioning.

"He is lying." Tsuna stated as if it was the most normal thing in the world. "In fact… this man saw something but deny it." His eyes narrowed. "He said his students spout nonsense, but the truth is… he is the one who turn his eyes away from truth."

A genuine case of haunting then…

Then again even if Tsuna didn't say the teachers were lying, Naru could tell just from the frequency of activity and the fear of general student population… this was too much to be waived of as a case of mass hallucination. However…

Tsuna smiled again, but this time it was a calculating smile. Somehow it didn't look out of place in this genial man. "I would like to ask you to take the case… you have gain quite a reputation and I think sooner or later the request of investigation will come to SPR."

"I don't take case that already gain too much attention from media." Naru replied smoothly. "And I believe Mai wouldn't like it either… in fact I have rejected the request from the principal this morning."

He nodded at that, "Well… Mai had been busy lately, too busy so I suspect she has not seen this news." True… Mai had been very busy, and yesterday she had been sleeping off her exhaustion. "I myself just watched it once before this one…"

"Why do you want SPR to take a case that have nothing to do with you?" Naru asked curiously.

Tsuna didn't answer right away instead, he continue watching the footage of Rokuryo High School in which they were showing the building from outside. "Because you see… if you know there is a ticking time bomb and you know someone who can diffuse it, won't you ask the said expert to go there?"

This was Mai's twin alright, he spoke in allegory and parable too.

"This is not usual case of paranormal activity from what I see… hm, it's a coliseum." He said in trance like voice. "There is a lot of battle going inside and the students are the collateral victims… they should close the school, get their students out and cleanse the whole building."

And he didn't even hesitate to hand out a verdict. Let's see a prison, a barn, a dangerous beach… now a coliseum. They came out with the most fitting and strange parable for haunted place.

"If you let this be…" His eyes turned to Naru and the psychic tensed, "A lot of people will die." He laced his fingers and rested his chin on top of it. "So… Neo V.G corps will help SPR to deal with media. It will be very easy with our connections to get them to back off from Rokuryo so SPR can investigate the school in peace."

Naru narrowed his eyes, "And this is all just for altruistic reason in your part?"

"Even if I didn't… Mai will do the same anyway. So I am just making it easy for my beloved sister…"

Another thing he learned quickly about older Sawada twin, he had not even a sliver of embarrassment with how openly loving he was in regards to his twin sister. Then again… they were one affectionate family.

"And also…" Tsunayoshi closed his eyes briefly. "Just from a brief look I can feel it… if this escalate, this school… will be soaked in blood."

He was not guessing… it was a statement.

"I am asking you to stop a genocide here… Shibuya Kazuya." Tsunayoshi stated with conviction, "So will you accept this case?"

Gene was nagging him on the back of his mind, _'So many people will die Noll! Tsunayoshi-san will handle the media for us! Come on!'_

Naru sighed, Ryokuryo high was no longer a case that could be refused but a disaster that should be prevented at all cost. "Alright… I will inform Ryokuryo High as soon as possible."

Somehow he felt like he had passed some sort of test but not quite yet…

* * *

 **Case 06, Part 01**

 **SPR Office**

Mai was laughing at him when she found out he –and Gene to an extent- were abducted by her brother for a lunch date and tasked to be a hero for Ryokuryo High School case. A case he had rejected and now he had no choice but accepted, simply because he had been informed so many people would die if this case was ignored.

"Ha ha ha… so you lose against my brother too…"

Naru sighed, "I don't think I even given a chance to win." That much was true. "If the media are kept at bay, it would be for the best for us both."

"Ah…"

Naru, who was also Oliver Davis, upcoming genius researcher of BSPR undercover to search his brother's body.

Mai, COO of who also keeping her head down.

"I was too busy to pay attention on news lately, so what did brother said?" Mai asked curiously.

CLICK

"Excuse me…" A firm and masculine voice said with a tint of hesitation as their door opened.

Mai stood up from her seat to receive their guest, it was a teenager around their age who was wearing gakuran uniform. His hair combed neatly, a square framed glasses perched on his nose, giving him intelligent and dependable impression.

"Good afternoon." Mai greeted the teen who blinked at them, a normal reaction to find how not-supernatural like their office was, and a cute girl with overlong hair was greeting him. Not to mention the beautiful teen sitting on the sofa who was giving off intimidating presence.

The guest however was one of few who quickly regained his composure, deeming his request was more urgent than gaping. "Good afternoon, I am Yasuhara Osamu… President of student council of Ryokuryo High School." He stated confidently, giving them a deep bow. "I have come to request your assistance."

Naru frowned, "Shibuya Kazuya, CEO of SPR." He returned the introduction, "Do you know we have refused the request from your principal?"

Yasuhara nodded, "Yes… I already know of your rejection. Despite that, I still would like to ask for your help." said Yasuhara seriously, then he began to explain"Just as you know, the situation in school is really serious. Not just Medias disturbing us… hounding us for scoop… but recently the situation has escalated such that people are getting hurt. If this continues, who knows what might happen. Please, help us!"

He was bowing low now, desperation oozed from his person. Then he placed a stack of paper on the table. "This is petitions from us students… I represent the entire student body to ask a favor to you."

Naru sighed and wondered if Tsunayoshi already foresaw this. Then again the seer was Yuni, he and Mai had unfortunate tendency to jinx people though. "Actually I have reconsider your case due to a number of circumstances…"

Yasuhara straightened himself, "Really?"

"Mai." His assistant perked up. "Contact the principal of Ryokuryo High School… and request our usual requirements for investigation." Namely a good sized room for their base and two place for sleeping. "If he has yet to decide on a substitute investigator that is…"

Mai nodded with a smile on her face, "Hai… right away."

"Thank you very much!" Yasuhara beamed, relieved he was not going to disappoint his fellow students who had put their hope in him.

* * *

 **That night… (Naru's POV)**

Gene who had discovered he could taste food from our link was overjoyed that he could eat again. I wished he could keep his comment about what a good mother and wife Mai would be to himself. Then he pointed out I had said something like that too, about how if the ghost children in Morishita house wanted a companion they would go after Mai who would be a good mother figure.

I couldn't stop my cheeks from discoloring when I realized Gene was right, and he laughed at me.

If I found the culprit who took Gene's body, I would make sure they regret the day they were born. I didn't appreciate the lack of privacy because of Gene now, as if I was not lacking privacy already with our psychic link before my idiot twin lost his body.

"Yo!" When I came to Mai's place there was a Japanese boy I recognize was accompanying Tsunayoshi this afternoon. "I haven't introduce myself this afternoon, but I am Yamamoto Takeshi! I am an as-"

A large radish flew across the room from the kitchen, whacking the Japanese boy on the head and effectively cutting off whatever he was going to say. Mai walked from the kitchen, holding a half grated radish, a grater and a bowl. "This is Yamamoto Takeshi… a family member of mine, he is in charge of managing our foreign affair but also…"

Gene suddenly shouted very loudly, I almost forgot where I was standing was parallel to the window, it was dark outside so the surface was reflective like a mirror. "Ah! Yamamoto-kun who threw sword through my stomach!"

Yamamoto-kun blinked and looked at my reflection –Gene- and said. "Yo! Gene! Long time no see!"

"Ah yes! Long time no see Yamamoto-kun." He said, returning the cheerful greeting.

"You did what?!" Mai shouted in shock at her surrogate brother.

"He threw _sword_ through your _what_ , Gene?!" I shouted too, I was shocked. I saw and felt Gene was hit by a car and thrown to a lake, and now he even had sword thrown through his stomach?!

And that was how Yamamoto Takeshi was introduced to me as the person who throw his katana through my twin's incorporeal stomach. Gene didn't seem to hold grudge about it, in fact he and Yamamoto hit it off right away and acted like they were each other's best friend.

"So?" Gene who was on reflection on full length mirror, Mai thoughtfully bought one with wheels so Gene could join us dining and talking. "I was not hurt… after all I am a ghost, so it's fine."

Even so… if you had been alive, technically Gene was alive but he would have been killed by accident.

"I already apologized." Yamamoto pouted at Mai.

We sighed in unison, these two were too carefree. I glanced to the side at the katana hanging next to my coat on the hanger of Mai's living room.

 _'What a bizarre view.'_

I couldn't feel surprised –much- considering Chrome and Mukuro carried collapsible shakujo around even though they weren't monks, I was sure Sasagawa-san wore fingerless glove and Hibari-san carried tonfa...

Katana was almost normal in comparison if I ignored this was Japan and gun needed permit, maybe not katana. Still… it should be illegal to carry five feet long blade in public.

Weapon of choice aside… could it be Yamamoto Takeshi was one of family members who came to check on me and Mai? Most likely… how big Mai's family again?

"So! Tsuna left me to be your bodyguard in duration of your investigation in Rokuryo High." He cheerfully announced, snapping me out of my musing.

"What?!" Mai looked unhappy. "Why?"

Yamamoto's smile vanished, "You know why…"

Mai sighed louder. "Gah… Because Kyo-san is out of Japan."

"Yep~"

"Speaking of Kyo-san, how did you guys convince him to visit his relative in China?" Mai queried, she gave up on refusing extra eyes on her so easily.

He grinned, "Fon-san called."

Mai's chopsticks stopped at that, "He guilt-tripped his nephew again?"

"Yep~ Again… Kyoya went back because if not Fon-san himself would come to Japan." He said before shoving one bowl of rice to his mouth in almost inhuman speed. "Second!"

"So… the threat this time was… if you don't come, I am coming for you?" Mai deadpanned. "Typical… and here is your second." Mai said as she handed Yamamoto his second bowl.

Apparently Lin's idol was not above using underhanded method to get his nephew to obey him.

"As interesting as it is to hear Hibari-san's whereabouts… I can't allow inexperienced people to wander around the site in the middle investigation." I said pointedly.

Yamamoto beamed, "Oh don't worry! I will not be in perimeter of your investigation. I will be right outside to deal with medias and other things… unless Hime call me when she needs me."

Surprisingly he was not going to shadow Mai then…

Mai sighed, "Then I will leave the rest to you… do you have any illusionist in hand?"

He paused at that, "I can get them on standby if you need them, Hime."

I frowned, "So you guys have other illusionist aside from Mukuro-san and Chrome-san?" So it was a pretty common ability?

Mai nodded, "Yes… not as good as them, they're the best of the best… aside from them there is…"

"Fran-kun?" Gene chimed in. "Mukuro-sensei introduced him to me… he is interesting even though his English is…"

Mai nodded somberly. "It's not because he is stupid though… Fran is Mukuro's disciple. So unofficially he is Gene's senpai."

"That's interesting but… why you want illusionist on standby?" I couldn't help but ask. "For a cover up?"

Mai smiled at me, "Yes… I have a feeling this case will involve some property damage."

"There is already a property damage according to the news." I corrected.

"Right… which is the more reason for us to get someone to cover things up." Mai closed her eyes, "I watch the interview with the teachers, and this is going to be worse than Yuasa most likely."

I knew it…

I couldn't help but feel resigned to deal with difficult client that would stall our investigation, "So… in case something go wrong you want to cover it up."

Mai clapped her hands, muttering thanks for the meal. "Yep… and from what you said about how the principal acted when he called you. I wouldn't be surprise if something go wrong we would be blamed and kicked out of the school."

We had not even step a foot on that school and Mai already had such premonition of how the faculty members would treat us. After what happened in Yuasa, I thought no school environment would be worse.

Gene chimed in, "Uncooperative client is nothing new but… client getting on the way of investigation is always troublesome. Noll, make sure we don't get kicked out, ne~"

"I know Gene…" You didn't have to tell me. "By the way Mai… what kind of impression you got from the school, you did watch the news already…"

Mai blinked at me, "Hm… it's from TV so I am not sure, but the school building gave off such a strong reading though… it's like a jungle full of wild beast!"

Silence…

"Your brother said it's a coliseum, how come you told us different allegory?" I couldn't help but wonder.

"A jungle and a coliseum…" Gene pondered. "How these two are related?"

Mai rolled her eyes, "Even though we have the same intuition didn't mean our brain translated it to the same allegory… in fact we never use the same parable."

"Can you elaborate?" I pressed on, getting curious. Unlike Gene and I, Mai and her twin shared the same abilities, so it was a wonder in the end they shared difference.

Mai hummed, "It's easy really… it's like you're looking at the same picture, you know there is some drawing that if you look at it upside down you will find different drawing? Or when you look at the same painting, you can have different way to describe your impression… but it basically the same painting in the end."

So even if they saw the same thing they won't describe their reading in the same way that was interesting.

"However… in some case we also see half of the picture." Mai continued. "So my reading and brother's reading is one half of the complete picture…"

Yamamoto hummed at that, "But Hime… this is the first time your reading and Tsuna's reading are so… difficult to relate, how is a battle arena relate to a jungle?"

I sighed, then looked at Gene. "How about you… Gene?"

"I need to visit the place directly." Gene informed me. "Though after the transfer my senses are a bit off, so I can't give you instant information… it will be a bit slow."

What a great pre-start of investigation…

"By the way Naru." Mai began. "Like it or not… we still have to contact Masako-san to participate."

I frowned at her.

"The others will question you if you don't." She pointed out. "Beside… she is getting attached to this makeshift team, let her in… her infatuation to you is unrelated."

I frowned deeper and Mai sighed. "Alright… I will help you when she is getting too overbearing to you."

Gene sweat-dropped, "This must be karma because you were so cold to girls back home." Gene was always kind to girls but like me, while he was sociable he was focused in his job and dating had not crossed our mind.

"Shut up Gene." I wished I could pawn Hara-san off to Gene.

Gene glared at me from across the mirror, "Hell no, you deal with your fangirls and I deal with mine." That was the deal, he reminded me.

I could only sigh at that, ignoring Yamamoto guffawing at me.

* * *

 **Ryokuryo High School (Mai's POV)**

We set off to Ryokuryou High School, which was located in Yokosuka. It was 3 hours away from the office by car. After passing through Funabashi and Chiba, we arrived in Yokosuka and reached the school's compound. That was the plan when I who was on our second van Tojo drove told him to stop when we were right in front of the school gate.

"Stop! Tojo! Stop right here!" I who was sitting on the backseat shouted, startling my two bodyguards and Naru.

He frowned at me, "Mai?"

I didn't answer him; instead I was observing the building of Ryokuryo High School with critical eyes. It was an old but well cared building, befitting of Ryokuryo status as prestigious and historical school. However, what I was looking was not the physical of the building but the dangerous premonition oozing from the building to my senses. "I can't go in there... not as I please."

"What?"

I turned around and explained, "From here I can already tell there are a lot of dangerous entities in Ryokuryo High School, but the problem is... going inside for me is going to cause a disaster. I am not sure how... but there is some sort of equilibrium inside the school between the spirits and if I go inside my presence will break it."

Naru frowned deeper at that, "Equilibrium you say... so if you come, you will inadvertently trigger a panic in midst of the entities haunting Ryokuryo." It seemed because he had heard our allegory it was safe to conclude it was multiple spirits instead of one. "So you coming inside the school would be like throwing a cat among pigeons."

My left eye twitched , I knew it was just an idiom but still… I began rummaging my overnight bag and pulled out an ornate black box with Vongola crown on top of it. "Brother had warned me though... so I have Spanner and Shouichi prepared this for me." It was a bracelet with chains that connected to another band that had to be clasped to my upper arm. I put it on and pulled my sleeve down again. "There..." Then I pulled out a clear cylinder case and put it on my pocket watch. "Yep, now I am ready to go."

Naru eyed me with critical eyes, "Is that some sort of charm like one Matsuzaki-san made to hide people from spirit's sight?"

"Hm... a little different, but basically it prevents spirits from sensing me." I explained to Naru.

This shackle at first developed from Mammon's and Verde's research to break Arcobaleno's curse and then upgraded to fit Vongola and Mare too. Though there was a downside that would prevent me from using my flame freely, not without breaking the clear case on my pocket watch. Which meant no calling for help from my ancestors either... then again in enclosed place like school, calling them out would be a bad idea.

The engine started again and we just passed the gate when I tensed, "Ah."

"Mai?" Naru called me, "Now what?"

"We've just passed a boundary... a barrier, an old one like in Kokuyo Land." I informed him, closing my eyes and stretched my senses. "It surrounded the whole school compound, and it seems... this barrier is what keeping these spirits inside the school."

Naru crossed his arms, meanwhile Tojo was parking our van. "I see... spirits in large number, a barrier... a school with unpleasant faculty members..." He palmed his face and I could tell he was thinking how this was getting sound like a quasi-combination of Kokuyo Land and Yuasa High.

I patted his shoulder, "Just brace ourselves... remember the life of over six hundreds of students in at stake."

Five minutes after Tojo parked our van, Bou-san's car arrived in Ryokuryo so we walked together to the main building. We saw Yasuhara-san greeting us by the door. "Thank you for coming SPR, it must be a tiring three hours trip from Shibuya."

Such a responsible Kaichou, I liked him right away personally, he reminded me of Shouichi a little although I also sensed wit and cunningness of Hana in him too. Which was perhaps why he took the matter to his own hands when students couldn't rely on their teachers and headmaster, collecting petitions and going through three hours trip to Shibuya to get professional help. Definitely a dependable president of student council, just like how Onii-chan used to be. Maybe Ryokuryo was not such a bad school with someone like him in charge of student council.

I revised my opinion quickly the moment we got to principal's office. This was worse than Yuasa, and I was sure Naru thought so too.

"Excuse me, sir," Yasuhara said as we followed him inside, "the people from Shibuya Psychic Research have arrived." Yasuhara indicated first to Naru. "This is their manager-"

"Look," the principal cut in sharply, "I don't need to know their names. Just fix the problem, and do it quickly. Ghosts? I don't believe it. It's nonsense. What will the board of directors say when they find out I hired ghost chasers to handle this!"

At least back in Yuasa, from what I heard the principal was still respectful to us professionals he hired to help them with the case. This plump principal didn't even disrespect us at the first sight, but also didn't bother to hide his distaste of us because of our supernatural background. A perfect example of ignorant closed minded monkeys…

Then the man who stood off the side of the desk, he was lankily built and oozed the same emotion I sensed from the principal. "Yasuhara, why are you not in class?"

That was his tone when talking to a student?! A student who went through trouble to help his schoolmates, and he talked to Yasuhara-san as if he was a misbehaved child?

"I have a shortened schedule today, sensei," Yasuhara answered calmly.

"Is that so?" The man said."Are you sure your grades are okay?" There was a sneer on his voice.

Even worse, you're a teacher and you don't know the senior schedules? No... You were just interested in scolding him for your self-importance. How the hell these peoples run a school full of impressionable teenagers?!

"I wouldn't worry," Yasuhara-san replied evenly. "But, if it's alright, I'd like to keep this brief. I need to help them get settled, and I'd hate for it to cut into my studying time." How expertly he dealt with this man said a lot on how many times this happened.

"Well," the principal said, "Yasu, you are one of our best students. I trust you're on top of things." The principal at least acknowledge a reliable student Yasuhara-san was. "Matsuyama-sensei, would you please show them to the conference room."

"Hai," He said stiffly.

Actually... could we just have Yasuhawa-san to show us the way? He knew where the conference room for sure. I was very tempted to say this out loud. Giving a discreet glance to Naru I whispered. "This man is a trouble."

He sighed, a silent way of telling me he could tell that too.

This was going to be a very painful investigation. Well... I wondered if I should arrange for this man to go missing in duration of our investigation and blamed to spirits. Yep, definitely an idea worth considering~

* * *

 **3rd POV**

Bou-san could tell just from how principal and this Matsuyama behaved, this was going to be a painful investigation. This was gonna be one of those investigation in which their client was not cooperative but also hindering their investigation. He would bet his bass guitar that at the first thing went south, these guys would be all over them. He almost missed Kokuyo, it was a hard case but at least their client... namely Mai and her family was cooperative, accommodating and helpful.

And they didn't...

"Are _you_ the leader?" Matsuyama asked Naru as he brought the SPR team to the conference room that was to be their base.

 _Omae_ at the first meeting... whatever Matsuyama teach, ethics was definitely not his subject.

Matsuyama-sensei looked them with contempt Bou-san honestly didn't get where it came from. "All this commotion about spirits it's nonsensical and stupid." He spat to SPR team, Bou-san wondered how Mai and Naru just continue walking while he was too shocked to reply.

Matsuyama was glared at them with barely veiled if not naked contempt. _'What the hell we have done to you?!'_ Bou-san couldn't help but thought.

His eyes wept over them and finally settled on Naru. "Just how old are you anyway?", he asked.

"Seventeen." Naru answered in monotone.

"And you're not in school?" Matsuyama snuffed.

"I'll leave that up to your imagination," Naru replied in clipped tone.

Matsuyama scowled before a disturbing smirk painted his lips, "Is that what you told your parents when you decided to become a dropout?"

This was the dropout who owned a private company, a genius researcher, and the man who led them to solve multiple paranormal cases. Bou-san supplied mentally. Buddha, why did neither Naru-bou nor Mai-chan say anything yet? They could make this man to stuttering mess with few well-placed words.

"I don't know where this occult garbage comes from," Matsuyama continued, "but I do know that young minds are impressionable and people like you take full advantage of that. I'm not afraid to admit that the thought of you profiting off this scam makes me sick to my stomach."

Mai at last spoke, "You don't have to worry about that Matsuyama-san, SPR stands for Shibuya Psychic _Research..._ which means we're a research organization. In which the foundation purpose of SPR is more or less the study of psychic phenomena, so we don't do investigation for the purpose of money. In the case of when we receive something out of gratitude, donations are received to aid research activities..." Jou-chan explained in even and solemn tone of a professional tone that made Bou-san felt very proud of her.

Matsuyama's frown deepened; obviously he didn't believe what Mai said. "Smart mouth, little girl... that _sounds_ legitimate, trying to deceive an adult like this." Bou-san resisted his urge to punch this man on the face. Mai just stayed silent, her expression was stoic. "So how old are you?"

"Sixteen. First year of Senior High." Mai answered.

"Don't you have school today? Playing truant, aren't you? Where's your school? Let's hear it."

Bou-san felt his ire was reaching a whole new different level, first he insulted Naru-bou and now Jou-chan?! He should know this young girl was the COO of Neo V.G corps, a multimillionaire international company! What she wore on her person worth more than everything you had in your wardrobe!

"I have already been granted permission by my school." She still answered in firm and even voice, unaffected by the interrogation.

The man looked even more irritated at how cool the two young ghost hunters reacted to his baiting. "It's must be a really lenient school, to be so lax."

Mai's expression didn't change. "It's Shuutoku High School." She informed him curtly. "And my work in SPR is deemed as part of learning and has been acknowledged by my headmaster."

Silence...

Shuutoku was one of highest academically achieved schools in Tokyo with long history, and some of its club both cultural and sports were well known nationally. In short... it was a prestigious school.

Matsuyama sputtered before he cleared his throat, "Then Shuutoku must be declining now, to allow their student to learn supernatural nonsense."

Mai continued to walk beside Naru as if nothing happened, "I don't know about this occult nonsense."

Then don't talk, Bou-san thought.

It's just an easy escape for young folks these days... Furthermore, taking advantage of the situation, swindlers like you prowling around."

Bou-san at this point understood. It was not worth it to care of what Matsuyama said. Jou-chan just now only talking to inform this man on the fact that SPR didn't take profit from investigation, it was just to clear up the misunderstanding on them conning the school. Although it fell on deaf ears considering... he still accused them as conmen.

Which was absurd, considering as Jou-chan explained... there was no profit on SPR's part and he was collaborator was paid by SPR not their client.

Matsuyama sneered at them mockingly, but Bou-san realized that he was mainly eyeing Jou-chan. "Recently amongst these fraudulent neo-religions, it looks like even girls have been implicated in these malicious situations, right?"

Malicious situation?! Matsuyama made it sound like they were sacrificing virgin blood and the likes! Time to show this guy some enlightenment! "If we are talking about the recently popular small scale religious groups, I think it is more accurate to call them New Rising Religions." Bou-san began to explain.

"What?" Obviously Matsuyama was not expecting him to speak out.

Bou-san continued in solemn voice worthy of a monk, "that is to say, recent - in what they call the Third Age of Religion that we are currently in the midst of; about the rapidly spawning witchcraft based small scale religious groups... they should be called New Rising Religions to be accurate."

Matsuyama looked like he was about to say something, but Bou-san did not give him a chance to interrupt. "And if we are discussing these New Rising Religions, these are the ones that came chronologically after the Second Age of Religion. This is _common_ knowledge."

"Such small details don't matter!" Matsuyama hollered at the Monk.

He managed a smile instead of a smirk he felt like doing, "So it is. But, don't you feel that arguments based on mistaken knowledge are meaningless?" He coughed once, "As an educator... it's unthinkable to let your misunderstanding persist, it won't do for someone like you to be unaware."

You were a teacher and yet you let yourself ignorant?

Matsuyama was red in the face with anger, "As long as people don't mess up the essential parts in life, which is enough! What the heck, you people! I don't know if it is the attraction of boring religion, or if there is something strange going on in the depths of your minds; a student like you who is clearly skiving." He looked at Mai then to Naru, and last at Bou-san. "And a man like you who keeps his hair long and messy will sooner or later wind up on the wrong path!"

Hopeless, this man was totally hopeless... . Bou-san eerily reminded of her mother calling this kind of man, chikuwa eared. A fish cake shaped like a tube; in short... whatever they said went through one ear to another.

"Is it here?" Naru pointed to a door; above the door hung a sign, Conference Room.

"Yes." Matsuyama grumbled as he slid the door open with more force than necessary.

* * *

 **Conference Room**

They surveyed the room, and size wise it was acceptable. They wouldn't have any trouble fitting in all of their heavy and large equipment inside. Mai could already see they would make a room for Lin, Tojo and Shima to overseeing surveillance equipment, and right across the entrance they would make room for interview to take place. Naru had put her in charge of arranging their base, and she wanted to make stressed students of Ryokuryo comfortable. There was also an issue about their lodging... well, she had an idea of what to do about that...

"Should I measure the room... even though it seems we have enough room?" Mai asked Naru, "Depending on situation we might want to fit in more equipment than what we estimated."

Naru nodded at her, "Right... we can conduct interview today and start bringing in equipment by tomorrow."

Mai checked her pocket watch, "Hm... it won't be long until class ended so we should start with preparing interview."

Bou-san could tell Mai and Naru were pointedly ignoring Matsuyama, and she was about to take her laser measuring tool from her waist bag when Matsuyama cleared his throat loudly. "Now… what? What are you going to do first?"

Did this guy even hear what they said about preparing for interview session?

"Start a fire, and then chant scriptures?" The corners of Matsuyama's lips curved to a nasty smirk.

Mai and Naru continued ignoring Matsuyama pointedly, "Naru, I already have a list of broadcasted incidents so far, and should we start with students involved in them?" Mai suggested. "Case of small fire, demon dog, strange noises in LL room and... falling light in biography room."

Naru nodded, "Ignore the case of the small fires. Go and look for the students involved in the other three incidents..."

Suddenly Yasuhara joined in, volunteering his service. "Let me do it for you please..." He fished out his own file, "I have listed all incidents in school with survey conducted by student council." He handed the file to Naru who checked the neatly organized file. "I can bring students in group accordingly to each incident."

"That would be much faster. Thanks." Naru thanked the Kaichou sincerely.

"Sure." Yasuhara looked very eager to help and Mai couldn't help but impressed at how efficient and helpful Yasuhara was. He was really a role model student who did his best for his friends.

Matsuyama sat on the chair loudly, fed up at being ignored. "Just make sure you do it quickly," Matsuyama said from where he sat. "I have things to do myself."

"Actually you're free to _leave_ ," Naru said sternly, stressing the last part subtly. "Thank you for your help." Once again both Naru and Mai were being courteous without being sincere; they just wanted this man to get off of their back.

"I'm staying here," Matsuyama sneered. "It's my job to manage and keep an eye on the students."

Mai's eyes shifted to the side, sensing Yasuhara's anger. _'Hm... Considering the leader of student body doesn't like him, it's almost safe to assume Yasuhara is public enemy number one for students of Ryokuryo.'_ Mai had a feeling this was something crucial to note. Especially after what happened in Yuasa…

"Once they're involved in a haunting, the victim becomes _our_ client, so as professionals it's imperative for us to ensure their privacy." Naru answered in even voice.

"Since when are children allowed privacy?" Matsuyama sneered again.

Mai wondered if Matsuyama was serious, so she added. "Privacy is a fundamental human right recognized in the UN Declaration of Human Rights... Matsuyama-sensei... unless you think children is less human than you are because of age."

Matsuyama gaped at her, not expecting such a sharp retort from the seemingly mild mannered girl. "I didn't say that!"

"And a client is a client regardless of age," Naru added in clipped tone. "Now, please leave."

"I can see what's going on here. You're trying to get rid of me because I make you uncomfortable."

 _'You made it sounds exactly like that!'_ Bou-san glared at him angrily, "The principal said we would have freedom to do our work."

"A limited freedom!" Matsuyama corrected, "I'd like to hear what you _self-proclaimed_ psychics are up to under the guise of mingling with our students."

Naru resisted his urge to roll his eyes; obviously this person was totally clueless of parapsychology. People who hunted ghost for research like them were ghost hunters, spiritualist... not psychic. Not to mention none of them had said anything about being a psychic, Matsuyama was drawing his own conclusion out of ignorance.

"In that case, please go to the principal's office." In short, Naru was telling him to go bothering the headmaster instead of them.

Mai stepped forward as she noticed Matsuyama's face was crimson with anger. He straightened his back and looked like he was about to retort when Mai smiled at him and he took one step back. "Matsuyama-san, please direct your dissatisfaction to principal who hired us." Mai's eyes narrowed briefly. "Or would you like us to inform principal ourselves?"

He sputtered indignantly. "Do as you please. Whatever happens at the end of the day is the principal's responsibility!" He hollered at them as slammed the door close violently.

Mai sighed, and Naru called her. "Mai… Considering mental state of students here…"

She nodded, "The atmosphere is tense, and I think this is even worse than Yuasa." Back then only small number of students was attacked at a time, in Ryokuryo's case it was a mass attack in each classroom.

Naru inwardly grimaced; he knew they would be swamped by report again in this case. "Well…"

"By the way… Naru-bou, Jou-chan."

Naru looked annoyed Bou-san interrupted their conversation. "What is it?"

"I was waiting for you guys to chew Matsuyama out for being a jerk, you guys can reduce him to tears I think." Bou-san couldn't help but say what had been on his mind since they were unfortunately introduced to a man named Matsuyama Hideharu.

Yasuhara didn't even bother to hide how interested he was at the thought of crying Matsuyama.

Naru passed Mai the copy of files Yasuhara prepared for SPR for interview, and while she was checking it out they answered almost in unison. **"There is no use preaching a-"**

"Pig." Naru finished coldly.

"Monkey." Mai said with a beaming smile.

Bou-san sweat-dropped. _'Jou-chan and Naru-bou have already categorized the bastard as non-human.'_ No wonder they kept ignoring him.

Naru and Mai looked at each other, "On second thought… a pig sounds like a better fit, you know… the thick head and noisiness."

"Monkey… looks closest to human but lesser in intelligence." Naru snorted; in short Matsuyama was an idiot who barely pass as human.

Bou-san thought, _'I almost pity Matsuyama if he managed to get Naru-bou and Jou-chan to have a go at him.'_ Forget reducing the man to tears, they would break him to pieces.

Yasuhara beamed, rubbing his chin. "Hm… not bad."

The monk grimaced inwardly, _'I get a bad vibe from this one too… why I suddenly have a feeling this is what called as meeting of peoples who shouldn't meet ever..."_

Naru glanced at the window, oblivious of Monk's musing on them. _'Not reflective enough for Gene…'_ His twin also had warned him that to Gene it was still hard to control his sleeping schedule.

Mai whispered to him, "Maybe it's uncool, but try to bring a handheld mirror next time." At least to check whether Gene was awake or not.

It wasn't like his narcissistic reputation would suffer if he did. Naru resisted his urge to roll his eyes, "Yasuhara-san…"

The boy beamed, "I can get the seniors first if you wa-"

Mai tensed; just now… it felt like something flared to her intuition. "Naru…"

"Already?" Naru narrowed his eyes.

Mai had run towards the door when a scream pierced through the air.

KYAAA!

As usual Mai had ran towards the source of danger without looking left and right, straight to them. They ran to an intersection and Mai without hesitation turned to the left, and not long after they found a girl slumped against the corridor wall. Most likely she was the one screaming, and as they got near panicked yell and screams were coming from inside.

"What's wrong?" Bou-san ran ahead of Mai to check on the girl.

Mai stopped in front of the class, while behind her the girl was pointing a shaking finger at her classroom. Then they saw it, a dog… around the size of a Doberman but from the aura and viciousness obviously it was no ordinary dog.

"A dog…" Bou-san gasped.

Naru narrowed his eyes as he and Bou-san stepped forward, "Is it the same spirit dog?" Naru wondered calmly, his eyes lowered at the dog and briefly surveyed the surroundings. The whole class was wrecked and the frightened students that didn't manage to get out were huddling together on the corner.

 **"Grrr…"** The dog noticed their presence and turned towards them, then it leapt forward.

Faster than Naru and Bou-san could react Mai had stepped forward in front of them and the dog halted. It whimpered and as Mai stared at it with narrowed eyes. Mai held her hand up, "Back down slowly…"

Naru and Bou-san obeyed, stepping away from the classroom and then the dog vanished without a trace.

"It disappeared?" Yasuhara gasped.

Mai glanced to the side where a group of students were panicking, and she could hear the girls wailing about how they couldn't take this anymore. They wanted to run away but Matsuyama was barking orders at them to go back to class and quiet down. Most students he was shouting at was students from class next to the one that just get attacked by the dog.

 _'He seriously make them go back to class after that?!'_ Mai glared at Matsuyama who was still barking orders, before turning her attention on the crying girl on the floor. Mai was about to ask whether she was alright but looking at perfect print of teethmark on her leg, obviously not. "You will be okay…" Mai said as her palm covered the wound, and slowly she let small amount of sky flame seeped in.

The girl's cry calmed to small sob before she completely relaxed. "Thank you…" She exhaled a shuddering breath.

Yasuhara knelt beside the injured girl and said. "I will take her to nurse office."

Mai smiled at him. "Thank you…" She wanted to go with them but the girl would be okay, so she watched Yasuhara carried the girl to the nurse office.

In the other hand…

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

"That's a record even for us… less than half an hour and an activity occurred." I couldn't help but say. "Entities here definitely didn't waste their time to start."

Bou-san nodded in agreement, "That was a shock, but at least this time…" He poked his head in. "The teacher can't say they didn't see anything, ne~"

They followed his example, poking their heads in to see a teacher that was blue on the face sitting on his desk. He was gaping and strange stutter escaped his mouth like a dying frog.

Mai snorted. "They can… in fact in every single interviews on TV, the teachers has been lying through their teeth about not seeing anything."

Bou-san's left eyebrow twitched, "Is that so?"

Tsunayoshi-san said as much, the teachers were determined to deny existence of supernatural entities in their school. "Mai…"

"Hm?"

"How bad it is?" I asked as we walked back to the base.

Mai shivered slightly, rubbing her arm as if she was cold. "Hm… what happen just now make me feel like something just went off… this is bad, we should have come sooner."

Bou-san cringed, "Uhm… you mean?"

"If only our clients are agreeable peoples I would recommend them to close the school in duration of our investigation." Mai stated firmly, palming the side of her face. "This is really a jungle… and the beast… the spirits has set their eyes on the students as their prey."

I cupped my chin at that, "No one died yet though… aside from that one boy who committed suicide few months ago."

"Naru-bou!" The monk hissed at me.

Mai nodded, "I don't think the spirits really want to kill humans in this school though… I mean the dog just now is dangerous, it's just not showing itself but ransacking the whole class and bit a student."

I narrowed my eyes at that, "I think so too… if it's serious it could have killed someone already."

Bou-san grimaced, "Oi~ this is only the first day of investigation but you guys already…"

"It's a dog." I informed the Monk. "If it wants to kill it would have gone after vital area, but it only bit one student on the leg."

Mai glanced at me, "However what disturb me the most is… there is too many of them here."

The Monk swallowed heavily as he asked, "I almost afraid to ask but Mai-chan… how many you sensed?"

Mai didn't answer, closing her eyes briefly and said. "I lost count."

He was thinking he shouldn't have asked, it was written all over his face.

"If it's any comfort… I think not all of them are dangerous, it's strange but I feel there is a lot of presence floating around harmlessly here." She chirped, as if she could lift up the mood.

Bou-san foolishly didn't learn his lesson. "So! How many of dangerous ones you sensed?"

Mai looked mildly irritated, "Try to count passengers inside the train in rush-hour of Shibuya Station."

Silence…

Image of office workers and students pushed by station staff to get inside the train, bell blaring in the background, and sound of operator announcing, ' _The doors are closing, please be careful!'_ Then he imagined replacing the passengers with ghostly blob figures.

"Forget I ever asked." Just imagining it made him feel sick.

* * *

 **SPR Base**

It was not unexpected at all these desperate students whose plea were ignored by their teachers broke down one by one in front of us, and some explode in flurry of speech as at last someone was here to hear their complain. At the time like this I couldn't help but felt relieved Mai was the one handling the interviews. I would cut in once in a while with sharp question but let Mai effortlessly extracted information from our clients.

"Hic hic…" The girl sobbed, "And the teacher won't believe me."

Mai smiled sympathetically at the girl, and then with soft look she turned to other girls. "Did all of you hear the same voice from your headset too?"

They nodded in unison. "Most of us in class heard it… and all of us here saw him."

Mai looked thoughtful, "So you decide to not come to that dangerous class?"

Then another girl added, "Yes!" She sounded irritated, "We tried to tell sensei about the strange sound and the child spirit but they won't listen so we stayed away from school…"

We jotted that down too and then I asked, "Do you know any other strange occurrence in this school?"

Mai kicked my leg lightly. _'Wrong question!'_

There was a sharp intake of breath and the girls, seven of them launched their stories at rapid fire. Their voices overlapping each other and Bou-san flailed to write all of them down. I had to agree with Mai I was asking for that one.

"Calm down." Mai told them gently but sternly, "We will investigate everything thoroughly." Then she gestured towards two other tables on the left side of the room. "Just write down everything you know on the form we prepared… there are enough for everyone and we will investigate activity you reported as soon as possible. You can also bring some forms with you for your other friends…" She handed them the form. "Make sure to submit it accordingly to incident and places…"

One of the girls took the stack of papers, it only had 'place, time, where they heard the activity from, and whether they experienced it themselves.'

"Just think of it like writing your diary…" Mai told them. "Write down everything you want…"

There must be something hypnotizing in her voice because as soon as Mai finished talking, the girls rushed to the assigned table and began to write like they were possessed. It was not an exaggeration to say they were pouring their hearts out to the paper.

"Thank you…" Mai smiled at them. "You may submit another form if you know anything new…"

In the same time she also got them to cooperate with us to gather information…. Mai, you were really sly when you put your mind to something.

Mai frowned when she skim over the first few pages of form, and the girls were about to leave when she halted them. "Wait a moment please… about Sakauchi-kun, the boy who committed suicide last September." Mai's eyes didn't leave the form. "A lot of people had seen him walking in corridors?"

The girl who was the main witness of LL classroom incident nodded, "Hai… actually we saw him almost everywhere, classroom, corridors and rooftop…"

I narrowed my eyes at that, glancing at Mai. "There is no fixed place like other activity."

Mai nodded, "Hm… September, so that means… he committed suicide not long after supernatural activities start to happen." Mai looked up, "Did Sakauchi-kun suffer under one of the activities before he passed away?"

The girl shook her head, "We don't know of him personally… he is a first year from aesthetic department, from what I heard he is a very quiet boy… and a little strange."

"And his suicide note?" Mai turned the form over, one of the girls had written one line in bold and underlined it. "What is this **'I am not a dog.'** means?"

It was almost disturbing how they didn't even take time to answer Mai, as if… "I feel I can understand what he meant. Sometimes I feel like a dog or some cattle…" She touched her short and neat hair, "I'm micromanaged from the color of my hair to the color of my personal belongings."

"I'd get lectured for things from my language use to my attitude…" The other added.

"It's just like disciplining a dog. That suicide note probably referred to something like this…"

Mai looked disturbed, and so was I since Sakauchi left a message and the girls who didn't even know him personally understood his train of thought. It was safe to assume the whole student body agreed with Sakauchi-kun, a boy who had committed suicide. It was disturbing to think Ryokuryo students didn't seem anything wrong with agreeing and thinking a suicide note made sense.

One thing both Mai and I concurred without verbal agreement.

 **'This school is sick.'**

* * *

 **ONCE AGAIN I AM HURT! No one read my author notes from previous chapter about voting on what omake to post! PLEASe don't ignore author notes! WHich is why you guys get this analysis OMAKE instead of ones I promised in previous chapter. DO read them, because I don't want to answer things I already mention there! It's annoying...**

 **OMAKE : In which Mukuro of all people have more common sense than the rest of combined fellow guardians of his –Chrome excluded- in regards to their princess.**

It was an unspoken statement that all of them had soft spot for their Boss and princess, Hibari included even though he'd rather die than admit it to anyone. Everyone knew, or rather it was a matter of fact for guardians to be very much in love –in familial sense- with their sky.

In case of their princess, they had a nagging concern since the day they found out that at some point they were considered as suitor candidate for her and breathed a sigh of relief that Hime and Boss managed to stop Nonno and Iemitsu. Never mind how their Boss did it.

They loved their princess but she was more like their sister and –as much as they were embarrassed to admit it- a mother to them. They couldn't even imagine being in that kind of relationship with her, it would be like incest.

However…

It was undeniable their princess was the most desirable girl for many reasons in mafia world, namely her blood, prestige and power. She was attractive and sweet but majority of Mafia society such thing was easily overlooked.

As Mai stated before, she could look like a gonk and behave like a banshee but her name would overshadow all of that. No one cared about everything else aside from the three things; bad things came in three they always said…

"You guys are being stupid." Mukuro said in one fine afternoon, sunny with a little bit of cloud. An ironic thing considering when their cloud met their sun in a clash it was anything but peaceful.

It was an unspoken rule their Boss and Hime established, when one of their fellow guardians called them out on stupidity if possible hear them out first. You could blow them up later…

Mukuro sipped his tea before elaborating, "About Hime… I mean." They waited and Mukuro was very aware if he said something unjustified he would get it from his fellow guardians, aside from sweet Chrome. "On the subject of her love life to be exact…"

Takeshi and Kyouya were fingering their weapon already, gee… and people thought he was the most blood-thirsty. He was the most sadistic, yes, violent? He would pass that one to Kyouya and Takeshi any day.

"I mean she was raised in a family with female to male ratio was 1:9… most of us pampered her like… _a princess_ she is, especially our Boss." Mukuro wondered why oh why~ he had to enlighten them in this.

Oh right, he was the only male in relationship here aside from oblivious Ryohei who was whipped silly by his girlfriend. "So… obviously unlike most teenage girl on puberty, attention from opposite gender is already something familiar to her."

Yeah, they got that part _so_? Their face said.

"I mean… it's good she is not going to be a silly lovesick girl." Mukuro recalled Miura Haru on her worse days, following their boss like a puppy. "However… don't you guys think her disinterest in relationship is going to bite us in the future?"

"…"

"Do you guys want to be responsible if she end up becoming a Christmas cake or married for famiglia's sake?"' Mukuro went on, ignoring their horrified faces. "Beside filthy mafia…"

None of them bother reminding Mukuro that they had not finished reforming mafia and Vongola yet, so technically they were still in mafia.

"Especially filthy mafia, but human in general… to them something unattainable is something they can't resist and desire more than the attainable." Mukuro went on with a roll of his eyes, "In short it's also because our princess is unattainable she is very desirable to them."

Silence…

"You guys really never think in that perspective, do you? Reverse psychological effect… Hime is hard to get… if anything it's just going to spur the hardheaded ones on." Mukuro told them bluntly.

Hayato sputtered.

"You know… it's the highest mountain that spur climber to climb on… so you guys are discouraging the weaklings and inviting the troublesome ones." Mukuro finished, "So if you guys think you're helping… well, you guys are delusional, stupid and optimistic."

No one tried to blow Mukuro up for that.

* * *

That talk haunted their mind –except Kyouya- on maybe it was not a good thing their princess was such an unattainable girl. However it was one and half year later… Ganauche came bearing the news that perhaps they didn't have to worry.

Hayato already had a feeling something was strange when Noll out of nowhere was glaring at him, right after Hime kissed his cheek in farewell.

Kyouya didn't really care… omnivore who could eat meat should be able to choose her own mate. Well, maybe he would bite the guy if he hurt their princess.

Chrome and Mukuro figured it out in span of five minutes meeting Shibuya Kazuya and confirmed the rest in less than an hour.

Ryohei as usual missed the obvious, but he had a feeling he should watch out for Shibuya Kazuya for some reason.

Lambo was kept out of the loop.

Takeshi was kept out of the loop too, just so he won't go to Japan cut anyone.

"So… you're telling me, both of them are…?" Hayato asked with dread in his voice.

Mukuro nodded, "Both… funny how they are twins, same face, opposite kind of ability, fell in love with the same girl… opposite personality…" He listed on. "Not to mention one alive and dying, and another is kind of dead." And alive too…

Chrome sighed, "Mukuro-sama… that's not a very nice way to elaborate this matter to Hayato."

"So~ our dear storm, do you approve of your friends?" Mukuro wondered.

Hayato groaned, "Damn it…" As far as he recalled both Noll and Gene were workaholics with zero interest in romance. Noll was cold with his fangirls while Gene was just too nice and a little awkward with them. "I thought like the rest of us they like Hime in familial light."

"They have different way to show it, but I am sure as hell they are not looking at her like we do. The longing for the sky yes, familial love… NO." Mukuro shot down the theory. "It's something serious if they rejected natural inclination to see a sky as their family and attracted in romantic sense instead…"

It was not brain-washing though, no matter how Mukuro thought of it as such at first. It was just instinct ingrained to them, but in the end it was their free will to accept or reject it. Which was why Daemon Spade could betray Primo.

"In fact… I think all of their coworkers aside from that medium girl –who is in denial rather than not noticing- already know about Oliver Davis' crush on our princess… at any rate if they're not civilian I would say they have better chance with our princess than anyone in our society."

"…Why?"

Chrome answered him, "Obviously they're not attracted to Hime's blood, prestige and power. Their feeling for her is at least genuine. That's more than we could say for majority of her admirers…"

Noll was narcissistic and Gene was a pure hearted soul… funnily it must be serious for them to fall in love for opposite reason.

As in for Noll… _that_ Oliver Davis was falling in love with someone else, and not himself. Gene was… Gene, the reason he had not dated anyone in spite of being such a nice guy? Simple… because he was nice, he didn't date for fun. He was one of rare sentimental teenagers who ignore hormone because of romantic heart.

"Haa… but they're not in mafia and I don't think Hime want them to be involved." Hayato had an urge to blow both Noll and Gene up, even though technically the two idiots weren't at fault for falling for their princess.

Still… not yet.

"That's what we think about her girls~" Namely Hana, Kyoko and Haru. "They're here with us in the end."

"…" Hayato was not sure he wanted the Davis Twins in their family, NO, not like that… Wait, no one approved them yet! Hime didn't date either of them yet…

Yet…

Then he recalled his poor Boss sputtering when Kyoko and Haru asked whether he could marry _both_ of them once they reached legal age. Result of their impatience after knowing Tsuna liked them but had not decided who he loved more… Actually it was more because watching female Mafiosi left and right throwing themselves at him.

There was one time… twice; perhaps three… married-to other mafia boss- women tried that too. Until their princess put her foot down firmly and warned those women, one more time they tried to touch her brother she would burn them to ash before they could scream like a banshee and throw their ash to Adriatic Sea.

-In which Yamamoto offered to cut them up instead and feed it to Squalo's pet shark, less pollution to water-

Yet...

That harebrained idea never came up again but the girls never said anything about forfeiting it. Technically… in mafia society it polygamy was never a taboo, those girls had checked the law.

Noll and Gene were never competitive in their brotherly relationship…

Why the hell the 'yet' part kept repeating on his mind like ominous trumpet of Armageddon?

* * *

 **Poor Hayato... so yeah, as you can see... this is how it goes! Please review!**

 **Next chapter: In which... Gene sleep too long to Naru's exasperation, once again Naru suggest blowing a school up -no wonder he is friends with Hayato- Mai thought. Astral walking is not a walk on the park...**


	26. Case 06, Part 02

**Case 06, Part 02**

 **(Mai's POV)**

Sympathy was good and everything, but when these girls thought it was understandable to kill yourself because of hard school life, and oblivious of how wrong it sounded to outsiders… I meant, he was the only one who had committed suicide but…

"And then I thought Sakauchi-kun must have hated the school; and since some of us have seen the ghost of Sakauchi-kun… I thought the students of the school could properly console the soul of Sakauchi-kun. However the teachers did not allow us to do so."

The nodded in unison, "Somehow teachers always think that a gathering of large group of students means we are up to no good…"

I wondered if these teachers even remember they were once teenagers, what kind of impression they had on teenagers nowadays? And again… their sympathy to the point of understanding what was going on the head of their schoolmate who had committed suicide was still disturbing…

More groups were coming, and after we interviewed them I decided to ask _all_ of them the same question. "Do you know what Sakauchi-kun's suicide note means?"

All of them gave us the same answer, _all_ of them understood.

Basically their answer could be summarized as, "Yeah, I think I do know what it mean. Everyone who goes to this school _has thought_ about it. I do _all the time_."

So we couldn't help but think on the break before Yasuhara-san brought another group. "There must be something completely wrong in this school if all of students here hate their school." Bou-san said in tired voice. "Especially… how they treat their students."

I glanced at him, "I have heard of school timing toilet breaks… nowadays a lot of school enforced unreasonable discipline on students. Ryokuryo is one of those schools…"

Naru turned to me, "Mai… what's your purpose to ask about Sakauchi-kun's suicide note?"

Bou-san nodded in agreement with Naru. "Yeah… no offense Jou-chan but it's creepy how every times you asked none of them get weirded out with 'I am not a dog' and admitted 'I think so too' to us. I mean… they're agreeing with someone who had committed a suicide!"

I glanced at them briefly before jotting down my own notes on psychology of students of Ryokuryo High School. "It's part of investigation… well, I can say more or less I get the thought process of student body in this school."

Bou-san sighed at that, "Well… looking at how they follows dress codes and other regulation to the letter, and we have seen a lot of students… I didn't see even one bleached head here."

Naru and I resisted our urge to roll our eyes, "Uhm… just so you know, nowadays bleaching hair is not as novel as it was in your era."

"Geez Mai, how old do you think I am?" The Monk wondered in annoyed tone.

I snorted at him, "I am just joking… and I get what you're getting at, you are talking about how the teachers run their school."

He nodded, sighing exasperatedly. "They act like they're running a _boot camp_ , not a _high school_."

"Yeah," I said, "you're right…" Bou-san was always sharp at this kind of thing among our coworkers. "They don't listen to their students… in fact they almost ignore most of basic right of their students." I stated bluntly. "It's a very stressful environment even without supernatural activities mixed in… "

Naru cleared his throat, "That aside… don't you find it strange appearance of Sakauchi-kun's spirit is the only activity that's not bound by location? So far all activities are restricted in one room…"

I nodded at him, "I think so too… actually spirits in this place feels weird too."

Naru frowned at me, "Weird how?"

"Well… they feel alike with summoned evil spirits in Yuasa." I ignored Bou-san's wailing in the background. "In similar… but not the same variety." It was hard to describe it.

"Not again…" Bou-san moaned, "So is this another curse again? Should we look for the hexer then?"

Naru glared disapprovingly at the Monk. "No one said anything yet on hunting a hexer, idiot…" Bou-san sputtered, "Did you listen to what Mai said? It's similar but not the same… so now we can assume a possibility this case is like Yuasa… is a situation made by a human."

I sighed loudly, "And also… even if we assume there is a hexer, this time all students share the same opinion on their school… if anything rather than cursing this school I think someone like Yasuhara-san will have better chane of success if he plot a riot against Matsuyama... or better just kidnap Matsuyama and dump him to Aokigahara."

Silence…

"Mai-chan… Don't mention it to anyone in this school please." Bou-san pleaded. "I have a feeling these stressed students won't think straight and did it in desperation."

Naru turned to me, "Why Matsuyama and not the principal?"

"Naru-bou!" Bou-san hissed at him. "That's not the part you should be concerned about!"

Trust Naru to sense something significant to my ridiculous sounding statement. "Actually… how to explain this, looking at Yasuhara-san's behaviour around principal and Matsuyama… the principal at least…"

 _"Yasu, you are one of our best students.  
I trust you're on top of things."_

 _"_ The principal at least acknowledge a reliable and talented student Yasuhara-san was... but Matsuyama… it seems to him even Yasuhara-san who is the top student of his class and a president of student council is not good enough." I closed my eyes briefly. "If we spread voting paper on which teacher you want to get rid of from Ryokuryo I bet he will be in first place."

Bou-san shivered, "Again Jou-chan… can you please don't spout scary ideas in this school? Around Yasuhara especially…" He had a feeling that boy could pull off everything Mai suggested with proper motivation.

Knock  
Knock  
Knock

"Come in." Naru said.

Speaking of the devil… Yasuhara came in and with him were six students from his class. It was the last case to be interviewed on today, mass poisoning. He sat on the chair with them, indicating he was involved.

"So… Yasuhara-san was also one of the victims?"

Yasuhara smiled at Naru's question. "Yes. I am also one of the 'students with weak constitutions'. Whatever the question, fire away!" He beamed at us.

I smiled back at him, sensing the sarcasm. He was referring to the quote of their teacher on newspaper.

 **"We believe that students with weak constitutions were brought down for some reason".**

A foolish attempt to rationalize the incident, even without my intuition I could tell none of these students had weak constitutions. They were all as healthy as a horse.

Naru's expression momentarily softened, he must have sensed their frustration. "I see…"

Without further delay I began. "Very well… Yasuhara-san, then let us hear the details of ah 'Mass poisoning' that affect all of you with 'weak constitutions' and by the way… I can see all of you now are as healthy as a horse, do recommend the supplement you take to us after this interview."

Just like that their stiffness melted away and they laughed at the joke. Yasuhara grinned at me approvingly, flashing his glasses in a fashion that reminded me of Shouichi. "Perhaps you already know from reading the newspapers, the incident occurred on the 18th of December, Monday, at 2pm in the middle of class."

My… he was straight to the point and easily understood, he deserved his top student position for sure.

"Nearly half the class collapsed, to be precise there were 19 persons." He reported and I knew this interview would go on smoothly even if I didn't ask anything and let Yasuhara-san to lead the show.

"At the beginning of class I… or rather majority of our class felt there is something wrong with the air… strong stench we couldn't tell where it come from. There was already a male student who felt nauseous..."

He gestured towards his right, where a male student wearing glasses and plump nose sat. "And like any sick student he raised his hand to excuse himself…" Yasuhara-san went on, narrating what happened back then.

The student who got sick first, or rather admitting feeling sick first didn't get permission to leave the class. In fact the teacher insisted them to hold it in and even after many hands followed rising with the same reason, the teacher waived it off as them slacking too much.

The boy who first raised his hand added, "I was on the verge of vomiting… I am sweating and pale too." The others nodded in agreement and told us how instead of getting worried their homeroom teacher accused them for lying and messing with him. And how he also ignored the fact most if not all of his students were covering their nose and mouth since the start of their lesson.

Inwardly I wondered if these students would get killed by their teacher's ignorance first before the spirits got them. If the poisoning was life threatening, someone would have ended up dead.

"So I left the class on my own accord." He admitted sheepishly, "I'd rather get a detention than displaying the content of my stomach in class."

No one could blame him for that choice.

Yasuhara sighed, "And then I was told to bring him back." He glanced at his classmate. "Although I fully intended to pretend and let Takei to reach toilet first before bringing him back…"

Takei laughed at him. "Unfortunately… Yasuhara fell too."

He nodded at that, "And only after I was on the verge of collapsing we're allowed to leave our class…" Then he continued, "We opened the windows but it didn't help."

I resisted my urge to not ask why the hell the school didn't try to move them somewhere else. "Do you know what could cause such smell?"

Yasuhara-san shook his head, "No… we tried to find the source but no luck, and also… I have experienced food poisoning so I knew how it felt and it's different from this case…" Not to mention these students weren't eating the same food beforehand, it was morning and all of them ate breakfast at their house.

"Furthermore, the school uses air conditioning, hence eliminating the possibility of a gas leak."

"Does this stench persist in the classroom?" Naru asked, his eyes narrowed in apprehension.

Yasuhara nodded. "Yes."

I frowned at that, "And… you guys didn't try to move somewhere else to study?"

He shrugged, "We tried to ask for relocation… but rejected. And soon we are all numb to it…"

It was amazing you guys just dealt with your teachers' stubbornness, I applauded you all… then again I didn't fare better against Reborn myself but my mentor in spite of his Spartan sadism never trouble us because of his sheer stubbornness and pride.

Yasuhara smiled sheepishly, "We still can tell the odor persists because whenever students from other classes visit our classroom, they would all ask, 'what's this smell?' He quoted. "And there are times when the smell would suddenly become overwhelming. After that incident, there were also instances when the teacher first felt unwell…"

Served them right… it was a relief to know they suffered too.

"At that time everyone evacuated the classroom… we're really scared although only the teacher went to the sickbay."

So they were even frailer than their own student. How pathetic… "So you guys are more resilient than your teachers."

Yasuhara and his friends grinned, "In this school, you have to be!" We laughed at that, "I can recall there were also several occasions when the stench suddenly became much stronger. Yes, about seven or eight times since that incident." Yasuhara recounted.

"Were there any victims?" Naru asked again.

Yasuhara shook his head. "No… actually at first I did not believe this was a supernatural phenomenon. Our classroom is on the first floor; below... I mean what was further beneath, that is, in the stratum there is a pool of bad gas, was what I hypothesized to be the reason... however…"

Then I sensed one of the students shifted the one who sat on the other side of Yasuhara-san. I turned towards the boy, focusing on him and oblivious of how Yasuhara-san paused at my behaviour before he continued.

"Eda…" The boy nodded. "However, Eda... He would scatter salt whenever the stench grew strong. After doing so the foul smell would suddenly vanish." He nodded to himself, "So we think… What the heck, if it was explained as a natural phenomenon… that would be really weird."

Naru looked at the male student called Eda.

"Why did you scatter salt?"

Eda shrugged, "That, because don't they say that salt is cleansing? We throw salt when we return from funerals and other stuff. So I thought we could try it in school to see if it worked. After scattering the salt the stench disappeared instantly." He explained his logic.

Yasuhara nodded, "And that's how we started to think… what's wrong with our school is not because of something natural."

Naru's pale fingers lightly rapped the table. "I see…"

I pressed on, "Hm… then if anything come up to you on why these supernatural incidents started in your school?"

Yasuhara's group tilted their heads in thought. "I don't know… Nothing comes up to mind." They answered us.

"Then… when did you first notice the strange things happening here?" Naru turned to the president. "Yasuhara-san?"

Yasuhara paused slightly to think. "I started thinking 'there is definitely something wrong here' first when a lot of students didn't go to their class." The LL classroom victims…

I narrowed my eyes, he was recalling something and I gave him a push. "Then… when did you start to think 'there is something amiss around here' or something along that line?"

His eyes widened. "Oh, I had started feeling something was amiss around the period of the cultural festival..."

"The details are?" It was Naru this time who pressed on.

"Increasing horror stories in our rumour grapevine…" Yasuhara answered firmly, "You know, how it's normal to hear seven mysteries in any school, but… anyone would feel uneasy when seven stories multiplied by three in span of few months… and it _persist_ instead of disappearing."

Yasuhara looked very serious.

I laced my fingers in thoughtful pose. "Was there any students behave strangely in duration of cultural festival then?"

He nodded, "To be exact in preparation stage… it's normal for us to remain in school until late, right? It's one event we're looking forward." No wonder in a school like this. "However… unlike previous years, majority of students became very reluctant to stay back… the girls especially."

So… we could assume whatever started this string of supernatural incidents happened before culture festival. "Thank you very much… you guys are very helpful." Then I gestured towards the form and the table, the guys were less enthusiastic on writing down story, but they were devoted in saving their school life.

"As for Yasuhara-san…"

"Hai?"

"This group is the last and if you don't mind, we would like to see your class." I informed him.

Yasuhara-san looked enthusiastic with the idea, "Sure!"

* * *

 **Room 3-1 (Naru's POV)**

Once the door opened, a weak smell was slammed into my senses. It was stench of something rotten. Yasuhara was the first who entered the classroom, and turned to look at us. "I practically can't smell the stench anymore, what about you guys?"

I nodded, "It's not a very strong smell, but there definitely is an odour."

Bou-san disagreed, "How can I put it…" Monk said, his voice pitched because he was pinching his nose. "It smells like a fish that's been left out in the sun to rot for a couple days." He answered Yasuhara's question before bolting to the window and opened it.

Yasuhara frowned, and I noticed Mai didn't come inside the room. "Sawada-san?"

"Mai?" I called her; she was leaning on the wall beside the door. "Why didn't you come inside?"

She sighed wearily, "I will but…" She craned her neck at confused Yasuhara-san. "Please be discreet, since some of your classmates are still inside… Bou-san too, please be quiet."

We were confused at first but it didn't take long for us to understand when Mai stepped inside the classroom, frowning and then stepped aside as if to allow something to pass her.

The stench disappeared suddenly.

Bou-san almost commented on that and Mai quickly covered his mouth. "I told you to be quiet!" She hissed at him.

I sighed at her, "So… this is why you don't want to come in." She repelled the spirit; or rather… she scared them off.

She nodded, "Yes… only if I am in the same room though."

Yasuhara-san looked torn between asking and keeping it quiet as Mai asked. "Uhm… at any rate…" He cleared his throat, and without asking for explanation went on as if the stench still existed. He was sharp. "The whole classroom stinks so we can't find the source…"

Mai stepped closer to me and whispered, "Whatever escaped from here didn't go far… it can't leave the school. Most likely it will stink another room…"

"At least now we know you can't set camera… and after this, can you find the spirit that escaped this room?" I asked her.

She nodded, "It would be no problem… I think I will chase it around a little until it goes to unoccupied room."

I snorted at that, it was so Mai to try scaring spirit to somewhere harmless. I scanned the room. Touching each table, and reading history contained within. _'Gene…'_

 _'…_ _Yes… Noll…'_

He was awake but he sounded very sleepy, _'Never mind, sleep some more… we will call you again tonight.'_

 _'_ _Yes… alright… I will sleep…'_

He had warned me that in the first few days it was easy to stay awake for him but there would be a period he needed sleep longer before stabilizing our link. I focused my mind back to my task, brushing against the table. Then I saw a flash of vision, of a group of girls sitting around this table and…

"Naru?" Mai called me.

I was suddenly stilled because of the vision so no wonder she noticed something was amiss with me. "Have you been doing anything here?" I asked, already knowing the answer to my own question.

"Um, I'm not sure I know what you mean," Yasuhara said.

My eyes landed on two girls who stood at the front of the classroom. They were in my vision. "Something like séances, perhaps?"

At my question Mai checked the desk herself, she stared long and hard at it before touching it herself. Then she stilled, "It's very weak… but there is some sort of taint in here." She whispered softly.

A taint? Something foul…

"Did he mean Orikiri-sama?" The girl whispered to her friend.

"Baka," the other girl with shorter hair denied, "After all, it's just…"

If they thought they were being discreet, their whispering was obvious enough to tell they were talking about something significant in respond to my question. Mai frowned at them, "Orikiri-sama?"

"You could hear them?"

"I read her lips."

Why I was not surprised Mai could read lips?

 _Mai frowned disapprovingly at Yasuhara. "Well… Yasuhara-san, what is this Orikiri-sama?"_

 _Obviously Yasuhara knew and forgot mentioning it; he had grace to look guilty though._ "Recently... starting from around beginning of second semester a popular game called Orikiri-sama was introduced in our school."

"Oh!" The girl who was whispering, the one with longer hair exclaimed. "I've got one here." She pulled something out of her pocket. "It hasn't been used yet."

Neither I nor Mai didn't notice how odd they phrased that, "Is that some sort of Kokkuri-san?" Mai wondered, "What did she mean by 'not used' yet?"

 _Bou-san took the paper and examined it, judging from his shocked face we could guess our hunch was correct. "Gah!_ Isn't this Kokkuri-san?!"

Strangely instead of admitting doing a séance the girls didn't look guilty, they protested. "No! Kokkuri-san will summon Kitsune, right? I've heard that Kokkuri-san is very dangerous, and shouldn't be done casually."

They got that part right at least.

"Orikiri-sama is summoning a god. It is very accurate in predicting love matches and helps you find true love and stuff!" She explained.

Mai face-palmed, "True love she said…"

"Idiots…" We let Bou-san scolding them sternly, crushing the paper. I was not in the mood to explain how Gongen-sama, Tarou-san, Hitofude-sama, Cupid-san, and what else Japanese came up with were all aliases for Kokkuri-san. They were all the same, séance that could go wrong when done by amateurs.

"At least now we know the culprits." Mai said in resigned voice.

Our own clients… great.

"Summoning a spirit can be done by anybody, but to send a spirit back needs practice. Don't do it anymore." Bou-san hollered indignantly, and we let him because by right a Monk like him had all the right to get angry for reckless séance.

Especially, since he was the one who was going to clean up their mess.

"But... everyone says that if it is Orikiri-sama then it isn't frightening, and it does not matter..." They still tried to deny it.

Mai rubbed her temple. "This is going to be even more painful than we thought."

Bou-san was enraged, "That's _bullshit_. It's because you all do this type of stupid thing that these strange disturbances occur!"

"But! Orikiri-sama is very popular throughout the school!"

Mai nodded at that, "Yeah… I could sense how popular judging with how crowded this school is." She grumbled under her breath sarcastically. "And Naru… Don't bother to ask how popular."

Bou-san who was still lecturing the girls groaned, "Gah! You guys are so lucky your school is still standing!"

Judging from her look, Mai agreed with Bou-san. Then she sighed loudly, "I am almost afraid to ask… but I guess we should."

I dreaded the same thing, "Amongst those present here…" I began reluctantly, "Is there anyone who has not done it?"

Including Yasuhara, not a single person raised his hand.

"I know we will regret asking." Mai told me the obvious. "Should we distribute a survey on this and face a statistical nightmare?"

This was one of those situations, in which you knew you would regret asking but you had to ask. "Your estimation?"

"We will have easier time counting those who didn't do this Orikiri-sama." She told me bluntly. "By the way… I have another startling realization."

"Hm?"

"There is no spirit in any room reserved for faculty members in this school I think... the principal room, and the registration on the front door too… they're clean." Mai closed her eyes; a pained expression marred her face.

Because no student had ever done this séance inside, so it was safe to assume this Orikiri-sama was indeed the source of supernatural incidents. I should have known there was something odd with how none of those rooms was affected.

On the background Bou-san let out a croaking sound of frustration. "All of you! Burn those accursed papers down!"

Great, one of our best spiritualists had blown up on the first day and I couldn't blame him.

* * *

 **SPR Base (3** **rd** **POV)**

Considering the scale of this case, SPR team decided to take advantage of technology, and published an online poll on Orikiri-sama. Tojo already prepared a beta website that could only accessed by students of Ryokuryo-with their name and student id- and Yasuhara had spread the information around for them. Of course they also warned the students to keep it a secret from faculty members, because obviously something like online forum wouldn't be approved.

The result came in very quickly, in less than two hours.

Total students who had signed in and voted: 286  
Numbers of students who had tried Orikiri-sama: 263  
Numbers of students who had not tried Orikiri-sama: 23

"…"

"… As you predicted… What a statistical nightmare indeed." Naru commented, looking at ominous red chart that indicated students who had done Orikiri-sama.

Mai nodded numbly, "Small part of me was still hoping we can get 70-30 or at least 80-20… but this…"

The number of students who had not was less than 10% and only half of population had voted. Bou-san was already crying in the background when the result came in. "Hic… hic…"

"Let's just blow this school up and all the people involved." Naru suggested seriously, repeating what he said when Bou-san asked what to do to solve Yuasa case on day one.

Mai rolled her eyes, "No wonder you're Hayato's friend, but please…" Mai deadpanned, "Blowing things up doesn't alwa-" She coughed. "I mean it won't solve anything!" Mai corrected her 'almost' slip up sheepishly.

"I say, why don't we just give up and leave. In any case it is the responsibility of the students, so they should just exorcise the spirits themselves and the case would be closed." Bou-san said like a child throwing a tantrum.

Clean up your own mess, in short.

"I can't stand it. Doing Kokkuri-san and the type would call out some unmanageable spirits."

Yasuhara said "We're sorry but…"

"Right-o. I'll teach you the ways of exorcism, and you will do it."

"That..." Yasuhara seemed slightly terrified.

"Bou-san… please, you shouldn't recruit Yasuhara-san to do exorcism… you've just scolded them for amateur séance, don't drag another amateur please…"

Yasuhara-san laughed sheepishly at that.

"Beside… we're the one hired to solve this case, it would be unprofessional to make our client to solve their own problem." Mai chided him sternly. "We will get in trouble if principal and that Matsuyama thinks we're dragging their students to do nonsense as they put it." Mai pointed out logically.

"Well… I don't like them either." He whined.

Mai sighed again, "Bou-san… don't let them to bully you. Get a hold of yourself…"

He was still faking crying. "To be so blatantly treated as a conman; although that does happen quite often. It's really a difficult job to be a spiritualist…"

"If that's the case… Let's just send all of these spirits at Matsuyama!" Yasuhara suggested cheerfully.

"Oh, not a bad idea!" Bou-san was on board with the idea.

Mai cleared her throat, "I will even help you to plot Matsuyama's suffering but do it after this case is over please…" She was not rejecting the idea obviously. "At any rate Yasuhara-kun, is it alright with you?"

"What?"

Mai elaborated, "Helping us investigating, Matsuyama would be unpleasant to you for sure."

"No worries... I am a top student of this school!" He assured them with a beaming smile. "He said a lot in the past but since I wrote that my goal was to enter the Literature and Economics Department, he suddenly stopped criticizing me. People who abuse their power are weak in the face of power."

Bou-san grinned at Mai, "In that case…"

Mai harrumphed, "I am not interested in showing up a monkey their place."

Yasuhara looked very interested on that. "Hm… are you someone who people like Matsuyama would consider as elite folks, Sawada-san? You study at Shuutoku and have special permission to take leave for a job like this after all."

Mai smiled at him, "You can say that…" Then she turned towards Naru who was staring motionlessly out of the window. Most likely he was checking Gene's condition. "Naru… what is it?"

"I'm just a little concerned." He answered.

"Concerned? What about…?" Bou-san asked curiously.

"As Matsuyama mentioned, the Japan of today appears to have popularized the occult." Naru said, crossing his arms.

"So it appears. So what?"

"Within Japan, the schools where Kokkuri-san is popular, how many do you think there are?"

Mai narrowed her eyes at him, "Why would such strange things only always happen in Ryokuryou High School?" Mai said in a tone that sounded like she recited it from somewhere. "Is that what you're trying to say?"

Naru at this point was unperturbed with how good Mai was at reading him. "Amateur does not always succeed in summoning a spirit even if they try. In other words, the number of successes is very low…" He looked at the board, where they had pinned numerous incidents recorded. "However… let's say Orikiri-sama manage to summon a strong wandering spirit… but the damage we have seen so far suggest it's not just one or two, the numbers are also abnormal."

Mai looked thoughtful, "Hm… Would Kokkuri-san really summon spirits?"

"That should be, if it was a spiritualist… psychics." Bou-san answered her question. "If amateur did it… there is a chance but so low, it's like playing lottery." Looking at her thoughtful look Bou-san added, "Well… Jou-chan who never plays Kokkuri-san wouldn't…"

Mai laughed at that, "To tell the truth... I have done Kokkuri-san before."

At her careless statement even Naru was looking at her bewilderedly, "You did?"

She nodded. "I know… you're going to say it's pointless for me."

Yasuhara looked confused, "Uhm… excuse me, but is it something to do with how the stench in my class disappear suddenly when you came in Sawada-san?"

Mai blinked at him, "Hm… yes."

"So you're not normal people hm…" He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Are you some sort of holy maiden that drive spirit away?"

Silence…

"No, I am not." Mai refuted the idea quickly. "Just think of how cats in general hate citrus smell and will avoid it…"

"So… you're a spirit repellent?"

Mai's left eyebrow twitched, "Whatever… back to Kokkuri-san I did try it for the heck of it and of course I already know… nothing will come even if I try a proper séance anyway…"

"Then why did you do it?" Bou-san asked curiously.

Mai's eyes gleamed, "I just want to scare my brother, ha ha ha~"

Naru sweat-dropped, _'Again… I didn't get their dynamic as siblings, she loves her brother but she scares him with séance and haunted house just to see his reaction. And the most ridiculous fact is…'_

Technically Sawada Tsunayoshi had nothing to fear from supernatural entities, they were scared of him. Lin's shiki even flee from him and left their master.

"So… since no spirit came, I wonder… the 10 yen coin moved, and really correctly predicted a lot of things. How would you explain that?" She wondered out loud. "Is it because some bodily reaction?"

Naru shrugged. "You're right… but why don't you try it? Try placing your finger on the table. Like when playing Kokkuri-san…"

She placed her forefinger on the table, at first she stayed still but then her finger started to shake. "Hoo…"

"The human body is just like that." Naru told her. "When there are many people doing that together, under the influence of each person's shaking, the coin moved. Everyone is moving unconsciously. Because the movement is unconscious that's why the resulting movement seems mysterious…"

Mai smiled at that, "And then… human being human think something like~ 'it'd be great if the coin moved', right? Then… People would also think, 'if the answers to the questions were correct, that would be more interesting."

Naru nodded at her, she was better at predicting how human's mind work than him.

"After listening to your speech, based on what you say, neither Naru-bou nor Jou-chan believe in Kokkuri-san."

"Perhaps... Personally I don't believe in Kokkuri-san…" Naru closed his eyes, "To me spirits… the only things they know more than living human are 'death' and 'the world after death'." He glanced at Mai. "It's something your medium family members know better than anyone I am sure…"

In Naru's case, Gene had confirmed this to him.

Mai nodded, "They wouldn't know… in fact it's not rare for spirits to forget a lot of things from their life, it doesn't make sense if they can answer things like love life, future and what else…"

 _'_ _If spirits are all knowing… I who have eight spirits/avatars of my ancestors with me wouldn't have this much trouble figuring out my problem.'_ She thought to herself.

"Especially future, it's a fickle thing after all."

Bou-san raised his hand, "So… did a seer like Yuni-chan can tell-" Love fortune.

"Don't you dare finish that sentence Bou-san." Mai warned him with murderous glare, "In fact don't even think about it, if you say that around the wrong people you will regret the day you were born."

Bou-san gulped.

Naru sighed; clearing his throat as he restlessly ruffled the mountain of notes. "Summoning a spirit is similar to adjusting the frequency of a radio… for this abnormal number to gather…"

Mai hummed at that, "Oh well… let's just deal with it. Beside I have a feeling that the worst thing that ever happened in this school is still Matsuyama… somehow I feel better when thinking it's all… _his_ fault!" Mai looked oddly satisfied about it.

Yasuhara laughed at that, "Maybe you're right about that, Sawada-san!"

Naru narrowed his eyes, Mai sounded like she was joking. However… recalling what she said carelessly before Yuasa and what happened afterward… Mai was about to jinx them unintentionally again most likely.

* * *

 **1** **st** **Night (Mai's POV)**

I resisted my urge to roll my eyes as Ayako went on ranting about our sleeping arrangement, "Yes… there is no hotel Ayako-san, it can't be helped."

It was exactly such a situation. As this place is very far from Tokyo, we had asked the school to arrange for lodgings for us. Despite that, the school's side only prepared a workroom and two rooms the size of six tatamis for us.

Back to Ayako-san and her protest… "You mean to tell me I rode three hours in the backseat of Lin's car and now I have to sleep in a room with a busted heater for the entire investigation!?"

I narrowed my eyes at her and she quieted down in instance, I didn't have much patience today after everything that happened. Matsuyama… Orikiri-sama, statistical nightmare… Matsuyama… "Ayako-san… please be quiet, have some patience!" I snapped, "I would have tried to get our modular base we used in Kokuyo but our client won't allow it."

In fact we were subjected by a lot of rules and it got on my nerve. "Beside… compared to us girls, three peoples in one six tatami mat room… the guys have to deal sharing room of the same size… Four of them..."

Tojo and Shima had volunteered sleeping on the base.

"Ugh…" She must be imagining how cramped that would be.

Actually for me who had slept in hard ground during my training this arrangement was so much better. "In fact… I don't mind sleeping somewhere else; I could camp outside like in rooftop..." The cold of January won't bother me much.

"Mai!" That was Naru, so he was paying attention.

I rolled my eyes, "What? I don't mind!"

Ayako hugged me suddenly, "Sorry Mai… it's just, three hours with Lin in closed space…" She shuddered, "Being cooped up in a car with Lin for three hours... A man, who seems to pride himself in not uttering a _single_ word to his passengers," She shuddered again.

"It's addling my mind…" Then she added. "Actually… please sleep with me, you're very warm. I won't complain as long as you let me hug you…"

Three hours of silence was something that would drive people like Ayako-san mad for sure. Her reason was pretty reasonable to me at least.

I sighed, "Your request to use me as body pillow aside…" I knew I was warmer than normal human because of my flame but that was no excuse to use me as human heater.

"I am sorry too… it's been a hard day, we have difficult clients… complains piling up endlessly and not to mention…" I glanced at Lin-san then at…

Lin-san for once didn't look indifferent at us. "I am sorry Sawada-san…" He said apologetically.

Ayako let go of me, she looked confused. "Hm? What's wrong?"

I sighed, "Lin-san's shiki…" I rubbed my temple, "It's fine Lin-san… your shiki just find it fascinating, I mean… they're like hey~ the scary girl is not so scary today, why is that?" I rolled my eyes at Lin-san's familiars I sensed were circling me curiously, they were driving me nuts with how they were flying in circle around my head.

Lin-san whistled, calling them back.

Three returned to him obediently but the last two… they still didn't leave me yet. One of them in fact was touching my forehead and another approached me from behind. I reacted instantly, my hand shot up on reflex because the shikigami approached my vulnerable side.

WHAM!

I scared them and they flew back towards their owner, slamming Lin-san to the wall in their haste. "Ah…"

"Lin-san!" Toujo and Shima called him in worry. "Are you alright?"

He groaned, rubbing the back of his head. "Ugh… I think so."

I was about to walk towards him, "Lin-san! I am so sor-"

Naru pulled me back by my arms, pulling me flush against his front body. "Idiot… you're going to scare Lin's shiki again."

I blushed at my mistake, "Right… I forgot."

I was so focused on my mishap I didn't notice 'eureka' look on Yasuhara-san's face and his 'Hooo~' at me and Naru.

Naru let me go, trusting that I won't approach Lin-san carelessly again and leave tending Lin-san-who had a bump on his head now- to Tojo and Shima. "Anyway the number of sightings is really too large and our equipment and resources are a little lacking." Naru said, looking highly dissatisfied.

"Tomorrow we will have Hara-san do an inspection for spirits, and confirm the presence of the spirits. If there are spirits, we will have the Monk, Matsuzaki-san, and John conduct exorcisms. Lin-san and I will investigate the more suspicious locations."

They nodded their affirmation.

"As for Mai… how about your search on spirit from Yasuhara-san's classroom you scared of?"

Ah… I had not reported that because Ayako's complaining and Lin-san's shiki bothering me. "About that… I followed it to North block…"

Ryokuryou High School's compound is shaped like the character "コ", to the north is the gymnasium; the staff rooms and student canteen are adjacent to each other in the North Block; turning a corner is the East Block consisting special classrooms; turning another corner is the South Block with normal classrooms. A turn away from the South Block is the West Block. It is a 3 level facility with only classrooms.

"Then suddenly it disappeared." I told him.

He frowned at that, "Disappeared?"

I nodded, "It's just… gone from my detection… which is strange, and I made sure I was far enough to not spook it. The first time, I thought maybe it's just me but then on my way back to the base… I sensed more of them disappeared… "

"They're not running away from you, were they?"

I shook my head, "Disappeared not fleeing… the seal is working, and as long as I didn't enter the room they won't flee."

Bou-san chimed in, "Is that mean if we leave them alone they will disappear on their own?"

"Don't even think to slack off unless you want to see which is going down first, the spirits or this school… and as you can see the latter is losing." Naru informed him, dashing his hope for painless solution.

Bou-san whined again. "Jou-chan~"

I smiled at him sympathetically, "Fight… Bou-san."

"I had always thought spiritualists are much darker and deeper people." Yasuhara-san chimed in.

I almost forgot he was still here, "Oh yes, Yasuhara-kun, don't you have to go home?"

"En, don't judge me by my looks, I think I am capable of the basic chores and errands. Right now I am thinking of staying to help out." Yasuhara said, smiling.

The monk's expression twisted in disgust. Perhaps he was imagining a scenario of 5 men squeezed into 6 tatamis. Guys were strange like that, girls had no problem squeezing to tight space together.

"Please don't worry; I have borrowed a sleeping bag." He assured the monk. Yasuhara was tough and determined for sure.

"Yasuhara-kun." Naru's tone was severe. "I really appreciate your offer to stay back to help, but it is better if you did not stay over. It is very dangerous at night in haunted site."

He was not deterred, "Definitely, if you feel I am getting in your way, please tell me, and I will go home."

A glimpse of a smile appeared on Naru's lips. "If that's the case… Do you have confidence in your strength?" In short in Naru-nese, would you mind to be our gopher?

Yasuhara didn't seem perturbed by the subtle challenge. "Please leave it to me." He beamed.

Naru nodded, and then said, "Then, Lin and Tojo, go and move the equipment." Then he corrected, "Mai… go with them, but make sure you-"

"Don't go inside the room…" I finished, sighing in resignation.

"Tojo… instruct Yasuhara-san." Naru ordered.

"Hai."

* * *

 **Half an hour later~**

"It's really incredible. The modern day spiritualist makes use of this type of equipment!" Yasuhara like any boy his age who saw high tech equipment went wide eyed like a kid in toy shop.

On second thought… only boys like Shouichi and Spanner would, Yasuhara would fit right in with them. "SPR is a research company, so we're using scientific method to investigate paranormal activities... so of course these amazing pieces of technology are involved." Yasuhara and I were going to the Chemistry Lab where footsteps were heard to install a microphone.

He hummed at that, "To tell the truth, I thought spiritualist would look and feel more dangerous, they would raise their hands and chant incantations."

"Bou-san is a monk so he did chant Buddhist scripture. Other co-worker of ours that would arrive later also consists of spiritualist who uses traditional method. While some of us in SPR are psychics. It would be more apt to call us ghost hunters…" I informed him; not lying at all on the fact Naru was a psychic but not specific enough either.

"But… Sawada-san, you're a psychic too, right?" He asked curiously.

I shrugged, "Well… I am in SPR to learn more, according to our director I am categorized to ESP user."

"Are you a clairvoyant?"

"A variation of clairvoyant perhaps… I have a very good intuition." I told him vaguely in cheerful tone, masking my discretion in the same time.

Yasuhara hummed at that as he entered the Lab. Yasuhara followed Tojo to the lab and my subordinate instructed him in how to install our recorder. "Like this…"

I was staying outside as I waited them to finish, it didn't take long and once they were out I continued. "So is Shibuya-san a psychic too?"

"If you ask Naru he will say he's just a ghost hunter." I was quoting Naru's blatant lie, but not lying myself.

"Ghost hunter, that's one interesting profession." He commented.

I perked up, "That's rare… Normally one wouldn't know this type of thing and ask... have you done a research on ghost hunting because of what happened here?" I asked.

Yasuhara's expression became unreadable for a moment, mixed emotion to be exact. He looked sad, melancholic and solemn. "We talked about it…"

Not discussing?

"Sakauchi, not long after enrolment he wrote this in the survey of his aspirations. He said he wished to become a ghost hunter in the future. Perhaps it's a joke but…"

I turned my face away, glancing to the side to observe Yasuhara from the corner of my eyes. "I noticed his death is such a blow to student population… even those who didn't know him personally at all when he was alive. Is it because he wrote what all of you are thinking about your school?"

Yasuhara looked pained. "You see… since the founding of this school, he is the first student to commit suicide. I can't help but feel… we shouldn't keep quiet. We pass each other in the same school, spend half the day in the same space, and might have unknowingly brushed pass each other in some corridor. If it was fated, we might have become friends. That's what I think…"

Ah… so their deep feeling for him was not mere sympathy, in their mind they thought. _'It could be me in his shoes.'_

"I see…" I stopped on my track and turned around.

"Sawada-san?"

"Hime?"

I put a finger on my lips, shushing them. "Shh…" I looked at the darkness behind us, the corridor was very dark but I could sense something was watching us.

Then it vanished… no, more like it was walking away from us.

"It's gone now…" I said before turning around and continued to walk towards our original destination. "Well, let's see…. Next is the gym where people have been hearing cats meowing…" To be honest this place was not a priority because a meowing cat was not dangerous, but it piqued Naru's interest.

Yasuhara-san followed me with stunned look, "Just now… something was there?"

"Yep."

He shuddered. "That's scary…"

"Actually Yasuhara-san… the whole school is haunted." I informed him; the room he entered just now also got something inside. "Let's get this over with…"

"By the way Oyakata…"

I frowned at the title, "Oyakata?" I echoed him, annoyance sipping to my voice as certain blond Oyakata-sama popped on my mind.

He flailed a little, "Sorry, did I offend you somehow with that title? I mean… I am a disciple in your standpoint so…"

Another face popped up in mind, this time certain blue eyed boy who talked in ancient accent. My frown got deeper.

"I am joking!" He looked genuinely scared of me.

I smiled apologetically at him, "It's… fine. I am not offended, it's just… that title remind me of someone annoying so I just…"

"Oh!" He looked relieved. "So… should I call you… Boss instead?"

That was too close to home.

I laughed sheepishly, "That should be Naru."

"Nah~ You're the boss, let Shibuya-san be our Big Boss!"

I burst to laughter at the thought of Naru as a big bad boss. I didn't miss the irony that Yasuhara didn't notice he was talking to a real mafia boss.

Then suddenly I felt a strange pull and the last thing I heard was Yasuhara and Tojo calling me. Then the next thing I knew I was walking out of darkness… no I was walking in the school at night. Dark classrooms; dark corridors. There was not a soul in sight; it was a completely silent school compound. I did not know where I was. It was pitch black.

"Gene!" I called out.

Then suddenly my intuition urged me to run and I found a door in front of me. A cool breeze blew. It was the rooftop of building across the main school block then… Scanning the roof, I saw a figure at one side.

"Who's there?" I asked to that figure, and he turned his head towards me.

It was a male around my age. He was not tall, and looked almost frail. He glanced at me with his lifeless eyes; before he turned his attention back at the main building, his arms crossed on the railing.

I was about to ask again when I sensed familiar presence behind me and a warm hand on my shoulder. "Gene…"

Naru's twin smiled at me, it didn't feel weird anymore now to me to see face so similar with Naru's smiling so openly and warmly. "That boy… he is already dead."

I nodded at him and it didn't take long for me to figure out what was going on here. So I placed my hand on top of his and we approached the boy, hand in hand. "What are you doing?" I asked him as we walked to his side.

He whispered in reply. "I'm looking…"

We followed his line of sight and looked. He continued to stare unmoving at the main school building. For some time, the three of us, together, stared at the school building.

Dark, black windows… We could see something white floating within them. White glowing orbs passing through the windows and floated around. They appeared weightless; and it gave off eerie beauty. It was like snow falling upside down, back to the sky.

Then it midst of the reversed snow, bluish orbs leaving thin trails behind appeared. Unlike the snow it didn't go up but flying around freely around the school.

"Hitodama." Gene told me then he turned towards the boy. "Why you're laughing? There is nothing…" He paused. "Ah…"

I turned to see the boy myself, "This spirit is recalling a specific memory in his life… he is amused by this…" Definitely not lucid and unstable one, this spirit...

Gene approached the boy closer and asked him. "Do you know what are they?" He asked the boy gently, pointing at the floating hitodama around us.

"I'm very happy." He didn't answer Gene.

"Happy?" Gene echoed. "Do you know what are they?" He repeated his question and I let Gene in charge, he was more experienced in questioning spirits.

"Of course I do," he laughed. "That's why it's so fun!" He said that but his smile didn't reach his dead eyes. "Extremely happy..."

Gene smiled sadly at him, "Is that so?"

"This boy…" I leaned against the railing. "Not dangerous but he is pretty delirious."

The older Davis twin glanced at me, his sad smile persist. "This is common for spirit of people who killed themselves… they tend to be mentally unstable even if they have just passed away recently."

The boy was still snickering at the eerie sight before us.

I looked at the boy in resignation, "Ah… so this is, Sakauchi-kun?"

Gene nodded, "He is… should I perform purification now?"

Suddenly his expression was hidden by a dark shadow. He looked steadily at us, lips parting. "No way…" He was smiling. The corners of his lips rose. It was a sinister smile. "I'm extremely happy. There is no feeling better than this."

I palmed my face in exasperation. "Gene… try to talk to him, if it helps… general population of students sympathize with his plea. They understand him… it seems he is involved in this case." Try to get info from him although… Gene was in for a hard time judging at how delirious this spirit seemed to be.

Gene turned towards Sakauchi and said, "You see Sakauchi-kun, you're not alone… your schoolmates… even those who didn't know you personally understand your feeling… so can you tell us what do you know? We need to help your friends…"

He started to tremble in shock, "I didn't mean to! Sorry! Sorry… so sorry!" His mood shifted and he was crying now. He slid down, kneeling as holding the railing of the rooftop tightly… "I am so sorry everyone!"

He was banging the railing with his fist now and the metal fence shook noisily.

Gene winced, "I am sorry Mai… it's hard to choose the right question when it comes to delirious spirit like Sakauchi-kun."

I sighed, looking at shaken boy before us.

The elder Davis twin was as exasperated as me, "Well… we confirm one thing at least…" This boy was consumed by guilt… could it be why he killed himself was not because hard school life but guilt?

"Gene… How should we deal with him?" Sakauchi didn't seem to notice our presence anymore now. "It seems you can't convince him to move on like this."

He agreed with me, nodding. "We should wait for him to calm down… this will take a while, and by the way…" He winced, rubbing his ears. "Noll is getting noisy."

Then I heard it… Naru was cursing through our psychic link. "Wow… I know he has extensive vocabulary but I didn't realize he can curse too." He was pretty original although the part calling Gene 'Idiot Medium' wasn't. I didn't hear him talking, more like an echo from a distance in my mind.

"You can hear him?" Gene was surprised by the revelation.

"Not too clear though…" I sighed, stretching my arms as I looked at the broken boy before us. "Gene… if it's not too much trouble for you, can you keep an eye on him? I will deal with Naru…" I chuckled softly. "It seems he is worried sick for us." I could sense it from his voice.

How adorable of him…

Gene smiled at that, "Noll deep down is a worrywart." Then he glanced back at Sakauchi-kun. "Leave Sakauchi-kun to me… this rooftop is relatively safe, but it will limit my mobility so… please get Lin to set a barrier to contain him. It's a little cruel for him but…"

I nodded, "There are too many hostile spirits here… even for Sakauchi-kun who is already dead." I glanced at him. "Gene… please be careful."

"Yes… you too, be careful." He returned. "Noll could be more troublesome than evil spirits, so thanks Mai… I don't fancy dealing with temperamental Noll."

I laughed at that sheepishly, "Hey… I am the one who is going back to living world to deal with your twin."

* * *

 **(Naru's POV)**

Mai collapsed suddenly in the middle of setting up our equipment and a panicked Tojo carried her back to our base. I dreaded the worst, but thankfully when I checked Mai's pulse and her breathing I knew right way what was happening here.

She was astral walking.

I assured them Mai was alright, it was just one of those dreams… kind of. We had everything under control. Mostly… I was worried since it wasn't normal to leave your body suddenly, judging from how abrupt it was, Mai didn't plan this astral walking.

I yelled at Gene to wake up and he did. He sounded groggy but snapped awake when I told him what just happened. Gene however didn't stay long, he said he would look for Mai and left just like that. I lost contact with him… he too, astral walking to who knows where in search of Mai.

Idiots…

Matsuzaki was woken up. She, Bou-san and Yasuhara were not sure and they watched Mai anxiously instead of going to sleep. It got on my nerves how petulant they acted tonight.

Where did you go?! I thought in annoyance as I watched Mai's prone form on the couch. Shima and Tojo always brought one around for some reason, it was useful though.

"Hm…" Mai stirred as her eyes fluttered open slowly.

I rose from my seat, hovering over her who was still struggling to fight off drowsiness. "Mai you-"

Her eyes snapped open and without warning her hand shot up to pull me down. I almost lost my balance as she used her free hand to push herself up to sitting position so her face rested on the crook of my neck, her breath fanning my ear. _"Sorry for worrying you… Gene found me, we're alright… Gene is babysitting Sakauchi-kun now so he won't be around for a while and we need Lin-san to put a barrier on the rooftop ASAP."_ She whispered to me.

She withdrew and I blinked in bewilderment at what she just told me. "I see…" I needed sometime to process it, Mai was always abrupt and caught me off guard like this.

Then in unison we looked to the side and found Bou-san, Matsuzaki-san and Yasuhara-san were staring at us with blushing face. Yasuhara was also snickering for some reason and I swore he was mouthing, _'That was hot'_

At that moment both of us thought, _'I don't even want to know what's going on their mind.'_

Lin was shaking his head exasperatedly at us for some reason. I didn't like his attitude so I ordered him to go up to the rooftop to get a job done. He looked almost petulant about it, most likely thinking I was sending him away to escape his watch. So I corrected his assumption. Gene needed his help, and unless he wanted Gene to be dead for real this time, I suggested him to get to work like… _NOW_

That was how our first night in Ryokuryo ended and I didn't need Mai's intuition to know this case was going to go down the drain if we made slightest mistake.

Wonderful…

* * *

 **After consideration in pacing the mood... I put the fluffy OMAKE first. Sexy ones... later~  
**

 **OMAKE: In which Mai show Naru the rope, idiot scientist can't write business proposal, and Gene sit back and watch.  
** Naru technically was never Mai's boss, considering her part-timing, cooking, and researching did pay for his teaching. She was more of a student than an assistant or an employee. Even so she respected him as someone with authority, most of the time anyway… when he was not in need of her curbing his less than pleasant behavior that send guest and people in general running from him.

There was a reason why Lin didn't care Mai was Japanese or even one fourth Italian, not when she was so good at keeping Naru in line.

Naru himself treat Mai with mix of respect, exasperation, annoyance and most of the time curiosity. Of course there were other emotions, but he was pretty crippled in emotion department so he couldn't name those and ignored it most of the time. He was used to be out of depth with Mai, in random moment in which Mai would pull another rabbit out of her hat. At the time like that Mai would send him reeling, mostly curious but also exasperated.

This was supposed to be one of those times.

"I am not sure how to explain this to you…"

One sunny Sunday he didn't feel sunny like the weather outside, in fact he felt pretty cloudy and Mai started the day with this line. Mai had this bad habit dropping metaphorical bomb on unsuspecting victim, and usually it was him and Lin, and by the end of it they were too confused and disoriented even to get angry at her.

She placed a manila envelope on the table, it was thick so it must contained a thick pile of paper, around an inch. It looked a little worn, no tear, so in spite of its age this envelope was stored with great care. It was addressed to V.G corp in Palermo, the one ran by Mai's family. What was this supposed to mean?

Then Mai flipped the envelope so he could see the other side and blanched. The name S.P.R was written on it, with address of the facility in London. He also recognize the smaller envelope of letter with cursive handwriting, it was Martin Davis'.

"I am not going to ask anything intrusive…" Mai assured him and Naru resisted his urge to point out Mai's ESP was personification of intrusive. That would be very cruel of him, because Mai always had aversion with that side of her ability. "But you see… I am in a pinch here."

"Very informative." He remarked sarcastically.

"Naru, I keep telling you that getting to the point is not always the best way to bring up a problem to someone's attention and… please make it a habit to let people to finish, so keep your remark to yourself." Mai chided him in practiced smoothness that would make Bou-san and Ayako clapping in awe.

He glared at her but it was never effective, it bounced off of her like a ball against a wall. She pushed the envelope to his side and made a gesture 'go ahead' so he wordlessly opened the envelope and pulled the predictable pile of paper, it was a business proposal from S.P.R to V.G Corp. Glancing up Naru found Mai had crossed her arms and had expectant expression on her face. So he began to read the proposal, he recognized as something written by his adopted father, proposing a cooperation and funding for their projects. V.G corp had developed the latest surveillance equipment and other technology that could applied to S.P.R's investigation but all of them developed for mundane purpose so it was proposed to direct it to Parapsychology.

"It's from six years ago." Naru noted, "If this proposal is approved research in Parapsychology field would have advanced ten years earlier at least…"

Mai snorted, "Twenty." She corrected, "What we released to public is not as advanced as ones we keep privately…"

"And… this proposal is here for?"

"I always wonder… why Parapsychology is not on the list of field we ever funded or ever involved in…" Mai began with a sigh, "My family since industry revolution branched their business to invest on… interesting and unusual field, back in those times… you know, we ever funded expedition to moon."

Naru blinked at that, "Your family was involved on that?"

"Something about the guy who want to go win a competition we held and ask for it." Mai snorted, "He got it~"

The scientist was still didn't get where this conversation were heading to, "And… considering your family's taste Parapsychology ought to be one of those field? Is that what you're getting at?" Mai nodded, "Then I think I should wonder why this isn't approved, and frustrated over what could have been?"

"Actually, it's on my side who should feel frustrated." Mai corrected him again, a tick grew on her temple. "Aside from six years ago I was not in the office yet, in fact even if that proposal came when I am already in… it will _never_ touch my desk."

Naru stared at her in confusion, "Why not?"

"Because…" Mai trailed off, "It's written by 'idiot scientist' who forgot he was proposing this to an investor _not_ his fellow scientist, that's not even a business proposal… it's full of technical jargon people who never dabble on Parapsychology couldn't understand! It went off tangent somewhere in the middle and in overall NOT convincing anyone there was _any_ point investing in Parapsychology!"

Mai was panting now, "It was no wonder my staff didn't let it pass initial screening and it was stuck somewhere in our record room until I asked them to look if anything related Parapsychology ever came to us!"

Naru wondered if he should be angry that Mai insulted his father and loss of time because of this _or_ asked why she was the one who got angry.

"It doesn't matter who should be angry!" Mai huffed, once again pulling things out of his mind without noticing. Somehow this moment felt convenient rather than intrusive. "Do something to fix it!"

Her demand was incomprehensible, "Fix as in?"

"I don't know…" She drawled on, "The most obvious is rewriting the proposal yourself or get someone to do it! I don't really care… but that proposal is atrocious, and unfit to be approved!"

"I thought you're the boss, if you're interested…" He trailed off.

"The fact my family run the company didn't mean we can just approve anything that catch our interest… I told you we're still supervised by… ahem." She coughed, "Those with age, and with it come experience and wisdom so we… ahem." She coughed again, and Naru realized she was imitating someone. "Inexperienced and reckless youth shall not do anything rash. Do remember the last name attached to your person, so you don't bring shame to us." She quoted in lowered voice and Naru knew the person she imitated was a man and of considerable age.

It reminded him eerily of old researchers back home who saw him and Gene as interesting test subject and baffled when he himself became one of them, even more so because he was too young. They tend to doubt his credibility.

Mai had implied before that she faced the same problem. Apparently in any field wisdom was never associated with youth.

"Do you get my point?"

Naru closed his eyes, sighing. "Yes Mai… you will get in trouble if you let this proposal pass because of your personal interest, unless you can justify this proposal worth the time and money."

She snorted, "In trouble is one way to put it~ They will just call me back home, and in front of… seven old men including my own grandfather I would get a long winded lecture that by the end of the day would fry my ears and I would be tempted to throw their _heavy_ and solid mahogany table at them for each 'Honor' and 'Family' they repeated."

"I thought your grandfather spoiled you." Naru recalled the beautiful silk gown Mai received by post last month.

She harrumphed, "You haven't met his right hand-man… Hayato-kun's grandfather! His face is stuck in permanent scowl since the first day he met me! He frowned at me just because I called my grandfather Ojii-san! I'm _so_ glad Hayato didn't turn to _that_!"

"And… you bring this to my attention, why?" Naru stir the conversation back to present topic, while he understood the need to vent frustration because of close minded old men, they had a proposal to talk about.

"Are you expecting me to fly to London and demand S.P.R to rewrite their proposal?" Mai raised an eyebrow at him. "In case you didn't realize having a bodyguard means… you can't just fly anywhere by both public and private transportation as you please."

"…Mai… you're ranting." Naru pointed out, "So… since this proposal is unfit, I should fix it? Me?"

Mai eyed him expectantly, "You're a brilliant scientist… but this is perhaps out of your expertise."

"Excuse me?"

"Who answered that he has no interest in bald old man when asked about Shakespeare?" Mai said pointedly, "You're the one who lead me to believe that outside Parapsychology and other subjects loosely related to it you had no interest and your knowledge and experience on them is nonexistent." She gave him a mocking sideway glance, and a smirk at that.

That sounded like a challenge, and Oliver Davis wouldn't back down from one, especially not when Mai was the one who throw it at him.

"Then I will show you."

She had the gall to quirk an eyebrow at him, crossed her arms and waited. "Well, go ahead… impress me."

As he marched back to his office Naru suddenly had a suspicion everything went as Mai orchestrated, mainly to not get her to go through too much trouble to get the proposal rewritten, dumped the job to him, and made him learning something that was not Parapsychology but useful for their office in the same time.

He had been tricked, somehow the twenty years advancement didn't seem worth it.

Twenty minutes later Mai poked her head in to his office and dropped a small note, she wrote a list.

 _-Don't write a book, keep it short._

 _-Avoid using technical jargon, if you do please put a foot note about it._

 _-Please think of the person who read it, make them interested in what you write just don't tell them what you want._

 _-Use your real name, reputation help even if it's troublesome._

 _-Good luck, Naru. You can do it._

It was attached to his cup of steaming black tea. When he looked up the door of his office was closed with gentle click and he stared back at the note and the tea. He felt foreign heat in his cheek and touched the warm flesh, surprised to find it warmer than the rest of his body.

Naru sighed and began to study the outdated proposal, ignoring the heat on his cheek and accelerated heart rate. It was just another odd bodily reaction when Mai did something he couldn't comprehend, must be because of their psychic link. He should write a note on that later.

Gene who was using mirror to watch the whole ordeal, a mirror his brother so helpfully hung on his office wall couldn't help but wonder if he was really the idiotic twin if his brother was this dense. He took around five minutes to realize he fell in love with Mai, Noll after ten months had no clue and waived off the obvious sign as something scientific their psychic powers caused.

He didn't tell Noll, not because this was a competition. Simply because he wanted Noll to write down a note on all of those obvious reactions and if he was lucky… Madoka or perhaps their parents would be the one who read his notes he wanted to pass off as scientific observation. It would be interesting to see how Noll reacted when anyone who read the notes enlighten him that those signs had nothing to do with psychic power or even scientific.

* * *

 **This Omake has sit like... forever in my laptop he he he isn't it cute XDDD  
**

 **SO YEAH... Gene has to catch up with Naru when it comes to Mai he he he~ So yeah I will balance them out ^^ Ryokuryo potentially could be the longest case at this rate. Well... I have been waiting~**

 **Next chapter: Naru don't care of Masako's bad reception, seriously he doesn't. Crowd control is a chore Mai didn't like, no wonder Kyoya HATES crowding people, it start to make sense~ Astral walking once again is not a walk on the park~**


	27. Case 06, Part 03

**THIS may sounds dumb but what's wrong with last chapter? Is it bad or what? Is there some sort of error so many reader... and yet no review. It's not about the matter of number but sharp dip, make me wonder and curious... so can ANYONE tell me WHY? And also... there is strange thing... review come in 6 hours ago but only show up just now? Network error?! SOMEONE ENLIGHTEN ME ON THIS! I WANT TO KNOW!  
**

* * *

 **Case 06, Part 03**

Mai hated using her charisma, or whatever harmony properties of a great sky entailed. However it was necessary to do some crowd control on unsatisfied group of students who came inspecting the ghost hunter team. They wanted the exorcism to be done as soon as possible, and Mai understood their desperation. So she patiently explained the investigation just started, and apologized they needed time to solve this case.

They were not assured, so Mai let her flame slipped to her voice and said. "It's fine… we promise we will do our best."

The dazzled group of students went to their classroom without protest and Mai knew… there was another hindrance on the way.

Students… The desperate anxious students. At the time like this Kyo-san's hate for crowd was not so illogical to her.

Surprisingly the group of student who fell victim to supernatural incidents were more… patient, they had dealt with it for months. They were restless too but as they had experienced the horror, they were more… mature in dealing with it. The less affected students ironically was not as patient because it felt like they could be the next victim, and more anxious.

Mai already had a list of things they should and shouldn't do.

1\. Naru a.k.a Oliver Davis should not leave the base on break period or whenever there were still students around in this school. Naru didn't have patience to be hounded by desperate peoples.

2\. Crowd control, contact Yasuhara-san ASAP

3\. Some arrangements had to be done ASAP

What a great start of their second day.

 **Day 2, Ryokuryo High School**

 **"** **Attention please, to our students… due to recent disturbances in our school. Our esteemed principal has hired a group of investigators, and to ensure their investigation to go on smoothly…"**

"Haaaah…" Mai let out a very long sigh as pouring herself a cup of coffee. "I am so glad I get everything done just in time."

Naru rubbed his temple, "All of them… ignorant idiots. At any rate, good job, Mai." He didn't thank people that often but Mai deserved one for everything she did this morning.

First, she ordered Tojo, Shima, and Lin –the trio students wouldn't dare to disturb because of their strong and intimidating air- to retrieve collected data.

Second, getting a hold of principal early in the morning and scolded for interrupting his breakfast time to ask permission to use announcement room.

Third, creating a list of what 'to do' and 'don't do' and passed it to Yasuhara to broadcast to his schoolmates.

Fourth, calling Foundation members to bring barricade poles –a lot of them- to emphasize students shall not touch their equipment.

Mai nodded, "You're welcome." She sipped her coffee. "If we let them be on break period we have to hide in Base."

Bou-san looked up, "That's Yasuhara's voice, right? What is that broadcast for?"

 **"** **I understand all of you are scared and worried, but we hope you can be patient and please don't disturb investigators from SPR."**

Mai glared at him, Naru was also looking pretty irate this morning because Mai woke him up early because Principal felt the need to lecture him because Mai wanted to ask permission to use Broadcast Room. Which in Naru's opinion was uncalled for, because it was to accommodate their investigation, the Principal had no right to berate them for it.

"In case you didn't notice Bou-san." Mai began, "We're they so called awaited saviours… they're going to hound us if we wander around in this school with our casual clothes that stand out when all students here are wearing their uniform."

"And don't forget we're placing sensitive and expensive equipment within their reach." Naru added in annoyed tone.

 **"** **As SPR investigators are using sensitive and expensive equipment,  
please treat it with care! Do not touch their equipment… it's imperative for us students of Ryokuryo to cooperate and-" **

"In short… Yasuhara-san is doing crowd control." Mai summarized for them. "It's a relief the students here already know the horror they're dealing with so the chance of them disturbing our equipment now is lessened a great deal."

Naru shrugged, "It also helps they have someone like Yasuhara in charge of student council, all of them know he is reliable so they will follow his warning better than if we ask the teachers."

Bou-san hummed at that, "I see…"

"This won't help us from Matsuyama." Mai informed him.

Bou-san groaned at that, "Gah! Why the hell is that guy a counsellor?"

As said in announcement students were told to not disturb them, because before Yasuhara was asked by Mai to go to announcement room some students sstopped friendlier or less intimidating looking team members –namely Bou-san, Mai and Ayako- to ask about investigation. Especially Mai, who was running around the school this morning.

They would be fortunate to be stopped by the students though. The real misfortune was to be spotted by Matsuyama. If they were seen by Matsuyama, he would make sarcastic comments. He would say a lot of words that would more than make their blood vessels burst, and leave wearing a self-satisfied expression.

That damn bastard, thought Bou-san and Ayako.

Mai ignored him because she was too busy to stop for him, excused herself in hurry as carrying barricade poles and escaped Matsuyama. Mai's standing in the eyes of student population had a meteoric rise when they saw her walking –or looked like walking gracefully with running speed- through the corridor with Matsuyama panting and failing to catch up with her stride.

It was hilarious, and Mai was unofficially became Ryokuryo students' favourite SPR member she also became Matsuyama's official least favourite. This didn't say much, considering Matsuyama hated all of them.

"At any rate…" Mai trailed off, "Just ignore him… if he is getting to much just say this:"

Yasuhara came in from Broadcast Room just in time to hear what Mai said,

"Excuse us but, we still have work to do. Please don't disturb us when we're working as said in announcement Yasuhara-san broadcasted. We addressed the warning to general student population but if you keep disturbing us, we're afraid we need another broadcast for faculty members too or just for Matsuyama- _sensei_."

In short treat him like a petulant child.

Bou-san hollered with laughter at that, Ayako snickered while Naru's lips curved up to an almost smirk. Yasuhara knelt in front of the chair Mai was sitting at and said, "Please allow me to call you Aneki! I admire your expertise in dealing with Matsuyama-sensei! Teach me!"

Mai sweat-dropped, "You're joking right?"

That was not the first time Mai received the same request from Ryokuryo students, unfortunately.

* * *

 **Afternoon (Naru's POV)**

I thought my confidence –in her inferior skill compared to Gene, which was decent enough- was somewhat restored in Kokuyo case but of course she just had to let us down again. Well… then again in a case like this where we were dealing with summoned spirit, ESP type medium was not suitable. Then again Mai made me invite her out of sympathy-that now I started to consider as a misplaced one- and I reasoned as a buffer so the others won't ask question about her absence.

"That can't be, Masako, that again?" Bou-san moaned in exasperation.

Masako ignored the monk's words. "It's not like I can't see anything. I can feel their presence."

Appearing worried, the monk cradled his head in his hands. Matsuzaki and John shook their heads, they were out of ideas. "Is that so?" I sighed inwardly "… and their presence that you can feel?"

"Normally, the spirits should be clearly seen, but here… It's like looking at a poorly tuned television channel. There is a great deal of static mixed inside… Do you get what I am saying?"

In short... you still couldn't see them Hara-san. Gene thankfully had no such problem, _'I see them just fine.'_ He said. I don't think Gene even get why Hara-san had trouble seeing spirits here.

"I can feel the presence of spirits, and there are quite a lot of them. I also know where they are, but… exactly what kind of spirits they are, I'm not too clear." She said that and lowered her head.

"For me, I have never been good at communicating with wondering spirits. If it is a spirit that has a special connection to a person or a location, I usually have no problem…" She added.

The monk sighed. "Anyway… because these are spirits summoned through Kokkuri, it is to be expected they have no great connection to the school or to the students… And this happens again, Masako."

Bou-san and Hara-san then locked to a staring showdown. "This is only a special situation. This time it's not like I can't see or feel them at all like in Yuasa!"

"Yes, yes," the monk said, contracting his neck. "But then-" Mai tensed and she was about to cut in but Bou-san finished his line faster. "Mai-chan also can sense spirits presence then what good are you to be here?"

Hara-san flinched, she looked hurt and Mai faster than any of us could react whacked the monk upside his head.

WHACK!

"Aww!" The Monk moaned in pain. "Mai! What was that for?"

Mai sighed, "Bou-san, be more delicate please… and remember I can't get close to these spirits. You see what happened when I tried."

Hara-san suddenly slightly creased her brow, her eyes narrowed. "But there is a spirit that I feel particularly strongly here…"

"What kind of spirit is it?" I asked.

She squinted, as though looking at a distance. "It is a boy, about my age…" Her expression turned sad, "I can see him very clearly. I can feel a very strong emotion. That boy… perhaps something happened in this school that saddened him. He is currently trapped within the school."

I resisted my urge to palm my face.

"It is clearly not nearby, but its presence is that strong… I believe it must be the spirit of someone who committed suicide. And it happened not long ago."

Mai had strange expression on her face, she was palming her temple and her eyes half-lidded. "Hm…"

"Mai?"

She tensed and said, "Ah no… it's just my head suddenly feels pleasantly cool…"

Hara-san looked confused, and irritated that our attention was focused on Mai. "That's an interesting reaction to Hara-san's description of her sight." Hara-san was still looking confused, even more so. I opened my notebook and took out a newspaper clipping. "That spirit, is it this person?"

Hara-san took the clipping and looked at it. It was an article about a first year student's suicide in a certain school. "It is this person. So his name was Sakauchi… It's like he's being held captive by the school…"

I retrieved the clipping from Hara-san, "So it's him after all… but I'm not so sure he's being held captive by the school," Gene and Mai had told me about him, this boy… he was consumed by his guilt that contributed to his delirious afterlife state.

Even that part, Hara-san got that one wrong. Then again when it came to emotion Mai and Gene were obviously more sensitive than Hara-san.

"Eh?"

Matsuzaki-san answered, "Mai already saw him last night…" Hara-san looked at Mai who looked like she had a headache with complicated expression, although I could tell it was mostly jealousy.

Mai's expression was the classic 'Why me' and she looked like she needed aspirin. She did drink her medication instead though, popping one pill like a candy.

I immediately turned to my older assistant, changing the topic. "Lin, what was the situation last night?"

Lin took off his headphones. "There are some locations where the temperature was abnormal… Printing room, 2-4 and the LL classroom had especially low temperatures."

"There is nothing abnormal with the visuals; the microphones recorded sounds in 3 locations. Distinctly, they are the Art Preparation Room, 2-4 classroom, and the Gym Storeroom."

I walked towards the whiteboard where we had drawn a map of Ryokuryo and marked the mentioned places in red.

Mai had told us some room housed a particularly strong spirits and if not because she looked very tired last night we would have asked us which rooms were those. But Hara-san… my eyes wandered briefly to the medium, she couldn't tell that while Mai and Gene could. She couldn't tell there were difference in power of spirits in this school, the distinctively powerful ones… she didn't notice or rather she couldn't tell.

I tapped my fingers against the table absentmindedly, "So it is like this, we get a response on the very first day." Such a strong respond was expected, both Mai and her brother had warned us. I looked at Mai who was explaining to Yasuhara-san about psychology of spirit in respond to outsiders.

She looked tired… she had informed me that the astral walking last night was not planned. Sakauchi-kun's spirit was drawing her attention. She said it was related to newly formed psychic link she shared with Gene and I –which was another surprise she just revealed- and it made her astral walking ability unstable. Mai also revealed she was actually like Mukuro-san and Chrome-san. They were _technically_ medium with the capability; but they didn't use it. Mai was like that when it comes to her astral walking.

Unlike Gene, she never wandered outside of her own world. She had difficulty in anchoring herself because she was new on the 'walking' part, and easily got lost. It was like wandering in space without safety rope to the spaceship that was her body. She needed Gene to anchor herself or she would get lost.

Gene discreetly added Mai would be prone to pass out and leave her body most likely, at least until she stabilized. She was definitely not fit to wander around on her own.

I swept a glance over the team. "Commence exorcism with the 5 aforementioned locations as the core. Hara-san, please walk around the school and check the locations where there are spirits. Matsuzaki-san, please accompany Hara-san, and conduct exorcisms to the best of your abilities."

"Ok." Matsuzaki-san said.

It was too bad this was in the middle of a city, then again we doubted any of these spirits wanted to be purified.

"John… Bou-san." I called them. "First, proceed to the 5 locations which had activity last night and conduct exorcisms there. After that go to locations pointed out by Hara-san"

They voiced their agreement. "Roger."

"Lin and I will continue to investigate for more locations," I continued while Lin stood up. "You think you could give us a hand, Yasuhara-san?"

"Sure," The president answered.

"Mai," I looked straight at her.

She cracked on eye open, since when she was half-asleep already? "Considering your situation, watch over this place, and actively manage the communications with Tojo and Shima."

She raised an eyebrow at me, "Hm?" She was still half-asleep and a little delirious.

"But… shouldn't Jou-chan come with us at least? She can detect them too like Masako." Bou-san pointed out.

Hara-san bristled while Matsuzaki-san rolled her eyes. "Can't you tell Mai is feeling unwell?" The Miko scolded the Monk. "She worked really hard last night and this morning, so now it's our turn to do our job apostate Monk." She finished as she grabbed both John and Bou-san out of the Base followed by Hara-san.

Good call Matsuzaki-san, we didn't have to explain why Mai was not feeling well.

I knelt in front of Mai who was rubbing her temple, sitting on the couch. "Mai… if you slip to Astral realm by accident, make sure you don't get separated from Gene alright?" I whispered, only loud enough for her to hear me.

Her eyes fluttered open, "Sakauchi-kun?"

At the time like this, you were barely awake and still worrying for someone else? "Gene said he is still delirious… Lin's barrier keeps him safe on the rooftop of this building so we don't have to worry. Gene will guide you if you leave your body… understood?"

Mai nodded weakly. "Yes…" She was already dozing off.

My lips curved up involuntarily at the sight and my hand reached out to give her a gentle pat. "Rest well…"

She nodded again and her eyes fluttered close. I carefully helped her to sleeping position and Tojo passed me a blanket for her to use. I covered her with the blanket, and relieved when I sensed her steady pulse that told me she was not astral walking at least. She was just sleeping her well-deserved sleep.

 _'_ _Gene… Are you awake?'_

 _'_ _Yes…'_

 _'_ _Keep an eye on Mai.'_

I could almost hear Gene grinning at me, _'Leave it to me… I will keep her safe.'_

 _'_ _Good.'_

 **Ten minutes later…**

"Sawada-san is very good at what she is doing." Yasuhara commented out of the blue as we walked to popular 'hanging out' spots for students of Ryokuryo.

Since the students were the one inviting the spirit in, we concluded other haunted spot was most likely where student could perform their séance in secret, away from their teacher's prying eyes. "She is…"

Surprisingly so… Mai was pretty smart even though she was not a genius like Hayato or other genius members of her family. However Mai was very skilled in using her Hyper Intuition, open minded, and creative.

"She is an admirable person for sure." Yasuhara-san nodded sagely, "I think I am in love."

Silence…

"What?!"

Yasuhara-san paled and raised his hands placatingly, "Just joking! She is more like an Aneki we all admired! Ha ha ha…"

Lin sighed exasperatedly for some reason.

Then on the back of my mind I could hear Gene laughing, _'Gene! What are you laughing at?'_

 _'_ _Nothing! Figure it out by yourself idiot scientist!'_ Gene snickered.

 _'_ _Gene…'_ I hissed at him mentally.

 _'_ _At any rate…'_ He stirred the topic, _'This school is very dangerous, and if so many lives are not at stake I would say we should leave…'_

I frowned at that, _'So it's that bad… but why Hara-san didn't even notice this situation?'_

 _'_ _I am not sure… pure medium like me possess different kind of sight compared to Hara-san's.'_ Gene told me. _'But Noll… Mai is right, even if I am here, please try to treat her fairly.'_

 _'_ _I am trying-'_

He cut me off _. 'Noll! Sorry… but Mai is out again!'_ Gene told me in panic, _'I need to go! Might as well out for a walk myself!'_

I sighed inwardly, _'Keep her and yourself out of trouble!'_

 _'_ _Hai~'_

* * *

 **Gene's POV (Astral Realm)**

I couldn't stop myself from hugging her, and Mai almost staggered because of sudden extra weight pressed to her back. "Gene?!"

"You scared me when suddenly you just leave your body like that…" I had not let her go; I was so relieved I caught up with her just in time. "No warning whatsoever…"

Mai blinked owlishly, "So… you can tell right away when I was out of my body?"

I blinked back, "I am not sure… I just know, it come naturally to me it seems."

She smiled at that, "I see…"

"Hm…"

"By the way Gene…" Mai trailed off, her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "While I understand you're worried, you should let me go."

I was getting comfortable, hugging her like this but if I kept this up it would be harassment. So I let go of her reluctantly and almost shocked when she grabbed my hand instead. "Mai?"

"I need an anchor." She explained, her expression was cool as she began to walk through the astral realm of Ryokuryo High. "Or I will float to who knows where… this is why I hate astral walking."

"It's fun you know…" I smiled at her, tightening my grip on her hands a little.

"Not when you're terrible at it." She told me. "I pride myself for my fine control but for some reason I just can't get a hang of this… and I don't like to leave my body vulnerable."

I chuckled softly, "I see…" This side of her was a little like Noll.

Mai's vision was beautiful; it was misty and tinted slightly in sepia and giving it the aged and dreamscape kind of feeling. Was it because of her powerful post-cognition ability? She had better taste than Noll whose vision tinted green and eerie.

"Hm… Mai, you have a good taste for your vision." I couldn't help but commented. "Not practical though."

She shrugged, "My vision always looks like this… it used to be more tinted in sepia like old photo. I tuned it down to more colourful but I can't get rid of the sepia tint."

"So… shall I show you the rope?" I inhaled slowly and controlled the vision of the realm, not controlling the realm but how it looked for us.

The corridor was wide and empty; the sky was darkening as I will them. Weak sunlight permeated the windows at the side of the corridor. Unlike Mai, I was more practical in my preference; the corridor was shrouded in mysterious darkness not for novelty but to give us easier time to spot spirits.

Faint wisps filled the space, drifting around freely, but mostly upward. "Ah…"

"Those are spirits," I explained. "There are many of them trapped here."

I envisioned spirits as lights, but lately I started to see them as foxfire or hitodama too. It must be Mai's influence; to her… spirit took shape of flame for some reason. Thankfully it fit me just fine, flame was light too… but in our case only stronger spirit usually would take form of flame.

Mai snorted, "Monochrome vision, typical of you and Naru."

I grinned at her, "Perhaps, but I also controls the opacity of space around us." I told her. "Look." I pointed below us, willing the floor to fade out.

She staggered a little but I hold her hand tightly, "Give me a warning next time." She told me with a huff and I laughed sheepishly in respond.

"I will." I promised her, "Now let's look around."

Mai scanned her surrounding, "Hm…." Floating translucent spirits gave off a wan glow. Weaker spirits in large number moved like they were flowing. 10, 20… they were countless. In the second floor right in front of us, there were 8 of them. "I sensed this many but seeing them with my own eyes… it's like hearing your neighbour in wild party next door, but coming to the party itself is even more…"

I laughed at her, "Ah… look, the Miko and Hara-san is doing exorcism down there." I pointed at the small room across the gym building, it was the locker room. Then I let colours to return to the room so it became easier for us to observe them.

Mai eyed the sick purple flame inside the locker, "It gives me bad vibe…"

Hara-san approached the huge spirit inside the locker and stopped. That spirit looked larger with sick hue color compared to other spirits. She pointed at that spirit, and the Miko started brandishing her ounusa –the stick decorated with zig-zag paper- and waved it. The sick purple colored spirit floated weightlessly, It slid out of the locker and went past their ankles, making a U turn and floated out of the door.

Mai and I blinked, both of us were thinking. Neither Hara-san nor Matsuzaki-san noticed the spirit had escaped, and it was doing it obviously. It went past their ankles… it didn't sneak out even.

"Uhm… failed exorcism attempt on their part aside, where is that spirit going to?" Mai wondered as she and I turned our attention to the spirit, it just waltzed out of the room as it pleased and went somewhere else.

It went to the East block; the same block as our base. It floated to a small room at the end of the second floor, and closed in on a white spirit straying in a corner. That was the Broadcast Room.

"Obviously… they're not going to be roommate, ne?"

"I don't think so."

We observed them, the large flame like spirit and the smaller, rounder white spirit circled each other. Their tails became intertwined. Soon, the smaller spirit was engulfed by the larger one. We could feel the larger with sick hue colour became darker, pulsing as it became bigger than before.

Mai covered her mouth, "Ugh… cannibalism?"

I was as shocked as she was, "It ate the weaker spirit…"

"That answers why the spirit from Yasuhara-san's class disappeared, and other disappearances I felt since yesterday…" Mai drawled on, wincing. "Disgusting."

I nodded in agreement, "That's a nasty sight… speaking of jungle full of beast you describe Ryokuryo as…"

"Hm?"

"This feels like the realm of Beast Mukuro-sensei showed me, being devoured and devouring each other…" I said in a daze.

Mai's left eyebrow twitched, "Mukuro's training method aside… I can sense this entity is getting more dangerous."

"And evil." I added. "I don't think we should disturb the bigger ones in Broadcast Room, LL classroom, Printing Room and… nurse office."

Mai nodded in agreement, "And it's off limits for me." Mai added, "Although… I have suspicion that once they're strong enough instead of running they will face me head on like the mother in Morishita house."

"Definitely off limits for you…" I stressed.

She sighed tiredly, "Aaah… Naru will be pissed once he knew."

"I will tell him." I volunteered, "You told him last night, it's my turn now."

She palmed her forehead, "I will leave it to you then."

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

I snapped my eyes open just in time to see Bou-san and John entered the base, they looked tired. I sat up abruptly, which was a mistake as I almost staggered off of the couch. Bou-san quickly came to my rescue and steadied me back to the couch. "Thank you, Bou-san…"

"Are you sure you're alright?" He asked me worriedly.

I nodded, "I am just a little disoriented after waking up, I feel much better now."

He sighed in relief, "At least you're getting better Mai… we're not doing well in our end."

Really… oh, of course you're not doing better than Ayako.

John tilted his head. As he marked the school's floor plan on the white board, he said, "For now, although I have exorcised the room as per Hara-san's instructions, there does not seem to be any effect…"

Suddenly an image crossed my mind. John was scattering holy water. The pale white spirits left that place, and escaped to another location. Whoaa… my intuition now was sending images too, Gene… what a fine addition you were to our Sky Axis.

"They escaped…" It passed pass my lips before I could stop it.

Bou-san and John blinked at me. "Uhm… you mean like Yasuhara's class spirit?"

I nodded numbly, still feeling a little out of it.

"Ok. John, let's head to the next place…" He said as he grabbed one of the request forms. "The first floor's Printing Room." The monk's finger searched for the location of the Printing Room on the floor plan on the whiteboard. "There it is."

That place was…

 _"_ _I don't think we should disturb the bigger ones in…  
Broadcast Room,  
LL classroom,  
_ _ **Printing Room**_ _and…  
nurse office."_

I recalled Gene's list. "Absolutely NOT!" I shouted as I jumped to my feet, my drowsiness was long forgotten. "You can't go there."

"Eh?"

The monk and John turned back to look at me in shock. "Mai?!"

"Mai-san?!"

"Leave that place alone for now!" I told them sternly, "In fact! Never ever go there!" Then I rushed towards the whiteboard and crossed the four locations with red marker, grabbed a paper and wrote down in red bold letter.

 **"** **Broadcast Room, LL classroom, Printing Room and nurse office are OFFLIMITS. Do not approach these places, DON'T perform exorcism there! AT ALL!"**

"Get it?" I turned towards them, I couldn't stop myself from threatening them.

"But…" Bou-san tried to protest.

I gathered all form concerning the four locations, putting it in one file and ask Shima to put it away for safe keeping. "If you have to do exorcism… Could you go to the Music Preparation Room? And as I said… DON'T go anywhere near those four places."

He looked flabbergasted; he silently accepted the order I handed out and fled the base with equally shocked John in tow.

"Now what to do…" I wondered and began another mental list.

1\. Look for Yasuhara-san and get him to put off limit signs to those four places.

2\. Check on Masako-san and Ayako-san.

3\. Deal with headmaster again to get him to agree closing those four places…

Hm… I felt like I missed something? Oh… Naru and Gene, they… "Tojo! Announce in online forum that those four rooms should be avoided!"

"Hai!"

"Shima! Find Yasuhara-san and sealed those four rooms!"

"Hai!"

Then I exited the room as soon as I could.

* * *

 **(3** **rd** **POV)**

Mai had just remembered that Naru was checking the gym with Lin, the closest place to Locker room that was just across the said building. So even though she was fast, Naru still outran her there so it was no surprise when she reached the locker room. Naru was already in front of the sliding door.

She was about to tell him to leave them be, when she heard what stopped Naru from coming in. "May the deity of all corners come together…"

"Ah… she is still…"

Naru slid the door open before she could stop him, giving them a clear look on shocked Masako and Ayako who was looking at them in bewilderment. "Uhm… Kazuya-san?"

Mai wondered if Masako noticed her presence, "Ah…" She had seen it but now in real world she could feel the room was free of spirit. Why did they still here again?

Masako glared at Mai, "What are you doing with Kazuya-san together?" She asked, trying and failing to keep jealously out of her voice.

Naru smiled at them, his fake smile that looked charming but didn't reach his eyes. "Are you done?"

Ayako clutched her Ounusa dumbly, "Erm… almost? Somehow I think we don't have any effect though…"

She realized that much at least, not too hopeless of her but… She said the same thing as Bou-san and John.

Masako flinched when she notice Naru was looking at her with disappointment in his eyes. "Kazuya-san?"

"Naru!" Mai hissed at him. "You need to talk with Principal about those four rooms, remember?" At least Mai was sure Gene told him to make those places off limits.

He snorted, "Right… we don't have time to waste like idiots."

"Naru!" Mai scolded him.

He glanced at her with a sigh and told the two spiritualists. "We're putting exorcism on hold. Go back to the base and wait for Mai and I to finish our business with Principal and Yasuhara-san."

Then he walked away, and noticing Mai was about to try consoling the two dumbfounded spiritualist –who had no idea what the hell they had done to piss Naru off- He grabbed her hand and dragged her with him. They had no time to waste on 'consoling' idiots.

* * *

 **Principal Office**

BAM!

Naru wondered if this pot-bellied man thought slamming his hands against his table was a good show of intimidation. "You must have done something wrong!" He accused.

It was hard to resist saying something condescending to this pig, it didn't help Matsuyama was with them too. "I know these swindlers are up to no good."

Sooner or later their incessant babble would sound like pig's snort and monkey's screeching to his ear at this rate.

"After all he is a drop out, Kochou-sensei!"

Considering this monkey and pig wouldn't blab about someone else's superiority. "Actually… I already have a doctorate." That shut them up.

Silence…

"Back to more pressing concern on this case." Naru smoothly pulled out a chart as if he had not dropped metaphorical bomb on them. "You can see from this chart, the supernatural activities escalate rapidly for the last four months…" Naru pointed the sharply tilted line; "Whether there is a mistake or not in our part is to be seen in later date, but please note… this is our second day and this is what happened for the last four months. If you didn't hire us and leave these activities be… "

"This is nonsense!" Matsuyama hollered.

"Actually this is statistical data that also indicate the damage happen to this school, collateral, material and to your students…" Naru corrected the teacher smoothly. "Regardless whether you believe in supernatural or not and I am not going to convince you on that either. I don't think you can afford ignoring statistic…"

The headmaster paled at the chart. "This can't be right…"

Naru sighed inwardly, "Then let me elaborate one of the cases… the spirit dog from class two dash four. The dog has been witnessed by the whole class and three teachers…" The headmaster and Matsuyama opened his mouth to protest. "No, don't concern ourselves whether or not the dog is real or just their imagination. That's not the point here."

That shut them up.

"The point is the injured victims in this school and material damage…" Naru continued on. "On the first two appearance on twenty fifth September and eighth November… only a small number of students saw the dog they at first thought was a fox running around their legs… no casualties, no material damage… however… on fifteenth November it nipped a student's leg and leave a shallow puncture wound… and a number of desks and chairs were upturned on the panic followed this attack…"

Matsuyama and the principal became paler as Naru continued describing the escalating damage done by one entity to their students, staff and school.

"And in latest attack, the whole class was ransacked by this dog… three students were injured because the dog knocked desks and chair at them and one student got bitten viciously on her leg… the puncture wound is deep and she couldn't walk. This happened just yesterday." Naru finished. "That's all."

Matsuyama opened his mouth, "That's just-"

Naru closed his file, "You can check with your students… and if you don't believe them, you can confirm the list of wounded students with the school nurse… in fact we get the list of injured from the nurse herself."

He sputtered indignantly.

"We're experts in our field and as we've given you our fair warning… if you don't listen to us, we can't help you and you can't hold us responsible." Naru told them smoothly. "So… what's your decision, Kochou-sensei?"

The headmaster let out a shuddering breath. "I don't believe in supernatural."

"I am not convincing you to believe otherwise." Naru retorted. "This is statistical data… it's just fact and in our professional opinion, at the rate this is going… we won't be surprised if this school start crumbling in few days."

Matsuyama glared at him, "Are you threatening us boy?!"

"Lights are already falling in Geography room, and small fire broke out every twelve days… those are material damage… as shown in data." Naru pointed out. "It's not a stretch of imagination… material damage could be fixed but the problem is your students."

"They're just-"

"There is no denying they became the main victim… it doesn't matter 'why' or 'how' they got injured. However… how your school will be responsible if your students are severely injured because you ignore our warning?"

Matsuyama blanched, "Then our reputation…"

The headmaster gritted out, "Fine! We will allow sealing the rooms you mentioned! Only those four rooms! Get this investigation done as soon as you can!"

This pig and monkey…

 **Meanwhile with Mai and Yasuhara…**

 **"** **And so… please don't go anywhere near the room we listed."** Yasuhara finished his announcement, before he high-tailed out of the Broadcast Room like the devil itself was chasing him.

Frightened members of broadcasting club followed him and closed the door shut. "Hiey…"

Yasuhara turned towards them and said, "Thank you for your courage to hold this broadcast for us, it shouldn't be dangerous in bright daylight but you will never know…"

The head of the club nodded, "Yes, Kaichou. We will put our club activity on hold for now…" Then he leaned in, "And if possible… if anything happen, can you rescue our expensive equipment first?"

Yasuhara sighed. "I will see what I can do." He promised as he sent the club members back to their class. "Oh well… that went pretty well."

Mai poked her head in, "Thank you for your hard work, Yasuhara-san…" She was far away from the haunted room. "Let's go back to the base." Naru had told them to put setting up equipment on Broadcast room on hold because he wanted to oversee it himself.

"It's something fascinating to see fire to start out of nowhere." Yasuhara said.

It seemed to witness a fire that started automatically was a rare opportunity in everyone's book. Mai wondered how excited they would be to see dying will flame then. "Speaking of fascinating…" Mai began cheerfully. "What fascinate you guys so much in regards to Orikiri-sama? I mean… latest poll result said, only 7% of school population didn't try it."

Yasuhara shrugged. "Hm… Orikiri-sama has all sorts of rules you have to follow. Like when you use a piece of paper, it can never be used again. Once you're done with it you have to dispose of it at a shrine. And you have to say an incantation."

"Really?" Mai was surprised at the complex procedure. "So that's why back then your classmate said they didn't use the paper yet." He nodded. "So, the incantation…?"

"It goes, 'On-orikiri-something-or-other'," The Kaichou mumbled. "I will ask someone later, but I am scared Takigawa-san will blow up again."

Mai snorted, "Of course… he is cleaning up your messes. So basically this version of Kokkuri-san is popular because of its novelty and you guys are fooled to think it's safe…"

He winced at that, "Yeah… when you think of it again, messing with Kami-sama about finding your real love in the first place sounds even more dangerous than asking fox spirit…" He sighed exasperatedly, "Then again people always become overly obsessed with anything that's new or different… but there's no sense in analysing a fad because it takes all the fun out of it."

They had arrived on the Base, and it seemed no one had returned yet. "You're a very rational person for your age…" Mai commented as she slid the door open and walked towards their coffee and tea supplies to brew two cups of coffee.

"Yeah, I've heard a lot of people say I'm a yoing old man. As for my nickname, it is 'Echigo-ya'."

"Eh… Echigo-ya?" Mai echoed in confusion, wondering how a deceased businessman of kimono business became his nick.

"Yes. They say I have the image of a kindly old man, but they can't tell what I'm really thinking of deep down."

Mai laughed softly at that, as she set two cups of steaming coffee on the table. "My… that's funny and suits you in a way."

Yasuhara beamed at her, "But Sawada-san…"

"Hm?"

"I can't help but think you're even older than me… mentally I mean."

Mai smiled at him. "Hm… why do you think so?"

"Well-" He paused, taking a sip of his coffee and his eyes widened briefly. "This is very delicious!"

"Thank you." Mai smiled at him.

The monk and the priest returned to Base. Once Bou-san entered the room he let out a whistle.

"Ah, hey guys. Do I see a budding romance here?" He teased from the doorway. "Aw, isn't puppy love cute?"

Mai rolled her eyes, "So you still have time to tease people, you're not as busy as I thought."

"Don't be shy,~" He waved it off as he and John entered the room.

"Think you could maybe give us a minute?" Yasuhara asked him politely. "We were just starting to hit it off. And now if you'll excuse us-"

John slipped and hit the back of his head against the door. "Oww!"

"Are you alright?" Mai asked the priest who was holding his head as he kneeled on the floor.

"Listen Shounen," Bou-san said as he sat a hand on Yasu's shoulder. "Let's this Ojii-san talk to you for a moment."

"Yes."

"I understand your feelings, but you have to consider the situation and the location." He said in sagely tone.

"Ah, right. Then, next time I'll try my best." Yasuhara played along.

Mai ignored them pointedly, she could tell Yasuhara was indulging Bou-san's joke. "You have to consider the atmosphere for this sort of thing…"

"Of course."

His eyes narrowed, "Do you like Mai? Seriously?"

"Yes I do." Yasuhara answered firmly with seriousness that could fool most people.

Mai snorted, _'He is really a politician in training.'_

Bou-san hissed, "Do you want to get killed?" He asked in hushed whisper. "Our Boss is scary you know!" Mai's family members too… especially her twin and that Hibari guy.

Yasuhara nodded, "Yes… I have seen his dead glare, what a shame… I like him too, he is very beautiful…"

"Eh?" That caught Bou-san off guard.

"But uh, not like you." Yasuhara glanced sideways at the Monk before he clasped Bou-san's hands with his own. "You're so hot."

John once again slipped and hit his forehead against their whiteboard. "John…" This eerily reminded her of her brother and Dino. Although in Dino's case it was usually a flight of stairs and nearest hard ground.

"Shounen…" His voice was strained. "You're goofing off, right?"

Yasuhara was about to answer but Mai was faster. "Whoaa… you're so bold Yasuhara-san! Proposing Bou-san seriously like that!" She gushed out.

Bou-san's head whipped to the side in horror, pulling his hands out of Yasuhara's grasp as if he had been burned. "Sorry Shounen! But I am straight! I am not swinging that way!" He flailed and then backed away so fast his back hit the chair and table painfully. "Gah!"

Mai snickered, "I mean… Yasuhara-san is seriously joking! His tone and act are perfect!" She corrected.

Bou-san blinked, he had assumed the worse when Mai-chan who wouldn't lie confirmed Yasuhara was seriously gay. She didn't lie but misdirecting? Yes…

Yasuhara clapped, "Wow… please let me call you sensei Sawada-san!"

"…You two, don't fool your elder." Bou-san sulked.

Yasuhara grinned, "You're the one who start playing with kids."

Mai nodded, "Serve you right."

He whined, "Huuu…"

"So, how did everything go?" The Kaichou asked cheerily.

If possible, he sulked further. "Don't ask."

Mai sighed, "So no luck in music prep room either… well, Naru called off exorcism for now." She informed them. "The situation is getting worse."

John shifted, "Is this something to do with sealing four rooms Yasuhara-san announced just now?"

She nodded, "Yes."

"You dreamed something, don't you?" That was not a guess.

Mai sighed, there was no hiding this and Naru had asked her to take credit on 'prophetic dream' to cover up for Gene's part. "It's like this…" Mai began to tell them her dream. Technically it was some sort of dream, she was not lying~

 **Mai's POV**

I finished my story on the part where Gene and I saw the spirit from locker room eating the one in announcement room.

"I see," He gave a contemplative look after I finished.

I breathed a sigh of relief, "It's a disgusting sight."

I don't know where the hell he pulled it out from, but next thing I knew a buckwheat pillow was shoved against my face. "Okay Mai, be a good girl and sleep!"

"Are you serious?" I quirked an eyebrow at him, lowering the pillow off of my face.

"That's right. Mai-san, please go and sleep!" John was as enthusiastic as Bou-san in convincing to snooze.

"That's not going to work because-" I trailed off.

"Did you know? This was researched by Charles Tart and others: dreams and ESP have a very deep connection." Bou-san exclaimed.

"Uhm…"

"Especially the initial cycles of REM sleep. It's known to experience ESP type phenomenon then." John added enthusiastically.

"Yes. A more accurate way of putting it is d-ASC, discrete-Altered State of Consciousness." Their voice was overlapping with one another as they explained ABC of prophetic dream.

I snapped, "Listen to me!" That shut them up, "In case you forgot! I was studying Parapsychology in SPR… in fact I am focusing in topic relating to ESP, d-ASC especially!"

"Oh…"

I sighed exasperatedly, "Seriously…" Gene and I couldn't gather information so conveniently as we pleased. Now it depended on Sakauchi-kun's cooperation, but he was still… delirious. This was going to take a while to get him sober enough to listen Gene.

Wait a minute...

I smiled mischievously, before covering it with a cough. "You see… my spirit guide need time to rest."

Bou-san perked up, "You have spirit guide now?"

"Oh… is it the woman from Morishita case?" John asked curiously.

Great! I even could cook up a cover story that was half-true for my ancestors! Yay for me~ I did a mental dance. "Ah… John has seen Daniela, ne?"

"Daniela?" He echoed.

I nodded, "Her name… but she is not my spirit guide, and as I said… I don't think of them as my familiar. Though maybe in spiritualist's perspective they are…"

Bou-san blinked at me, "But then… technically you're a shaman!"

"Hm? I guess so." Like Yuni, I did have ability of a shaman.

Silence…

Wham!

John's and Bou-san's head hit the table. These guys… so dramatic. "That was nothing to bang your head over…"

Bou-san groaned, "Jou-chan! Don't go dropping that kind of info suddenly!" He paused, "Them? How many do you have?"

"Eight." I answered bluntly.

Wham! They hit their head again and I didn't bother to comment on that.

"I can't use all at once like Lin-san though… and since they're sealed you won't be able to sense them." I sighed wearily, "What are you so worked up for… Ayako-san is also technically a shaman with her tree spirits."

"You have eight!"

"Didn't you see how many Ayako-san used back in Kokuyo? Over thirty~" I pointed out.

"So… back to my spirit guide, my Yuujin (friend) is not all knowing. Didn't Naru tell you spirit only know about death and the world after death? We're also looking for info with investigating… information is not laying around for us to pick."

Bou-san blinked owlishly, "You call your spirit guide Yuujin?"

"He is my friend~ So?"

"Not original?"

"Okay… I shorten it to Yuu-chan then." I decided cheerfully.

-Gene suddenly felt he should be happy all of a sudden and Naru called him an idiot again-

Bou-san sweat-dropped. "Alright… I am not going to criticize how you call your guide." He grumbled with a sigh. "So… where is Masako and Ayako?"

I averted my eyes, "They're sulking… Naru called them idiots so they went back to our room. Naru said, just let them be. He had nothing for them to do today anyway… Masako-san is especially upset."

Bou-san shrugged, "Well… she did let the spirit escape or rather she didn't notice at all. She is a medium, so of course Naru-bou is disappointed."

I frowned at that, "Hm… isn't this because Masako-san is an Esper Medium?"

"Hm… I wonder?" John hummed.

"Well… I am not sure, in thesis written by Oliver Davis." Naru wrote it. "Pure medium and ESP medium are different, but nothing implies which could see spirits better but it seems pure medium is superior…"

Yasuhara who had been listening to us quietly piped in. "Uhm… can you guys explain? This pure and ESP medium… I thought medium is… well, medium?"

Ah… we forgot we had an amateur here.

"And also… Isn't Hara-san is the best medium in Japan? She has her own show and everything." Yasuhara added, "You guys make it sounds like she has a hard time here."

Bou-san cleared his throat, "I will explain about Masako first…" Then he began, "You see… Masako is good at channelling spirits."

"Channelling spirits?" Yasuhara echoed.

"She summons a spirit and lets it possess her body. Then she can make prophecies, and answer questions. What she does is not too different from Orikiri-Sama."

"Ah, television programs frequently broadcast that," Yasuhara nodded sagely.

"Apparently she has got a lot of it right. But…" Bou-san paused, his expression almost looked pained. "As our Boss has said before, 'the only things spirits know have got to do with death'. I have never doubted this before, but when Naru said that I thought that might be the case. For example, I let Masako summon my Grandpa's spirit back from the dead. My Grandpa, possessing Masako, not only knows things that only my Grandpa and I would know, but can also answer my questions. 'How will my luck in Love be?' 'It's only so-so.' That type of conversation."

The Kaichou hummed thoughtfully at that, "Sounds like what we did with Orikiri-sama indeed."

I chimed in, "Right… but the problem here is, and then where did Masako-san get that information if the spirit doesn't know about it?"

Bou-san eyed me curiously. "Mai… you can speak with your spirits at least?"

"Yeah… which is why I can confidently said, I can't get information they didn't know out of nowhere…" I informed them.

John cut in, "And this is where Oliver Davis' thesis explained that there are 2 types of mediums."

"2 types?"

"Yes… Pure mediums and ESPers." John answered Yasuhara. "That's why… say; the medium can summon my Grandma's spirit, right? Grandma's spirit borrows the mediums' body and says things that only Grandma and I would know. There are people who say, that my Grandma's spirit need not necessarily have possessed the medium's body."

Why did all of them use grandpa-grandma example?

"Uhm… it's still doesn't explain about how the medium know about things only you and the dead know." Yasuhara pointed out.

Bou-san nodded, "Yes. But, it might not be the spirit that tells the medium. The medium might have ESP… there's a chance she's a psychometrist."

"Psycho…? What is that?"

"Psychometrist. That is a person with psychometry. This 'psychometry' is the power to be able to sense the history or related events through an object. For example, you pick up a bag on the street. A psychometrist would be able to see the past and the future of the bag; what type of person the bag's owner was, what he is doing now, what he will do after that."

I hummed, "Right… or a clairvoyant." Yasuhara looked even more confused. "Go on Bou-san."

He coughed. "Professor Davis himself is a psychometrist, that's why he came up with that theory."

I paused at that… "Isn't Oliver Davis a PK user?"

"Yes. Professor Oliver Davis. He was a scholar in England's SPR – Society of Psychical Research. Not only was he a talented psychometrist, he was also able to use PK. He is of a minority of psychics who is able to use both PK and ESP."

So that was how Naru found out about séance the students were doing in that desk!? Something nagged me, as if I missed something but I brushed it off as Bou-san continued. He was talking about Gene now.

"Professor Davis has a brother named Eugene Davis, who is a medium. The professor had mentioned before that Eugene Davis was a pure medium. Although Eugene did not know German, if he summoned a German spirit he would speak German; if it was a Greek, he would speak Greek. Such occurrences are very rare. It should be impossible unless he was possessed by a spirit. However, amongst the mediums, there are some who speak Japanese regardless of the nationality of the spirit summoned…"

Yasuhara hummed at that, "Oh I see… so even though Pure medium can't make prophecies they can channel spirit to the point they could talk in foreign language…"

Bou-san went on, "Not long ago I saw a program of Itako (a spirit medium in the north east regions of Japan) channeling on television. At that time Itako summoned Marilyn Monroe. To summon Monroe alone is hilarious, but that Monroe could even speak Japanese. Overall, I felt it was very strange and very funny."

I snorted at that, "Not to mention it looks fake because of that part…" I cleared my throat, Bou-san explained too long already. "In the other hand pure mediums… they're not limited to just talking in language they didn't know, more than that… what make pure medium is such a special existence is not only they're rarer than ESPer type but because of the capability to channel even the talent of the deceased…"

"Hoo…"

Bou-san turned to me, "In case of mediums like Eugene Davis, Rosemary Brown and Frederic Thompson…. I have heard of composing music with channeling spirit of Chopin and other composers. Or painting in style of deceased painters… how about Mukuro and Chrome?" He asked curiously.

"Who…?"

"My friends… they're medium, the pure type." I answered. "Mukuro hates lending his body but on those rare cases… I think there is one time he baked cookies even though he can't cook to save his life."

Silence…

"Cookies?"

"For white day… Chrome's sake." They looked dumbfounded that Mukuro would use his medium capability for such thing. "It's cheating I know… he wants to bake it himself but he didn't want to give Chrome charcoal." I explained. "Back to the topic, pure type medium like them however while can answer question… they can't make prediction."

John nodded. "Professor Davis also once said, rather than calling users of this type of power 'mediums', they are more likely to be ESPers. Personally, he did not believe answers and prophecies etc were passed on by spirits."

Naru… you had fanboys in our group, and you voiced the same opinion out loud to Bou-san. I had to warn him to be more discreet.

"Masako would be considered a medium of the latter type. She is good at guessing and making prediction. In other words, rather than calling Masako a medium, she is more likely to be a psychometrist. She also said that she finds it easier with spirits that have a stronger connection." The Monk concluded.

Yasuhara sighed, looking concerned. "It's really complicated."

I hummed, "That's how it is."

Yasuhara frowned, "Then Hara-san does not have the ability to see spirits?"

"I'm not saying she is completely incapable of that. But if we consider 'Masako can see spirits', it is more likely that she has a 'clear vision' through an object, the school… although I'm not too sure myself." Bou-san said.

Clear vision… more reason to make sure she wouldn't be exposed to illusion. "That's why Masako need not necessarily be able to see those spirits. Right now, right here we might be swamped by spirits Masako could not see clearly."

Yasuhara eyed me curiously, "Then… is Mai-san a medium too?"

"I really can't see spirits…" I told him. "I never said I am a medium~"

"The predict-"

"What I saw in my dream is something either happening at the present or past… Psychometrist like Masako didn't have to sleep like I do. So no… I am not making prediction." Then I tapped my temple. "And also… in case of my intuition, I am good at guessing but that's more because I pick up clues with my sixth sense. It's not from spirits…" Tapping my temple again, I added. "There is detective work involved in my part too…"

Bou-san looked confused, "Uhm… but Jou-chan, no offense but even if you say that when you're guessing it takes less than few seconds. Is there any time to think?"

"Recite Seal of Acalanatha mantra."

"Naumaku, sanmanda, bazaradan, kan." He recited promptly in confusion.

"Show me seal of immovable one."

He interlaced his fingers with the palms facing away and bent the fingers inwards to form a stack.

"Sword seal."

The monk released the seal, raised the index and middle finger of his right hand and held them in his other hand. "What is the point of this?"

"Do you even think which is which?" I pointed out and he blinked. "That is ingrained respond from your brain… it's like computer launching different program simultaneously. My intuition is like that…"

Bou-san crossed his arms, "Hm… you know what Jou-chan? I think your… so called Hyper Intuition is the most complicated psychic ability I ever come across."

Well… we did refine it for ten generations~

 **3** **rd** **POV**

"Over here." Mai heard Naru said to Lin, determining the placing of camera with confidence of a psychic he was.

He just left the Broadcast room when she ambushed him."Yo~"

"Mai." He inclined his head at her. "What is it?"

"We need to talk." She informed him, "Away from prying eyes and ears." She whispered.

He nodded and inclined his head to the window, "We need to take out more equipment." Let's use that as cover, he implied.

On the walk to their van Mai told Naru her conversation with the three guys, Orikiri-sama, Mediums, and herself.

"You never told me you're a shaman." Naru looked irate about it.

"Right back at you ."

Naru tensed at that, "Fair enough…"

"Beside… it's just to cover up Gene's involvement, if Bou-san and co thought Gene is one of spirits I have in my disposal I am not going to correct them."

Naru frowned, _'Gene… we're talking about something serious here! Why are you so happy about a nickname?"_

 _'_ _Well! I am just happy… so now I am Yuu!"_

 _'_ _She just found out I am a psychometrist!'_ Naru pointed out.

 _'_ _Mai is focused on the case now…'_ Gene assured him. _'I don't think Mai is concerned about my strange seizure back then. Although maybe, sooner or later we should confess about the accidental vision.'_

Gene was right, he couldn't hide that one forever. _'Right.'_

Mai coughed, stopping from typing her email. "Your private conversation aside… you really should be careful about saying things your fans considered as your quote."

Naru raised an eyebrow, "So? I am quoting myself who is famous."

"The problem is… you make it sounds like it's your personal opinion." Mai pointed out. "You're confident and proud but you're not someone who takes credits on thinking that's not yours. Bou-san and co at least knows that much already… them not noticing could only be attributed to…"

"They're slow and oblivious."

"They're not stupid though…"

"…"

"You will be surprised." Mai told him simply. "Oh well… now they're all looking forward for the fire and totally distracted."

"Like I said, slow…"

"Naru…"

 _'_ _Noll.'_

 **Broadcast Room, Next Morning (Mai's POV)**

"Well done."

The monk applauded me, but I couldn't care because I was busy with Naru. The idiot scientist, who almost rushed to burning room to retrieve the damned tape. He didn't even know and never interested in what to do to minimize damage when walking in midst of fire. I had to yank him by his collar before he entered the room and enlighten him that I took initiative to ask Tojo to tie a fire proof rope on the camera and put it on top of simple trolley so we could pull it from burning room safely.

"I can't believe you tried to do such a reckless thing."

Naru looked resigned, "Mai… this is so not the time for."

I was ticked, "Idiot scientist… I don't care how much is that tape of fire worth." In fact if it worth that much I would start a fire for you as long as you didn't try to kill yourself. "What are we going to do if our Boss landed himself in hospital in the middle of investigation?! Not to mention-"

He rubbed his temple as I scolded him like I would our guardians when they acted recklessly and suicidal.

 **3** **rd** **POV**

"When going inside a burning place you should have-"

Bou-san turned to Lin, "Now she lectures him on how to walk across fire safely?" Or relatively safe.

Lin sighed, cradling the tape carefully. "It's just how it is with Naru and Sawada-san."

"This happen all the time?" Yasuhara asked.

Lin sighed, "All the time… they switched place occasionally too." Naru had just started arguing back, this was going to escalate.

"Shouldn't someone stop them already?" John fidgeted although… he would try to placate Bou-san and Ayako arguing, he never dared to get in between Naru and Mai.

"Who wants to try?" Bou-san offered, "Not me…Lin?"

The Chinese shook his head, "Let them be… when they're like this not even I want to get in between."

He had slight suspicion Gene was joining the fray judging from exasperated look Noll shot at nearest reflective surface, the glass window of announcement room. It was a relief their team gave up following their argument after Mai got to safety procedure of burning building. Or they would notice Mai nodding and responding oddly to what Naru argued on, like there was a blank in between and so did Naru.

Lin glanced to the side, where Masako was looking at the two jealously and sadly. _'Well… she can't be in denial forever. Not when Oliver is so obvious… I just hope this will end well.'_

"You're being absurd! Idiot Scientist!"

Lin sweat-dropped, _'At this rate… Idiot Scientist will replace nickname Naru.'_

Naru turned to Lin abruptly. "Lin, Tojo… set up equipment again."

The Chinese sighed inwardly, as Naru and Mai walked away from Broadcast Room's door. They were still arguing.

"And they're not dating yet." Bou-san couldn't help but commented after the retreating pair.

"Does it matter? They've skipped dating and act like married couple." Yasuhara pointed out. "Old married couple."

All of them silently agreed with Yasuhara, wincing when incensed shout of "NARUUUUUUU~" pierced the silent hallway.

* * *

 ** _Omake : In which Mai enlighten SPR why she wears skirt, and she is indeed a mafia princess and student of sadistic spartan tutor after all._**

It was a mystery to SPR team –excluding Naru and Lin- why Mai had preference for skirt, her casual formal attire aside, which could be explained by her other occupation as the COO of Neo V.G corps. Mai was an active girl, and much to their exasperation a tendency to jump around including air salto at unexpected time in a skirt.

She wore shorts underneath but still… it was no good for heart to see a girl wearing skirt pulling extreme stunts like Mai. If she wore pants it would be one less worry on their mind at least.

"So, why did you always wearing skirt Jou-chan? I never see you wearing jeans or any pants." Bou-san asked one fine afternoon when the sky served him a high grade ice coffee.

Mai blinked at the question, while the rest of SPR team leaned forward unconsciously to hear what she was going to say to that question. Naru who had been lured by Mai out of his office by tea pointedly ignore the conversation, even though his ears perked up in curiosity.

Mai just smiled mysteriously at that, "Because I am a girl of course."

"…"

"…"

"…That's your answer?" Ayako muttered in disbelief.

Masako scoffed, hiding her lips behind her kimono sleeve. "You're a tomboy Mai-san, and regardless whatever you wear under your skirt to protect your modesty… a proper girl shouldn't wear skirt if you keep pulling stunt that flashed people." She was still a little bitter about what happened after Morishita's case.

Mai continued to smile at them, and Naru realized he had been staring at her curiously because of her curious answer. "Well… if you really want to know~" She was talking about him of course, even though she made it sounded like she was addressing all of them. "There is this perverted doctor working for my family…"

She was talking about Shamal obviously.

"You see… when I was twelve, he comment about how I would look good in short skirt. Perverts are awful but they have a good eye about girls…" She mused.

Bou-san raised his hand, "Direct me to this pervert, I believe I need to do half of world population a favor with exorcising a man who perve on twelve years old Jou-chan."

Mai giggled at him, and missed the dark look at Naru's face. "Rest assured, we have him under a very tight lease~ at any rate… he gave a prediction about how I am going to grow up to be a woman with legs and I would look good on short skirts and stocking."

"And you believe him?!" Ayako hollered, Masako frowned, while all males blushed furious red. Naru settled on scowling.

The mafia princess was still giggling, amused by their reaction as twirling stray locks absentmindedly. "Not really at first… I likes wearing clothes that easy to move with, and pants is…. That's a misconception actually because a jean especially is more restricting than short skirt."

Why suddenly this conversation went to logical and practical direction? They couldn't help but wonder.

"Especially how I move…" They recalled her air salto, "Some pants is not good for that, skirts is much better because I don't have to worry about them ripping apart!"

So actually wearing skirts was just practical for Mai then?

"Well that's my practical reason…" She just had to burst their bubble of relief. "Let's say I have a demanding middle school life so I spent a lot of time in my uniform, so… growth spurt start, you know… puberty so naturally my knee length skirt is getting shorter."

Naru couldn't help but think this train of conversation was so Mai, and somehow he had a feeling they were going to regret asking her about her skirt.

"I didn't really notice, I mean… when you wear skirt in daily basis and it gets shorter by five centimeters in a few months… who would?" Mai's smile was getting mischievous. "Of all people who notice first are my brother and Hibari-san."

"…"

"…"

"Kyo-san noticed because my usual school rule abiding skirt was no longer in approved length." That was Hibari alright, "In my brother's case… was because he noticed his own shirt was getting uncomfortable." Mai narrated, closing her eyes. "So he noticed my skirt was getting shorter, simply because my legs are getting longer…"

Naru frowned at her, his curiosity getting the better of him. "And the point is?" He didn't get what she was getting at.

"You see Naru…" There is a mischievous tone in her voice and it sent chills down his spine because usually he was going to be on receiving end of something unpleasant –or pleasant depending how you looked at it- from Mai. "Growing up in a big family full of boys your age means… there is no shortage of safe boys for curious girl to test your new _equipment_ on."

Mai smirked at him who was sitting on the sofa that was facing the door, so to Mai who was standing by the window he was the closest to her. Now she was stalking towards his seat, and swaying her hips not in exaggerated manner but like a lioness stalking her prey. Dangerous, elegant and… tempting…

Slowly she sat down in graceful manner on the armrest of his sofa, all eyes were on her as if hypnotized. Not even Bou-san could chide her for her behavior, or Masako protesting in jealousy, or Ayako could say something teasing. John was gaping and blushing openly, the rest followed his example. That was all they could so at this new side of Mai they just found.

"You see… my teacher is a very attractive man with experience in diplomacy, in good and _bad_ way." She smirked at Naru, but addressing all of them in the same time. Her voice was low, soft and melodious in the same time. "So he taught me a couple of tricks…" She shifted so her legs now was right in front of him, leaning forward slightly so her right hand glided from her tight slowly all the way to her knees as if emphasizing how long they were.

Mai was a little taller than Masako, around average high of Japanese girl her age but she had long legs for a girl of her height. Shamal was right, Mai had long, voluptuous, unblemished legs she could flaunt proudly.

"Hitting puberty is a very fun period to me you see…" Mai giggled again, and Naru admirably and resolutely concentrate his gaze on her face instead of tempting smooth legs that almost sprawled on his lap.

Naru resisted his urge to ask how it was fun to her. Looking at her face was a mistake, because she was below his eye level and looking up at him with adorable doe eyes and wetting her lower lips absentmindedly. So he decided to look up at the boring ceiling of their office.

She continued to talk, still with her foreign and hypnotizing voice. "I was not in tears because the injustice of woman body growth, in fact it's _so_ fun to see all of the boys in my family flailed around and my brother was so stressed of me growing up to the point he didn't even notice his own breaking voice."

"…"

Once again no one dared to ask where the fun part was.

Then Mai did something that made focusing on the uninteresting ceiling harder to Naru because from the corner of his eyes he saw her crossing her legs and in the process exposing more of her fair skin. What the heck he did to deserve this?!

"So my mentor seeing interesting reaction from the boys, Kyo-san included… he set me on a task to fluster the boys including my brother for weeks as mental test." Mai giggled at the memory, and if Naru was not concentrating hard to not look down he would feel sympathy for Hayato and Mai's twin. "It's so fun… Onii-chan is stressed over every inch of my exposed skin." She once again glide her slender fingers over her legs and Naru at this point gave up on keeping his eyes open and clenched them shut.

Another mistake because now his hearing get better and he could hear sound of her smooth leg slid over the other, she was shifting on another position. His sense of smell also got sharper as he could smell her shampoo and soap, jasmine…

"And also…" He could hear her voice getting nearer, her breath fanning his left ear. "Kyo-san even considering increasing the length of our uniform skirt, ten centimeters below knees, brother who was president of student council outright suggesting replacing skirt for pants ha ha ha…"

Inwardly Naru thought he couldn't blame them for banning the damned short skirt if it was distracting people from being producti-

His thought was cut when he felt something soft on his lap. His eyes snapped open and he realized Mai was almost sitting on his lap, her voluptuous and tempting legs was pressing against his lap. He wanted to shout at her for this indignity but nothing escaped his dry throat.

Two full minutes passed, at some point he had forgotten how to breathe _again_. This was getting ridiculous, the frequency of losing his breathe when Mai did something incomprehensible to him. Maybe it was an illness.

She upped her game and now she was really sitting on his lap and she was looking up at him with mix of coyness, triumph, and challenge in her eyes. He tried to return the look with indifferent, but she shifted so now she crossed her left legs up her right. She didn't flash him anything especially considering she still wearing shorts underneath her skirt however…

Nothing exposed and close proximity made imagination wandering… Realistically he knew Mai was wearing a shorts underneath. "Hm…" She narrowed her eyes and his brain jumpstarted again on how this was Mai and she could almost read mind.

Naru still forgot mechanism of breathing and he was holding his breathe instead.

"Hm…" She hummed at him, "As expected of you Naru!" She beamed at him, and suddenly the tension dropped as she no longer acting like high and mighty lioness toying with her prey. Then she hopped off of his lap, and for a moment he felt disappointed before crushing the foolish thought. "The other boys in my family I tried this on didn't even last more than a minute, they would have bolted out of their seat before I get this far."

"…"

"…"

"…You can boast this to Hayato next time; he is the worse at this because he bolted at the first five seconds…" Mai added, giggling mischievously recalling how Hayato ran to a wall afterwards. "You however last ten minutes without flinching!" She patted his shoulder good naturedly. "My! Aren't you good at this Naru?"

It was a harmless game to her, Reborn taught her.

Then she skipped towards their kitchen and announced, "I am going to brew another pot of tea! Show's over guys!" Then she disappeared to the kitchen and cheerful tune could be heard followed by the sound of flowing water to kettle.

It took one full minute for Bou-san to walk towards Naru, patting his shoulder comfortingly and said. "It's a good thing Mai-chan thinks all boys would bolt out of their seat in embarrassment is the only reaction she could get."

He patted Naru again as if the gesture was comforting. "So she didn't realize she has short-circuited your brain, and why you didn't move even an inch is because… you can't." He sighed. "Naru-bou… you can start breathing again, she is in the kitchen now."

Everyone else were still too shocked to respond, Masako looked like she was going to faint because just now it was too much for her innocent brain. John had fainted at some point while Ayako was giggling perversely, _that was hot!_

Lin chose that time to come back from his errand and saw the state his coworkers were in. Bou-san was snapping his fingers in front of Naru's face and on the third snap, his charge jolted and proceeded to bolt to his office and slammed the door close. He didn't open his office door for the rest of the day, he didn't even ask for tea.

When Lin asked what happened to Naru, Bou-san answered. "Too much stimulation for his genius brain…"

Then he asked how did that happen? And why?

"We ask why Jou-chan wears skirt all the time and she is kind enough to enlighten us… especially Naru-bou with interesting result." Bou-san answered in a dazed voice. "I think she broke him… maybe…" He trailed off. "It's a relief she is not head over heels for Naru-bou, I don't think he could handle her if she is the one chasing him…"

"I don't get it…"

"You don't have to know Lin… be thankful you don't. But let's just say it's a good thing it's Naru-bou who fall in love with her first instead of the other way around…"

Naru-bou was a formidable guy, but he was sadly lacking experience in how to handle a girl and Mai-chan… what kind of mentor set a girl in puberty to test her new _equipment_ on unsuspecting family members for fun? Whoever Mai-chan's mentor was, he must be someone with blackest soul to make a girl with zero romantic experience to be such a good seductress when she put her mind on it.

 _Naru-bou… you chose the most dangerous girl available, ganbatte!_

By the next day, Mai unknowingly reap what she had sowed when she found Naru was down with a bad cold in his apartment. The reason was because the cold shower he had last night and he refused to tell Mai why he had cold shower in the middle of winter. SPR was closed and Mai spend days nursing grumpy Naru back to health.

Naru admirably resisted those three full days of bad cold without blurting out it was all Mai's fault. He'd rather die than telling Mai why he got sick in the first place.

* * *

 **This omake is fun to do... sorry for the technical jargon I copy from light novel... it's too good to pass up like in anime so I put it in ^^ tell me what you think of this chapter and once again...  
**

 **THIS may sounds dumb but what's wrong with last chapter? Is it bad or what? Is there some sort of error so many reader... and yet no review. It's not about the matter of number but sharp dip, make me wonder and curious... so can ANYONE tell me WHY? And also... there is strange thing... review come in 6 hours ago but only show up just now? Network error?! SOMEONE ENLIGHTEN ME ON THIS! I WANT TO KNOW!  
**

 **ANNOUNCEMENT for POAST: Parallel axis!  
IN progress work... 3K, due to this is the LAST chapter for PAST it will be much shorter and MEANT to consist only past due to PACING and get a good ENDING for past! **

**PREVIEW:**

 _So he said this to the white demon... you killed all of these people and yet... it means nothing to you."_

 _He was talking about killing so calmly, but this was what Hyper Dying Will Mode did to his state of mind. He was focused, and while he could still feel emotion it won't cloud his mind allowing him to calmly and logically think things through._

 _"It's not my own experience but... I know..." From memory his parallel-self had passed on to him, Vongola Decimo who inherited extraordinary perception Vongola passed from generation to generation. "Human no matter how cruel... will be tainted by their sins." Vongola was the prime example. "Even the worse killer feels something from killing but you... there is no such thing..." It was not guilt, sadness, or even pleasure… this demon felt nothing from such act._

 _It was as natural as breathing to him._

 ** _CIAO!_**


	28. Case 06, Part 04

**Case 06, Part 04**

"Let me introduce you…" Mai gestured towards the brown eyed boy beside her. "Yamamoto Takeshi, he is temporarily in charge of Foundation in Kyo-san's absence. He is usually the one in charge of managing our PR."

He beamed, "Yo!" He waived at them cheerfully, "Nice to meet you all SPR!"

Family member of Mai this time was taller than average Japanese boy, with light brown eyes and jet black hair. He was wearing the same standard apparels his fellow family members wore, but his tie was loose and his undershirt teal blue. He seemed to be the most carefree one they had met.

Bou-san eyed the katana on Yamamoto's back warily. Then he decided to not commenting on it, recalling Hibari's katana and the Mist pair's shakujo. John didn't ask about katana simply because he didn't think he could bring himself to ask.

Lin concluded this was one of those things 'don't ask just ignore' when it comes to Mai's family.

So only the guys and Mai was awake at five in the morning.

He was glad Yasuhara had returned to sleep because Mai had warned him they needed him well rested for tomorrow. Masako and Ayako also had fallen asleep, Ayako was sulking because of chipped nail again.

"This is pretty bad, don't you think?" Bou-san commented. "How you guys will cover this up?"

"Not so bad in my opinion." Yamamoto chirped. "You should see Shouichi's and Spanner's lab when something blows up, or worse Giannini's."

Naru's left eyebrow twitched, "Well… I can imagine." One of their shed looked pretty bad, how did Gene talk them to that again?

"I told you to send us the bill."

"I told you it's partly certain idiot's fault too." Namely Gene who couldn't shut up and kept his equally idiotic idea to himself.

 _"_ _Hey!"_ Gene yelled at him indignantly through their link.

"Still… this is five in the morning." Naru pointed out. "There is no time cleaning up this damage. I thought you're going to ask for an illusionist, why Yamamoto instead?" He eyed the katana wielder warily.

Yamamoto shook his head, "Erm~ I am not a illusionist, and no matter how good we are at fixing things… two hours is too short." They had to look for acoustic padding that looks like one used in Ryokuryo to boot. "And I did bring him with me."

Then it dawned on Naru what was going on here.

Mai sighed and pulled something from her left, there was a monotone 'ah' in respond. "Fran… stop hiding, you're picking up bad habits from your master."

Then something lifted and a young boy dressed in furred black jacket and indigo pants appeared. He has green hair and eyes, with markings below both of his eyes. Obviously not a Japanese or even Asian. He also had an apple shaped head.

What was that apple for?

"Me is not hiding, Hime." He said in monotone.

Eh?

Bou-san eyed the boy warily, "This is Mukuro's disciple? How old is he?"

Mai was about answer but Fran had opened his mouth, "Whoaa… the banana fairy talk."

Silence…

Then he pointed at Lin, "A giant… black giant." He nodded to himself, "A puny elf." He pointed at John, "And doppel-"

Mai covered his mouth, "Enough Fran…" She knelt in front of the boy while SPR members minus Naru looked shocked they were called such thing by a kid they just met. "I told you repeatedly about manner… and-"

"Banana?" Bou-san wondered out loud, "Why banana?!"

John was shaken, "I know I'm short but-" He was never called puny before!

Lin looked listlessly at nothing.

Naru was relieved Mai stopped Fran, he was pretty sure he was about to be called doppelganger just now.

"What did your master say about your manner?" Mai said in motherly tone.

"Shishou said he will skewer me with toothpick if I didn't start to learn some then chuck me to darkest pit of hell." Fran recited.

Mai sighed, "I mean Chrome…"

"Me is adorable but if me don't watch my manner around Shishou she is afraid she won't find me in time next time."

Silence…

"What did you do this time?" Mai sounded almost afraid to ask.

"Me put pineapple on Shishou's head… why it matters? His hair looks like pineapple anyway…"

The taboo fruit of all things, again… "Fran… Mukuro didn't know you're in Japan, did he?"

"Me volunteer to go with Yamamoto… it's a logical thing to do when Shishou is hell bent to kill me."

"Again…"

He nodded. "Will Hime send me back to die in Shishou's hand?" He asked in a voice that meant to be pleading with puppy eyes, Fran failed spectacularly because of his monotone voice.

How ironic for a master of deception to be this bad at acting. "I will send you back after this to apologize." Mai corrected patiently. "To Mukuro."

He pouted, "Fake prince from tooth decay fairy squad is also after me…"

Mai sighed exasperatedly, "Now what?"

"Hime… his head isn't really screwed on right, so it's imperative to inform him to get it fixed." Fran informed her without remorse.

"Apologize to Belphegor too then." Mai decided.

"There is this pervert parasol old man…"

"Apologize to Levi too then." Mai repeated with practiced patience. "You can't run away from home forever anyway."

Fran tilted his head to the side, "Technically me is running away from home for three years already."

"That is not running away Fran." Mai corrected, ignoring shocked gasp in the background. "Beside, now Italy is your home."

He nodded sagely at that, "Hm… oh yes, what happen before is called abducted."

"What did he mean abducted?!" Someone screeched in the background, most likely Bou-san.

Mai was about to say they shouldn't ask but Fran was already gone and standing in front of Bou-san. "You see… me was abducted when me was ten from France by a bad man, me was saved few months later and went home… but Grandma is already not breathing… me think she hit her head against a block of cheese and since me was not around… Grandma couldn't wake up anymore."

Silence…

Did this kid just imply when he returned from abduction, his grandmother died and he saw the corpse?! Isn't this a tragic story? He was talking like he went for a walk!

"Me is fine now though." He assured them. "Aside from having three guys including my own teacher wanting to kill me..."

This kid was not right on the head, was their unspoken consensus. Just like that the tension popped like a balloon.

Mai sighed, "He is one of those children… so he is a little off." Mai said, implying Fran got kidnapped for his talent and this abnormal deadpan attitude was the result. He could be considered better than Mukuro when Varia rescued him though, he was not hell bent to drown the world in blood at least.

However in the end the kid had no home to return to and somehow Mukuro and Chrome was roped to take care of him since he was a natural at art of illusion.

Varia had staked claim on Fran though. No one bothered to disagree with that, not when Fran came to their base bringing trouble in weekly basis. He fit in there better than main HQ anyway.

Mai sighed and pointed at the room, "Alright… your job, Fran. No need to clean everything up. Just make it so it doesn't look as bad."

"Roger Hime~" Then snapped his finger and the room started to twist then the damage lessened, leaving a slightly scorched room. "Is this okay?"

Mai nodded in approval, "Just nice."

Bou-san whistled, "It never cease to amaze me what illusionist could do, but why don't we cover up everything?"

Naru eyed the Monk disapprovingly. "This is just to lessen client's already apparent hostility to us; we're not asking Fran-kun to cover this up to deceive our client. Not to mention… it's obvious Matsuyama is waiting for any chance discredit us and not caring what would become of this school and his students."

Mai frowned at that, "Still… it's strange how unaffected Matsuyama is."

"Hm?" John turned to her, "Why do you think so Mai-san?"

"How to describe it… no matter how ignorant this monkey is…" They sweat-dropped at how she described Matsuyama Hideharu. "Surely he noticed this school is getting dangerous day by day… unlike Principal who sits in his office all day like a pig he was, Matsuyama is prowling around to catch misbehaved student all the time as he has nothing better to do."

The dripping sarcasm aside, they had to agree Mai had a point there. Matsuyama had all the time in the world to bother them while they were working. He wandered around so much and yet… he seemed to be the least affected by the whole ordeal. Ignorant or not, self-preservation usually triumph anything and yet he seemed to dwell in blissful ignorance even more than other teachers.

"Isn't that because of his thick skin?" Bou-san suggested.

"Maybe he is not sensitive at all like… the ex from ghost in the park?" John reasoned.

Mai shrugged, "Who knows? This school is swamped with spirit and swirling mess of emotion from student I can't really care to read Matsuyama closely…"

Bou-san turned to Fran and asked, "Hey kid, can you see spirit?"

Fran shook his head, "Like Shishou? No… me can't see anything."

"Not all illusionists are medium." Mai informed them. "However… in general people with talent in illusion prone to be sensitive to presence of spirit. Although Fran is a special case…"

"Special?" Bou-san echoed.

Fran nodded, "Me can't sense spirit at all~" He sang with obviously fake cheerfulness. "Banana fairy…"

"Why Banana?!"

Fran didn't answer and then he walked towards the door to Broadcast Room. "Ahem." He cleared his throat, "So to… the spirit who burn this room… can I ask one thing?" They blinked at him owlishly, "Don't you ever spare a thought for the environmental crisis?" He asked in deadpan tone. "Arson causes air pollution so-"

"Fran!" Mai scolded him. "Really this kid… Takeshi."

The guardian of rain saluted, "Hai~ come on Fran! We have to go back to hotel soon." He grabbed flailing Fran, tucking his apple shaped head on the crook of his arm.

The apple head dissolved and Fran tried to slip away but Takeshi swiftly grabbed the hood of his furred jacket. "Ah." Fran didn't give up, at least he looked like he didn't as he jogged on the same spot and Takeshi's grip on his hood kept him in place.

"Really kid… Mukuro is not the sanest person we know, and you keep trying to drive him nuts." Yamamoto chided lightheartedly.

Mai sighed. "It's karma I'm sure… so how is it going with the media people?"

Yamamoto gave her a thumb up, "I manage to get them to back down for a while… but if there is too big incident in Ryokuryo and no one covered the incident, it would look weird." Naru frowned at that, "Oh, but I am sure I can get them to stay away from SPR. Beside… Shouichi is going to have a press conference for our latest breakthrough, unless they want to miss it I don't think there would be any media company dares to sneak in…"

"…"

"Or the next three conference by Hayato, Spanner and… we're going to ban them from all of those for the next three years at least!" Yamamoto chirped cheerfully, brandishing three fingers innocently.

Mai sighed, "As usual… it's no wonder why Reborn loves you Takeshi." Aside from her and her brother, Takeshi was always the one Reborn favored among her guardian. Or rather since he was the one who found Takeshi, he had high expectation in the rain guardian. Mai was almost jealous to be honest.

"Ha ha ha~ My bad~" He laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

At that moment, SPR team minus Mai had one thought. _'He looks like an airhead, but he is ruthless. Definitely not someone you want to cross.'_ Was there anyone in Mai family that wasn't dangerous? Chrome perhaps? No… she was definitely not harmless either, especially with that boyfriend of hers.

"By the way is that all you need from me Hime?"

Mai frowned at the question, "Takeshi?"

He rummaged his pocket; his other hand was still keeping Fran in place. Then he fished out a familiar article on suicide case of Sakauchi Tomoaki. "It's just my instinct talking but… Hime doesn't have to worry too much. I'm fine…" Then he added, "I sensed a presence in the rooftop, and I can't help but wonder."

Sakauchi committed suicide with jumping from the rooftop of his school, leaving suicide note ' **I'm not a dog'** as a message to his school that had pushed him to this. Takeshi who had been talking with media companies lately would be drawn to this news, and while he was oblivious most of the time he wasn't an idiot. It was east for him to put two and two together.

He felt the same as everyone in this school, _'It could be me in his shoes.'_ If Tsuna didn't save him back then.

Mai sighed, closing her eyes briefly. "Takeshi… I will ask when I need it, for the time being… we need you out there."

He beamed at her, "Hai~ As you wish Hime."

* * *

 **Day 3, Ryokuryo High School (Naru's POV)**

"What's with Yamamoto-kun and the suicide case of Sakauchi-kun?" I asked bluntly, well aware Mai was expecting me to ask when I joined her on patrolling to check the activity around the school while Tojo was checking our equipment and Lin was with Shima overseeing the monitors.

Mai sighed exasperatedly, "Is all scientists can't keep their nose out of things they shouldn't pry on? Shouichi get in trouble all the time for this."

That was part of the job, "I am a scientist… A researcher."

She sighed again, "Hm… normally I will say it's not my secret to tell but knowing our Takeshi, the next time you see him and ask he will blab about it like it's just another episode of life like taking a walk in the park and throwing katana at unsuspecting ghost."

Oh right… he was the one who threw sword at Gene's incorporeal stomach. Takeshi was a little like Gene, the carefree attitude. However…

"He tried it once…" Mai's voice cut my train of thought abruptly. "Suicide I mean…" Mai voice was so soft and I had a hard time to discern it. "In the same manner as Sakauchi-kun."

I paused at that, my eyes wide. "Yamamoto-kun?"

Mai nodded, "It felt like forever ago…" She whispered softly, "First year in Middle School…" She continued to walk as if nothing amiss. "Takeshi back then was Baseball Club's ace of my school… and he was what you would say popular guy who is friends everyone in school and greatly admired. With admiration come expectation… and he was pushed to the corner when he couldn't live up to it."

"…"

"I used to hate him though."

Silence…

Did Mai just said she used to hate someone? A family member of hers no less?

She shrugged. "He smiled a fake smile all the time… he was friend with everyone and yet it's just superficial friends. He loves baseball so much and he let it become the center of his life, then becoming ignorant of everything else to the point he almost killed himself over it…"

"…Is that so?"

"So I couldn't help but think… he is very annoying." Mai rolled her eyes, "Then again maybe it's because my brother always looked at him in worry even though he was not friends with us yet back then… our intuition told us, he needs help but he stubbornly deny it. It got on my nerve so much…"

So in the end it was back to your brother.

"My brother almost got himself killed to save Yamamoto from killing himself to boot." Mai droned on, recalling the fall.

So it was really because of your brother.

"Well… he was very sorry about it in the end." Mai closed her eyes, recalling apologetic Takeshi who was begging for forgiveness. "And… in the end no one really understand death, it's not an end that give you solace… it's just quitting from life."

Was it just me? Mai… when talking about death, she sounded… somewhat flippant but not disrespectful either. Then I recalled the vision that flooded my mind from her watch, if what I experienced was just a chunk of it… to Mai death was part of life, it was something you accepted as inevitable.

 _'_ _Noll…'_

Mai perked up, "He is back?"

So Mai could notice Gene's presence easily now, which mean our link was stabilizing well. That was a relief at least. "Yes…" Then I opened my mind to Gene, relaying what happened since his absence. _'How is it with Sakauchi-kun?'_

 _'_ _He is hurting himself… trying to get out of Lin's barrier.'_ Gene informed me, his voice was somber. _'It seems he is connected to what happened in this school, he could even be the main culprit… his guilt is so great he lost almost all of his reasoning. He wants to save his schoolmates and uncaring of what become of him…'_

I frowned at that, _'He won't escape Lin's barrier anytime soon though…'_

 _'_ _No, he won't.'_ Gene agreed. _'However… something like how this school ended up like this is too complicated information for delirious spirit like Sakauchi-kun. Knowing he is somehow the one who start this is all we can get… and also Matsuyama Hideharu could be the one who cause all of this too.'_

Hearing that I couldn't help but stare at Mai who was blinking at me. "Ah." Didn't she carelessly spouting the whole mess should be blamed to Matsuyama?

 _'_ _I won't be surprised Mai-chan didn't notice she is actually picking up that clue from somewhere with her intuition. It's some sort of clairvoyance in the end…'_ Gene concurred.

"What is that look supposed to mean?" Mai asked in annoyance.

I sighed, "Well…"

Speaking of the devil or in this case ignorant monkey named Matsuyama. We were about to cross the terrace, when he made his entrance.

"How's it going? Is the exorcism complete?"

"We are currently trying our very best." Mai answered diplomatically. "Excuse us then Matsuyama-san, we still have a lot of work to do today."

Matsuyama frowned, "Is that the best you can say?"

I paused at that, "Even if we explain, would someone who didn't believe in supernatural understand?" I pointed out, and he hesitated. "Well then, Matsuyama-san… we will return to our work."

"There aren't any spirits to begin with! It was all just a temporary hallucination on the part of the students." He spat at us, spouting nonsense.

Oh yes, temporary hallucination made the lights fell from the ceiling and gave them bite marks.

 _'_ _It's ironic he starts to sound delusional when trying to make sense of what happen here.'_ Gene pointed out.

"You exploit weak-minded people to earn money." He continued on.

' _What a waste of time informing him that we're research organization back then.'_ We thought in unison. We ignored him obviously; there was no point for human to preach a monkey.

"Flawed logic." I couldn't help but say absentmindedly.

"What did you say?" He hollered.

I shrugged, "Nothing, excuse us them." Then Mai and I turned on our heels and continued our stride to the other side of the building.

Matsuyama continued following us, "You are mesmerized by spirits and other nonsense, and you even end up skiving! Do you want me to tell you what would happen to people who blindly follow foolish superstitions?!"

Mai stopped at that, which prompted me to do the same.

"He became so obsessed with the dark side of life that it eventually led to his demise… a tragic end!"

Mai's eyes narrowed and I knew this man was touching a nerve. "Are you talking about Sakauchi-kun?"

Matsuyama smirked. "Watch out that you don't end up just like him." He eyed me in distaste, "Not sure if it's too late for you either. I'm sure he's regretting what he did in the afterlife…"

"You…" Mai trailed off, her eyes almost narrowed to a slit now. "What kind of teacher thinking of a student who has passed away in such way… that Sakauchi-kun deserves his tragic end?"

Matsuyama sputtered, "I didn't say that!"

"Didn't you say it yourself? He is dead because of his fascination for occult…" She tilted her head to the side. "Strange… where did you get the impression he committed suicide because of that fascination?" Mai continued to ask. "Isn't the whole school… a lot of your students are fascinated by séance… Orikiri-sama?"

"What are you implying?!" Matsuyama hollered at us.

I see… so Mai was not merely trying to give this man his just desert. His line just now, there was something that could clued us in. "What my assistant meant to imply… it seems you know something about what drive Sakauchi-kun to commit suicide."

The look Matsuyama wore was telling enough.

"What did you do to him?" Mai asked bluntly.

Matsuyama sputtered, "I… I didn't do anything wrong! I am just doing my job as a teacher!"

Mai laughed softly; there was no mirth in her voice. "You mean… constantly putting him down for what he loves, and aspire to be?"

"Ghost hunter is not a proper profession!" He hissed. "He will get nowhere in life! He'll worth not-"

"That's not for you to decide, guidance counselor or not." Matsuyama opened his mouth to protest but Mai didn't let him. "Human is really human when they act according to their own will… free will and feeling is what differ human from animal driven by their instinct..."

She stepped forward, almost breaching Matsuyama's personal space. "So I couldn't help but wonder… ne, Matsuyama-san? Are you a teacher? Or are you a rancher of livestock? In which your student couldn't be anything they wish but what you deem as 'proper' like how you put it?"

"You… as a student the rule established in school is everything! Student that didn't obey the rule would end up as trash as society!"

Mai snorted at that, "Is that so? I am not saying it's wrong to obey those but… When system like 'rule and regulation' possesses the power to determine your fate... you're no longer a human. You're livestock. No matter how hard a rancher-like you- tries to pretend otherwise… they never recognize their livestock as their kin… Is that how you see your student?"

Matsuyama was red with fury now but he couldn't form any coherent reply. Mai didn't look satisfied, if anything I believed she spared him from further humiliation. "Mai." I called her. "We have wasted enough time, let's go."

"Hai." She answered me, catching up with me who was already few steps ahead.

"What's that, you… What's that insolent attitude about?" Matsuyama fumed.

From the corner of my eyes I saw Matsuyama reached out to Mai, I knew Mai was more than capable to handle him but before Mai could react I grabbed his hand and channeled a miniscule amount of PK enough to paralyze his hand temporarily.

"Gah!" He clutched his hand in pain.

Mai hissed, "Naru!"

I glared at Matsuyama, and the man recoiled. "Try to lay one finger on Mai again, I will not let you off so easily next time…" He could treat us as scammer as he pleased and I could be careless, but touching Mai was unacceptable.

"You…" Matsuyama growled.

Mai tensed suddenly, "Naru! From the class over there!"

I let go of Matsuyama immediately and sprinted after Mai who had rushed ahead, leaving dumbfounded Matsuyama in the middle of corridor. We were one turn away when the first scream pierced the silence of school in study session. It was classroom two dash four, the dog from our first day…

"KYAAAA!"

Mai tensed again before she opened the door, and the rest of our team came running from another direction. "Mai! Naru-bou! What's going on here?!"

She slammed the door open in respond, revealing the dog spirit we saw before but we were sure the last time we saw it. This dog was the size of a Doberman, now its head was almost touching the ceiling. Not to mention it could hold a desk on its jaw now.

"What a horrible stench." Hara-san muttered.

That answered which spirit ate the one from Yasuhara-san's class.

 _'_ _Noll! Mai! She-!"_

The dog's eyes rolled to Mai, it hesitated at the sight of her. Mai narrowed her eyes, bending down a little as if she was ready to sprint. "Duck!" She shouted, just in time for us to dodge the desk the dog threw at Mai and the stray pieces of furniture that collided against the wall.

WHAM!

Another desk was thrown at Mai but every step she took toward the dog, it backed down and whimpered. What scared spirit so much of Mai and her brother?

The dog let out a whine again before it turned around and disappeared like wisp.

"What is that… spirit?" Hara-san wondered. "It's manifested to the point it's almost corporeal."

Considering it could throw desk at us, it was already corporeal. "Mai!" Just now was very reckless of her, never mind it was scared of her or not.

"It will get troublesome if one this strong get out of here and get eaten by stronger ones."

The four biggest spirits in this school. _'Gene…'_

"Huh?!" Mai gasped.

Hara-san followed suit. "Ah!"

Hara-san fell to her knees, crying. "Hic… hic…"

Mai groaned, covering her mouth. "This is getting worse…"

 _'_ _Gene… just now?'_

Gene was not faring better, _'Disgusting… just now it seems the stronger spirits are evolving, now it gain an ability to attract weaker spirits like Venus flytrap drawing insects to devour them.'_ He explained to me. _'Mai and Hara-san saw… this place most likely used to be a grave or any place that draw spirit, now it's not just eating summoned spirit… it start to eat harmless spirit floating around this place too…'_

It would take some time to mull over what Gene just informed me, but one thing remained… this case became worse… more than before.

"Moshi-moshi… Takeshi." Mai said in muffled voice, "Send medic and ambulance for… ten injured students and…"

At the time like this and that vision, which sent Hara-san to crying fit… she still had enough composure to call ambulance and medics? I was about to ask Matsuyama to do so but she was faster.

"And also… makes sure media won't get a wind of this latest incident; I will leave the method to you Takeshi." She finished her call and sighed in relief, then as if nothing happened she dashed towards a group of crying girls and calm them down.

 _'_ _It makes us wonder how Mai could be this tough.'_ Gene couldn't help but say.

Well… considering explosions Hayato, Shouichi and Spanner caused in every visit to our house. A ransacked classroom and a demon dog must be minor in comparison to Mai.

Mai suddenly called again, "Takeshi… send double the number I asked just now." Then she ended the line abruptly and dashed towards another direction.

"MAI!"

* * *

 **Art Room (Mai's POV)**

All the students were standing. There were a few people squatting. Shards of broken glass littered the classroom - shards that were slightly curved and milky white. The activity in this room if I recalled correctly… something to do with the human model. I looked to the ceiling. There were 3 rows of 4 case of light installed on the ceiling but there was not a single fluorescent tube up there.

That answered where those lights ended up. "Is everyone alright?" I asked the students and the teacher who sat fallen on the teaching platform.

They shook their head numbly, pointing at crying students who were not so lucky. Most of the students were slightly injured in one way or another. I was almost bitter on the fact the teacher escaped without harm.

"Here too?" Naru and the rest of the team just arrived. It didn't take long for him to survey the damage. "In this art room it's also getting worse."

I frowned and looked up again at the ceiling, but my concern was not the light bulbs anymore. "Ah… it's already clean up there."

Ayako frowned, "What do you mean? No more lights?"

It didn't take long for Naru to figure it out but it was John who voiced it out loud. He sounded guilty. "It's my fault… because I conduct exorcism in geography room, I…" The activity of falling lights was from geography room, which located right above the art room.

If it happened here then… John had chased it out of there and it moved here.

"This isn't something you could have done anything about; we would never have expected them to escape to the classroom below." I tried to console John. "This is the first time we faced this kind of phenomena to boot.

Naru picked up a shard that had fallen on a table. "All the fluorescent tubes fell out at the same time…" Without moving a muscle, he surveyed the shard.

He was using psychometry on them. I sighed and bent down beside kneeling Naru and whispered. _'Naru… you should phrase that like a question rather than a statement.'_

He snorted, "Right… at any rate this morning's fire, too, was more severe than those previously reported. If we didn't prevent it, the fire would have burned the whole room to ash."

Ayako asked, "The Art Room… what strange rumour happened there?"

The monk answered in reply, "Indeed it was… 'The Plaster Model that Changed Direction'. The plaster model's direction changed suddenly. It suddenly turned to face the back on its own or something."

"I don't think that will happen again." I told them. "Since this activity is here now… the spirit that was here has already been devoured by the spirit that escaped from the Geography Room. Hence that spirit became stronger… the same thing that happened in 2-4 and Broadcast Room."

Naru sighed, "Most likely that is the case…"

"Considering the strong stench in two dash four classroom… we also could guess where Yasuhara-san's classroom spirit had disappeared." I added, my ears perked up as I heard sound of ambulance's siren. "Well… the medics are here at last."

"That's quick." Ayako commented. "You have wonderful connection." Eyeing rows of ambulance with orange strip in awe. "Isn't that MBI Hospital ambulance?"

I nodded, "MBI is a company under ours like Foundation… they're based in Japan like Foundation too."

They looked at me with complicated expressions.

"Never mind that… let's think about our case first." I reminded them.

Bou-san nodded, "What should we do, Naru-chan?"

"We've put off the exorcisms…" Naru pointed out. "We will continue to do so."

"Yes. It would be troublesome if those spirits escaped again." He agred.

Just as the monk agreed to Naru, "I will continue exorcising." Ayako declared loudly. "We can't sit idly! To prevent the spirits from escaping, I will erect a Kekkai (barrier) before exorcising. There shouldn't be a problem with that?"

"Would such a simple solution work?" Naru asked calmly.

I stepped forward in between before Ayako could retort. "Maintaining a barrier and exorcising require a lot of energy Ayako-san… you know this better than I do. Without the help of tree spirit, it will be very dangerous for you if the stronger ones decide to take you on instead of escaping."

She sighed at that, "Right… sorry, I am getting ahead of myself again."

Naru crossed his arms. "Still… at this our reputation would be in danger." Obviously that was not Naru's main concern. "Which will result to faculty member's deteriorating trust in us…" He looked to the side. "Not to mention on third day it's already like this, injuries escalate from initial report… at this rate. No one can tell what will happen in this school.

I felt a chill down my back, a thought came to me. If… spirits consume other spirits and grow, and that continues on and on… what would happen in the end?

* * *

 **SPR's Base (3** **rd** **POV)**

"I have received the list of injuries from our medics." Mai informed SPR team. "The details are here, but… in summary six students of 2-4 suffered scratches, bruise, sprain and other light injuries but one student is not as lucky… the dog bit his arm and severely injure his muscle tissue. He would be very lucky if he can use it again." Mai closed her eyes. "As for art room students… twelve are lightly injured from the glass, two students had the lights fell right on them and one is in surgery now to remove the piece of glass from her eyes… it's still up to question whether she can ever see again."

Naru accepted the file but set it aside for now. "We have put exorcism on hold as soon as we can but it's already this severe."

"Putting it on hold now is also won't help much." Mai pointed out.

Naru nodded at that, "They had adapted to this school as their habitat so quickly to the point they gain ability to ensnare weaker spirit… "

Mai had said it… this was a jungle, where the beast adapt to survive and devour everything they set their sight on.

Gene was sleeping now, so Naru was at a lost until his twin woke up. Mai was at the same predicament, her intuition had nothing new either. So neither Mai nor Naru cared for argument was going in the background. Naru was too deep in thought while Mai was too used to noise so she could be careless even if a bomb go off in the background.

"First, I have never heard of spirits cannibalizing on each other."

"Because! It is a monster."

"If it is a monster, isn't that under the jurisdiction of a Miko?"

"You've got to be joking. Isn't that mainly managed by Monks?"

"Whaa… please don't fight!" John flailed.

If Mai and Naru took a moment to care, they would comment on idiocy of arguing over who had to face the monster because in normal circumstances neither of them had 'fighting monster' under their job description.

Naru was thinking on why the spirits mutually devoured each other, he had been in a lot of haunted sites with multiple spirits in the same place but this was the first time he witnessed established food chain of cannibalism.

Mai was pondering what to do to solve the problem. She could be careless of the mystery and more inclined on getting rid of these spirits safely and painlessly. The problem was… the school faculty insisted to not close their school. It as if they thought they would lose their pride if they gave in to the terrorism of spirits.

Then again… if she asked Naru to let her family to handle this, she was sure as hell her family couldn't get rid of these spirits without casualties. At the very least she was sure they would demolish one or two rooms in the process, a cheap price in exchange for over six hundred lives.

Of course those pigs and monkeys, especially Matsuyama would disagree. She would rather not resort to something drastic if possible, strongest famiglia in the world or not… they couldn't get away as they please in civilian world.

"Hm…"

Yasuhara chose that moment to enter the room, and hesitated as he saw the arguing Miko and Monk while a priest was busy and failing to placate them. The onmyouji listlessly typing who knows what in the corner with two guys doing the same. While a medium was staring jealously at the two psychics who were standing side by side by side. The last two were oblivious of their surroundings and deep in thought.

"Uhm… maybe I should be back later?" He wondered.

Bou-san was about to retort but Mai cut him off, "Yasuhara-san… judging from your face you found something new."

Yasuhara patted his face and looked at nearest reflective surface, which was the blank screen of his cellphone in confusion. "Shounen… whatever Mai-chan saw, I doubt you will see it yourself."

The Kaichou grinned sheepishly, "Ha ha ha… as expected of an ESPer." He cleared his throat, "It's about what we talked about before Sawada-san…"

Mai blinked. "Hm? About Orikiri-sama?"

He nodded, "Yes… I tried to trace the route of how this game starts to spread among students… Sawada-san said our version of Kokkuri-san is odd and wonder where it came from so… I did." He pulled up an A3 sketchbook. "I only found out that we started playing Worikiri-sama sometime after the second semester… so everyone's memory is still fresh on where they get the game."

He tapped the sketchbook. "I got this from someone in art club… basically for me a third year from social department get it from science department of the same year." He pointed at the diagram of circulation. There were multiple diagrams on the same paper. All circling the same smaller marked source. "All route we traced back end with two sources, art club and first year…"

Naru narrowed his eyes at that, "So… most likely a freshman is the one who bring this game to this school."

Yasuhara shifted, "Uhm… and also, maybe it's not related but the late Sakauchi-kun fit both profile… he is the first year from art club."

Mai and Naru's eyes widened in shock, recalling what Gene said.

 _'_ _It seems he is connected to what happened in this school,  
he could even be the main culprit… his guilt is so great he lost almost all of his reasoning. He wants to save his schoolmates and…  
uncaring of what become of him…'_

Naru stood up abruptly, "Is there anything else you can tell us about Sakauchi-kun?"

Yasuhara blinked owlishly, "Uhm…"

"What's with the sudden interest in this Sakauchi-boy?" Bou-san asked in confusion. "You and Mai-chan had this strange look on your face."

Mai had outright stepped into Yasuhara's personal space. "Yasuhara-san! Anything else?"

He stepped backward in hurry and answered, "Uhm… I think I ever mentioned he is a very quiet boy and a little odd, he aspired to be a ghost hunter… uhm I think I also heard from students who was in the same class Sakauchi likes to read occult books in break period."

"Then! Is it possible for Sakauchi-kun to hate school because of… Matsuyama belittled him or something?" Mai asked almost enthusiastically.

At that question Yasuhara answered, "You just described what happened to majority of our school population, Sawada-san."

Silence…

Naru cleared his throat, "I haven't heard of this interest to be a 'Ghost Hunter' of Sakauchi-kun."

"Ah… it slipped my mind." Mai said apologetically, "But still… it may be relevant?"

"Try most likely…" Naru corrected. "Say… Yasuhara-kun, do you think Sakauchi-kun could hate Matsuyama and this school enough to do something drastic, this is just a rhetorical question."

Yasuhara swallowed, "Rhetorically… not just Sakauchi-kun, actually last year there is a case of violence in our school. One of our students snapped and almost try to jump Matsuyama, he is not in this school anymore but… I think that's also when Matsuyama and disciplining in our school escalated." He fidgeted, "The school lost whatever trust they have in us."

Naru turned to his assistant, "Mai."

She cupped her chin, "Hm… Considering what happened previously, Sakauchi-kun wouldn't resort to direct physical violence. However… let's say he is the one introducing Orikiri-sama, we can establish that much… considering what we've gathered so far but there is still a large blank in this mystery…"

He nodded at that, "Even if an infinite number of summoning were performed how can completely untrained people, even after a thousand or two thousand summoning, succeed in calling forth a cannibalistic spirit?"

"There is still too many unknown factor."

Yasuhara piped in, "This is perhaps unrelated but… this school was built on top of an ancient grave."

Eagerly anticipating his reply, everyone was immediately very disheartened. The monk said, "That's nothing much, it is very common."

He sighed, and tilted his head backwards.

"Ah, you think I'm lying. No, this is true. This place is called the Ryokuryo Ruins, it became a cemetery in the Nara era. If you dig in the field, tombstones and human remains can be found."

Naru turned towards Mai, "That explained the Kekkai you sensed." He told her. "Old Tomb is the place where the Kekkai was erected to prevent spirits from trawling the Earth and causing hauntings. The spirits bound in the ruins have emerged in large numbers… that shouldn't be the case. The floating spirits summoned into the school are unable to leave due to the Kekkai… "

Mai hummed at that, "Well… at least we know where the Kekkai come from." Though in the end it mattered not where it came from.

Bou-san groaned, "And you guys didn't see it fit to inform me?!"

"What are you going to do with that info?" Naru asked rhetorically, and the monk averted his eyes. "I thought so."

"Still…" Mai hummed, "If séance is like tuning radio frequency why it's so easy for spirits to be summoned here by a bunch of untrained students?"

Naru tapped the table with his finger. "Hm… that's still…"

The monk suggested, "Could it be that somewhere in the ruins, there is something that can summon and attract spirits?"

"If there is such thing Mai would have sensed it." Naru shot down the theory. "Something that dangerous would have alerted her since day one." Or Gene would, but to them the only thing was the paper of Orikiri-sama.

Bou-san sagged, "Right…"

"So it is. The spirits are enclosed in the grave, the grave is then sealed; perhaps there are places where such spells are used. If spirits are gathered around it always feels different. Nothing seems to work here, in this school."

Naru groaned softly, crinkled his brow and sank deeper into thought.

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

Gene was awake at last and he came bearing a bad news, _'I have not going around the school again yet… but the situation has deteriorate very fast.'_

I scowled at Gene who materialized himself through my reflection, glass window at night was reflective like mirror. _'What give you the idea? The piling up report on injuries and escalating complain from faculty members on my desk?'_

Gene snorted at me, _'Alright… stupid report, but getting irate over it is just going to make our mind stuck.'_

Right… getting annoyed at Gene over this won't help anyone. _'So Sakauchi-kun?'_

 _'_ _We should just help him to pass on.'_ Gene concluded quickly. ' _Regardless whether or not he is responsible… blaming the dead is pointless, Noll.'_ He looked up. _'At his current state… he won't be able to tell us anything. He has lost his sense of reason… Sakauchi-kun only want to grief and regret.'_

 _'_ _So… there is no other way with him?'_

 _'_ _Unfortunately… but…'_ Gene's eyes shifted to the side.

He was nervous and hesitant about something? ' _What you have in mind Gene?'_

Gene swallowed nervously, _'You wouldn't like it.'_

 _'_ _I will decide that, after I finish listening to your explanation.'_

My older twin sighed, rubbing his temple. _'Well… remember Mai dreaming the past of Oshima Hiro, the mother from Morishita's house?'_ I frowned at him. _'It's true I guided her to that dream but in the end… I am just assisting her. Then in Kokuyo Land case I realized her post-cognition is… unique.'_

My frown deepened, _'Unique?'_ Strong yes, but unique? The way she visualize her post-cognition was unique, but everything else…

 _'_ _Her post-cognition was actually a little like your psychometry Noll.'_ Gene explained in solemn voice, _'However… strangely she performs it on spirit.'_

 _'_ _That's no different than what ESP medium did.'_

Gene sighed, _'If only it's that simple… listen, psychometry is ESP skill but in the end it's an ability that manifest in physical realm. Unlike you Noll… my ability lies more in spiritual realm…'_ My eyes widened, _'Yes… Mai's post-cognition have nothing to do with reading emotional connection with object and spirit. If Mai wants she could pry Sakauchi's part from him because-'_

BADUMP!

 **"** **Mai?!"**

Lin stood up abruptly from his seat, "What's wrong? Naru? Gene?"

I turned around, "Where is Mai?"

"She went out to look for signal… she said she couldn't hear Yamamoto-kun's voice well in Base." Lin reminded me.

Right… around five minutes ago Mai called Yamamoto and she had not returned since then.

"Mai!" I rushed out of the base, ignoring Lin's warning to not go alone.

Where the hell she could be? Looking for phone signal and-

BANG!

Just now… sound of something exploding? I didn't know why but from my experience, Mai and something exploding was a match made in heaven so I ran towards the sound.

 _'_ _Noll! Mai… she is out of her body again!'_

 _'_ _At the time like this?!'_ I scowled, Mai really knew how to pick the worse timing to leave her body by accident. _'Gene! Get her back! She shouldn't go around as a spirit in a place like this!'_

 _'_ _I'm going now!'_ Then our telepathy line was off, Gene was out looking for Mai's spirit. My job would be securing her defenseless body. "That idiot!"

It took a while but I found Mai sleeping in the middle of corridor, and not far from her was a busted sliding door of science lab. What the heck happened to that door, and was that a burn mark? It was the same damage I saw on metal door of Kokuyo Theater.

I didn't ponder on the damaged door long as I flipped her over, checking her pulse and breathing. She was not… her spirit was not in her body, why the heck she had to astral walk in the worse time like this? She looked pale for some reason too.

"Hm?" There was an odd smell coming from the lab, this was… formalin?

What trouble she got herself into this time? I wondered as I pulled her up, and silently bemoaning the fact she was wearing skirt and short spats. I lifted her up to my arms, she was surprisingly light… she couldn't weight more than eighty eight pound. She was so… petite, and seemed frail. I couldn't help but muse as I walked towards the infirmary.

Then I noticed a thin trail of blood on her left leg, it was a shallow cut. Most likely she cut herself by accident just now. Her blood… was it just me who imagined when the light of my flashlight hit it, there was orange tint? Was that a trick of light?

"Naru-bou!" Bou-san and the others had arrived on the scene just in time to see me approaching the infirmary that was on the same direction to our sleeping quarters. "What's wrong with Jou-chan?!"

"Mai!" Matsuzaki-san cried.

"Mai-san!"

I sighed at them. "Don't panic… she just cut herself a little." I craned my neck at the small cut on her left calf. "And she also has an accident in science lab, knocking over some formalin tubes… she will be alright."

She had to be…

* * *

 **Astral Realm (Mai's POV)**

The worse thing I feared to happen when astral walking happened, I got lost... damn those spirits, if I could use my flame I would have burned them to cinders! But then using flame and blowing the whole school up was not an idea worth considering, although in the end I busted that damned door.

Suddenly I fell, I was not sure it was because my spirit left my body or the formalin I inhaled by accident. I was already in astral realm, and then I felt the wind, the night breeze blowing over me. Or rather I was blown away. Not a very precise sensation I felt but close enough.

I opened my eyes.

It was still night around me… wind was swirling; then I was like a bubble in the atmosphere, floating in mid-air. It was a familiar sensation of astral walking. In the distance beneath me, there were some white lights; weak, un-dazzling white lights.

The school was beneath me… I was in the air, flying like I used to do. I missed flying… it seemed instead of monochrome view of Gene I was back to my sepia tinted world. I raised my hand, willing the vision of the school to appear transparent. So I had easier time to see the spirits.

Gene was right… Their numbers had decreased. The immense amount of floating white spirits had been so quickly and so drastically reduced. Even the original number fox fire with sick purple hue was also reduced… and among them stood out... the four 4 which had grown horrendously huge.

I carefully studied every corner of the school; what I saw was the continued consumption of small spirits. At this rate… I willed myself to land on the rooftop, Sakauchi-kun was still there. He was wearing himself down against Lin-san's barrier. It was not a particularly strong barrier because Lin-san wanted to maintain it for days, but a weak spirit that had just passed away like Sakauchi-kun had no strength to break it.

"How long do you intent to grief in futility?" I asked him.

"Hic…hic… stop! Stop… so many have gotten hurt… stop it please!" He begged to no one in particular.

Crack!

There was a hairline crack on the barrier Lin-san created, he was getting stronger. It was no wonder since the students continued emitting negative emotion that was feeding the spirits here, including Sakauchi-kun. At this rate his spirit would be twisted and he would break free…

But how could we help him to pass on if he was too delirious to listen? Whatever he did, he didn't deserve to be exorcised.

"Ne… tell me Sakauchi-kun, what did you do?"

Then his tearful eyes snapped open at me, and I felt the familiar pull of his swirling emotion and I was gone from the rooftop. The last thing I heard was Gene's desperate voice, calling me.

"MAI!"

* * *

 **Somewhere unknown...  
**

"Gah!" I landed myself somewhere else again. "Gene, you dummy! Astral walking is not fun at all!" I whined childishly, my face was muffled by something soft. I sat up and looked around, it was someone else's bedroom. "Um… since I am a spirit now, this shouldn't count as trespassing."

Who the hell I was trying to convince about that anyway?

I glanced around the room assessing the bedroom. I saw a gakuran of Ryokuryo hight hanging on the wall neatly beside a bag. Beside the bed I occupied was a desk and across the bed was a bookshelves full of… books obviously.

"What a lonely room… it's like… you've been away for so long and go home to an empty bedroom." I knew that feeling very well, my bedroom in Namimori house was like this… I shook my head, clearing it from depressing thought.

Curiosity took control of me and I skipped towards the bookshelves, "Wow." It was all parapsychology books and what else related to ghost hunting. There was some magic book too ranging from Greek, Taoist, and even some shady looking ones. I didn't know what possessed me but I reached out for a particularly worn book, it was onmyoudou book.

It looked older than most book here, not brand new and in fact it looked like it was tearing apart. There was a lot of missing page but… the tear was new, the owner itself tear it for research note perhaps? It was about Suzhou…

The same curse from Yuasa?

I shuddered, I didn't like the feeling oozing from this book. Anger, grudge, frustration… I put the book back to the shelves as quick as I could, I couldn't stand the bad vibe. My intuition prompted me to take another book, it was as worn as the first if not even more so.

Paranormal System, the book Naru… Oliver Davis wrote around two years ago. I frowned, this book… it was torn all over the place even though it was relatively new. It was put together carefully with tape. Looking at other newer book, the owner kept the books with care.

"This book…" So different from the first, I could feel dedication, determination and love. "Strange… how come the book so loved by the owner is tearing apart like this?" Not to mention… this book was expensive since it was imported from England, it had not been published in Japanese yet. If the owner was still in high school, and belong to middle class family whoever it was… the owner must had saved for a long time and even do part time job to buy this book.

Someone else had tear the book apart, how cruel… this book was so important to the owner. Who was it?

I put the book back carefully on the shelves and my attention was drawn to a Monthly Rail Pass Holder on the desk. The train pass inside, it had expired on November last year… Then I saw the name in the right corner of the card.

Sakauchi Tomoaki

"You… really want to be a Ghost Hunter…" I couldn't help but say. "Foolish boy, if you have a dream you shouldn't kill yourself. Death will not grant you anything… it's an end to your dream."

And now… what left of you was delirious spirit who was consumed by guilt.

I put the cardholder back to the desk and sighed long and hard. Sakauchi-kun's predicament in rooftop of school building aside, I have my own predicament.

How the hell I get back to my body in Ryokuryo?! "Hau…" What should I do? Gene was not here… Naru was not here either… Onii-chan too…

This was bad! It had been a while since I was out of my body, I was losing control of my emotion quickly because spirit was basically manifestation of my emotion and spiritual energy.

If I couldn't return… what would happen to me? My family… Vongola.

"Ugh…" Don't cry! I shouldn't cry!

Onii-chan…  
Naru!  
Gene!

* * *

 **Gene's POV**

"Mai!"

Noll had secured her body but I couldn't find her spirit, she was drawn by something and then I lost contact with her. I glared at Sakauchi-kun who for some reason had calmed down a great deal and now was staring listlessly at nowhere and then at the barrier surrounding Ryokuryo High school. It was preventing me from sensing Mai's current location.

Damn it!

Suddenly all sympathy I had for Sakauchi-kun evaporated in instant, I grabbed him by his collar and shook him back and forth. "Where did you send Mai?! Answer me!"

He stayed quiet before letting out incoherent noise and I dropped him. Calm down Gene… interrogating a delirious spirit like Sakauchi-kun was an exercise of futility. But Mai… her body was not feeling well because of formalin she inhaled and on top of that weakened state she was astral walking for quite some time.

"Mai…" I called her out. "Where are you?! Mai?!"

 ** _Gene!_**

Mai's voice… she was scared but… I found her! I quickly reconnect our psychic link, it was never off but now I could pinpoint her location, and with that I let myself pulled to her light.

I found her! Found you, Mai!

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

I felt like a wreck, I hated losing control Reborn taught me meticulously like this. I hated feeling powerlessness! I had trained so hard for both control and power, even if the latter was more of my brother's forte…

Onii-chan…

No! No! Thinking about Onii-chan at the time like this was just going to make me even more depressed! As if my situation of damsel in distress was not bad enough! I didn't need to angst over everything that had gone wrong in my life! It would be endless!

I wiped my eyes, it started to water. I was not going to cry! Hell no! I won't!

 _'_ _Found you, Mai!'_

"Eh?" That voice… the tone, Gene?

Then the next thing I knew a pair of warm arm pulled me forward and the whole world was painted in familiar monochrome. This was…

"Gene?"

He was holding me close as if he was afraid I would disappear, and I recalled I did disappear on him. "Thank goodness I found you!" He breathed out in relief. "Don't do that ever again… you scare me."

I blushed, "I'm sorry…" I would have asked him to let go but… I was cold and he was warm. "I didn't mean to… Sakauchi-kun-"

He pushed me a little so he could look at my shocked face. "He is being irresponsible, throwing you off to who knows where for his whim."

"But…"

"One hour Mai…" Gene hissed at me. "I have been looking for you that long, it mattered not in physical world but when you're out of your body… every seconds count!" Especially since she was not used to the experience yet. "I can't tell where you are… Noll and I are worried sick!"

Did Gene just scold me? Gene, and not Naru?

"But what a relief you're fine! You're alright!" Gene was rambling now.

I really made him worry, and Naru too most likely. I smiled at him and said. "I am fine now, thank you for finding me. Gene." Then the next thing I knew A hand gently tapped my face. Eyes framed with extremely long lashes were right in front of me then he pulled me again, and his lips pressed to mine.

* * *

 **(3** **rd** **POV)**

Mai's eyes widened as Gene gave her a gentle peck on the lips and when he withdrew she could do nothing but blink repeatedly.

Gene marvelled at the fact he had not been punched or slapped yet, and between him and Noll he was more emotionally driven, experimentalist and… opportunist. So he leaned in and brushed his lips gently against hers. Warm… and soft, this was addicting.

"Mai?" Was he going to get a slap now?

She was still looking at him bewilderedly, no wonder Noll thought Mai was lucky to possess her intuition. She was easily distracted and hard to be snapped back to reality when danger was not involved. With her trouble magnet status, her easily distracted nature was bound to get her in trouble.

Gene grinned boyishly at her, "You're really good at worrying us, so this is to compensate scaring me almost to death. Maybe for a real one this time!"

She blushed furiously then opened her mouth to protest, but Gene captured her lips to another kiss, a little longer this time. "Hmph!"

Gene licked his lips, he couldn't help but overjoyed to see Mai sputtering. "I have been keeping you too long, so… Mai, this time apologize to Noll okay?" Then he gave her a gentle shove back to physical world.

* * *

 **Real World**

Her eyes snapped open, and she was greeted a pair of beautiful clear blue. "Mai?!" Large and warm hand caressed her cheek, and Mai's brain jumpstarted. She contemplated two things, punching or slapping… neither option was favourable because she wouldn't mind her strength and sending this guy flying while tempting was not an option so she settled on something else.

Her hand shot up and pinched his cheek before he could recoil.

"Aww!" His eyes widened as he grabbed her hand. "Mai!"

Mai blinked owlishly as she let go of his cheek, "Ah… it's Naru."

He glared at her, "What was that fo-" Then he saw it, or rather he felt it through their psychic link. What Gene did, first it was spontaneous act out of relief, second time was stealing opportunity and third… Gene was being Gene.

That was unfair! He was not the one who did it! Gene, damn you! He couldn't say it out loud of course, not to mention disoriented Mai mistook him who share the same face as Gene who totally deserve a slap. Considering he had seen Mai knocking out man twice her size, he was extremely lucky she didn't resort to outright violence.

"I'm sorry..." Mai said sheepishly. "I think my intuition is off because what happened just now…" She rubbed the back of her head guiltily. "Ugh… I am not feeling so good." She grumbled as she sank back to sleeping position.

Naru grumbled, "Baka."

She craned her neck to scan her surroundings. Naru was sitting on her bed. Looking over his shoulder were Bou-san and the rest of SPR team minus Tojo and Shima. Most likely they had been told to oversee the Base.

"How do you feel?" Naru decided to let the mishap go, it was Gene's fault. That idiot medium had no self- control!

Mai frowned, "Uhm."

"Mai?" he called, tapping her forehead once again to snap her out of her thought.

She groaned softly. "I want to say I'm fine… but mostly fine would be apt. My intuition is still on haywire… so I feel like cell phone out of reception." She said hoarsely.

Naru snorted at that. "I thought so." Somehow it elated him a little she just mistook him with his twin for a very short moment and recognized him right away. Apparently Mai didn't need her Hyper Intuition to tell him and Gene apart.

Gene was mysteriously absent from his mind for some reason, most likely delaying the inevitable.

Naru looked gently at her. "You fainted because you inhaled formalin vapour." Partly because of that, Naru corrected mentally. "How do you feel?"

Her chest felt tight. It was like the sensation of severe motion sickness. The world spun, but she had worse. "Hm… bad but not so bad, I will manage."

"Wha!" Mai yelped when Ayako put a wet towel on her forehead.

"You really gave me a shock." Ayako said exasperatedly. "Naru and Lin too… you guys let her went off on her own, regardless whether she could scare spirit or not. We've decided it's unsafe to wander around alone!"

Mai smiled at her, "I am sorry… I didn't mean to walk far, it's my fault not theirs."

"How in the world did you end up there?" Naru asked.

A vein popped on her temple, "It's not my fault." She gritted out. "For some reason the signal here is so bad so I had to walk and walk until the static noise stopped and I can finish my call! The corridor is relatively safe anyway!" She growled in annoyance. "Then I heard a noise from Science Lab so I check it out."

"Without telling us?!"

"It's right in front of me and I was planning to just take a peek before informing you! But when I lean on the door it suddenly open so I stumbled inside! The damned spirit locked me inside the lab! The spirit of children from LL classroom somehow decided to move out to Science Lab!"

Just thinking about it made her angry… it didn't even dare to face her head on and locked her up, blocking doors and windows. It got on her nerve so much and after they knocked the formalin tubes, Mai decided to blast her way out. Namely using her sky flame to blow the door off of its frame...

Not her wisest decision, but it felt damn good! Even though she kept her family from rampant destructing tendency, it didn't mean she had no urge to let herself loose once in a while.

"So you knocked the door off?"

Mai blinked at Naru, and realized because she passed out after scaring those spirits off she forgot about the blasted door. "It's not my fault." She insisted petulantly. "They lock me up so… I…"

Naru sighed exasperatedly. "Tojo had called Foundation to replace the door and in fact it was already fixed." Hopefully no one noticed the brand new door of science lab.

Bou-san piped in, "How did you knock the door out that badly?" He recalled the bend door.

Mai grinned at him, "Would you like to see?" She eyed him threateningly.

In short she was offering him to taste it himself.

Bou-san shook his head vehemently.

Ayako turned to Masako. "Masako, is that thing still around?"

Masako shook her head. "No, I don't think it is here. It's already fine."

No one noticed Mai was silently swearing to get rid of those pesky spirits the next time she saw them. Then she turned around and saw a familiar object, an ornate black box with V.G corps logo in gold font. It was right beside her pillow.

"Oh."

Naru decided he didn't like the glint on her eyes. "A courier who brought the new door insisted this box to be given to you as soon as possible." Naru explained. "What is that? Shouichi's invention."

Mai harrumphed, "Even if it is, it's none of your business." She responded flippantly.

"Mai…" Naru began.

Ayako was ticked, "Don't start now! At least wait until she is back to her feet!" She cut them off.

Bou-san, John, and Lin resisted their urge to clap for Ayako who successfully preventing Naru and Mai from arguing.

Naru sighed, "Anyway you are not injured so there's no problem anymore. All of you, get back to work…"

Ayako raised an eyebrow at him, "If you're implying that you're staying with Mai here to continue your argument with her… I don't think I am going to leave. You're the boss of SPR but I'm the doctor here and in medical room I AM the boss."

Bou-san and John this time didn't resist clapping.

"We need to talk in private." Naru at last admitted, because in medical room Ayako was right to say she was the one in charge. "You can wait right in front of the door, and if you hear Mai or me raising our voice you can make me leave."

Ayako crossed her arms, marvelling at her very first victory against Naru. Not really victory considering she was using her medical license against him. "Fair enough."

She ignored Masako's indignant glare, because while Ayako didn't hold as much dislike against Masako as before she had no obligation to help Masako's romantic pursuit.

"Then I-"

She was kind enough to cut her off before Naru did. "You still have work… and that's out on the field." Ayako jerked her thumb to the door then dragged Masako out of the door before the medium could protest, followed by the guys.

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

"I am not telling what's inside the box." Mai insisted, grumbling as she pulled the cover higher and turning her back at me.

I snorted, "It's not that." I was not so foolish to push Mai to reveal things she didn't want. "I just want to know about your escapade in astral realm… because I know Gene lost you for one hour, so I couldn't help but wonder where did you go?"

She flipped herself up, her eyes narrowed at me. It seemed her Hyper intuition was back. "I was right above the school…" Then she talked to Sakauchi, got pulled to his room and lost contact with Gene in the process and then… the rest was history.

"I see…"

"You see that Sakauchi-kun is your fan like Bou-san?" She grinned at me. "Perhaps he would be coherent if you talk to him."

She was recovering well if she could tease me like this. "Whatever…"

Mai laughed softly, then absentmindedly she licked her lips, nibbling them. It was her occasional habit, and an unhealthy one but she made it up with nibbling cucumber to prevent chapped lips.

I didn't care of her habit aside it reminded me of cheek pinching I didn't deserve. "So… are you going to punch Gene the next time you see him."

She blinked at me, her cheeks flushed before she sighed exasperatedly. "Haah… I will let him off this time, I scared him out of his wits because of my disappearing act… intentional or not. Blowing it out of proportion is just going to make things awkward…"

Then how about me? You pinched my cheek but I could tell you contemplated punching or slapping, in which either way I would be the recipient and not Gene. Now you were back to your senses, you decided to let Gene off of the hook because you made him worry?!

"He said it's compensation or something…" Mai grumbled. "Haah… you guys really… both of you enjoy making fun of me."

You made me worry too! "Then… how you're going to compensate me?" I asked before I could stop myself.

Mai's eyes widened, "Hai?"

I leaned down so my face was hovering right above hers, "In case you forgot, you scared _both_ of us with your recklessness tonight… and while Gene was busy frantically looking for you I was busy preventing Matsuzaki-san from examining you too closely…" I had to lie to assure them you were alright while you weren't at all. "No matter how good liar I am… it's still very troubling."

"Uhm…" Mai trailed off, "Sorry Naru… thanks for your hard work?" Her voice was strangely small and a little strangled but her guard was up.

"Then you wake up and pinch my cheek for something I didn't do." I continued, enjoying her flustered state and before I knew it both of my arms was on the sides of her head, trapping her. "You mistook me for Gene for a moment to boot." I added as I leaned down so our noses were almost touching.

She laughed nervously, "Ha ha ha… that happen sometimes, we're twins! It's suck but… it's part of being twins?"

"I won't mistake you for your brother no matter what…"

"That's unfair." She protested weakly. "For a start my brother is a head taller than me and a one inches taller than you… different voice and hair style. You and Gene are identical… it's unfair." She insisted.

"Hm… is that so? Then how did you tell us apart without your intuition?" I asked curiously.

Her guard slowly lowered, she was distracted as she mulled over the answer. "Uhm… you two have the same voice but your tone is different, especially the way you two call my name… Gene tend to drawl the 'i' while you drawl the 'a' and…your eyes are different too. You tend to narrow your eyes when talking to me while Gene's eyes light up and widen a little-"

How did she even know all that without her intuition… I couldn't help but wonder.

"Oh… this is a little weird since Gene is a spirit for now but you smell of tea and paper while he carries faint smell of sandalwood-" Gene's favourite scented candle for meditation. "You're both curious but express it differently…"

How many she had listed again? This was the sixth? Or seventh? I had heard us described as opposite in personality but never in detail and summarised as Gene was warm and sociable, while I was cold and distant. Mai didn't just summarize it like that… not shallowly like anyone else. She really knew what to see to tell me and Gene apart.

But still…

"And when you- hmph!"

She was so easily distracted and letting her guard down foolishly around me. Came to think of it again I never really kiss her for the sake of kissing like Gene did. Neither of us ever kissed anyone before, but I knew of the mechanics as well as I knew CPR. It felt nice for sensitive skin of lips to touch other lips, no wonder it was addicting...

"Hm…" I tilted my head, parting my lips a little and swallowed her gasp.

Or maybe it was because Mai drank tea instead of coffee from the same pot she brew for me?

I pulled back, and I felt the same triumph… she was sputtering and her hand was twitching. I tapped my cheek that was still a little red, and smirked when I saw her hand stilled. "And that's my compensation for getting worried over you." I drawled on as I stood up from the bed and strode towards the door, and as soon as I turned my back on her I couldn't stop myself from licking my lips.

Matsuzaki-san slid the door open, raising an eyebrow at me who looked like I had won a competition. I could be careless of her confusion.

Getting one over Mai was always… satisfying.

 _'_ _So… did you notice?'_

At last my twin decided to grace me with his annoying presence in my mind.

 _'_ _It's Mai's mishap to pinch you, beside…'_

 _'_ _Gene… that's haras-'_

 _'_ _I did hear Mai said she is letting me off of the hook.'_ He pointed out smugly. _'You have no right to berate me about that… but still…'_

I looked to the side, the window where I could see Gene sighing. _'What? You kissed her three times, you pushed your luck already and you're sighing.'_

He rolled his eyes at me, _'It's nice and all… but if Mai just acknowledge it as something mild we did out of spontaneity, there is no meaning ne… Noll.'_

I frowned at him, ' _I think I lost you somewhere… your train of thought is incomprehensible.'_

He snorted, _'Aha ha ha… I'm so glad at least I am not as dense as you guys, at least one person figure it out. It's too sad if all of us are oblivious.'_

Was it just me or Gene was getting enigmatic, or he was getting dumber?

* * *

 **IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!** **IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!** **IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!** **IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!** **IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!** **IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!** **IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!** **IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!** **IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!** **IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!**

* * *

 **Basically... this focus on ROMANCE rather than action, so next is action. Yes... that's basically a harassment LOL** **(≧∇≦)/ But hey! It's cute and Mai is just... whatever, she can tolerate that much and she is sorry for making them worried sick of her. Gene is a genuine tease, typical nice guy who secretly very bold with the girl he likes. This is another point of 'similar but not the same' I want to emphasize between Davis twins. Both of them are curious individuals, and they 'like' teasing the girls they love, with different reasoning... Gene thinks Mai is adorable, in other hand Naru just find it 'fun' to get her riled up. So yeah... poor Mai to have both falling for her.**

 **It's hard to write story where relationship take this kind of 'harem' route but not looks cheap... =_=' no offense to harem story, but it tend to be harem just for the heck of it in fanfiction. It's hard to get a good one who get there with nice and careful plot.**

 **Since there is NO omake in this chap, it's long enough. A preview:**

 _In which... Mai is venting her frustration to unsuspecting spirit,  
once again only idiots follow Vongola to a hole,  
and Mai is right that IT'S ALL Matsuyama's fault, kind of...  
_

 **SO...**

 **My apologies for foolish worrying over writing crap for chapter 26... well... then again I was stressed.** **щ(ﾟДﾟщ) You see... I'm a victim of theft... conning, whichever the name. In which my rent for one year was stolen by mediator (she run away to who knows where with the money) so it was never paid to my landlady -who for the last two years was an unknown entity to me- for various reason. I found out she was prevented by this mediator from seeing me and my housemates.**  
 **(ToT) It's a SMALL world when turns out not only this broker my uncle's neighbor, her husband is close friend of my uncle too. They often babysit the kids too...  
The funny part is... I NEVER know this for two years. Then again who is interested in who lives next to your uncle anyway? **

**So I am writing this to take my mind off of this problem... and POAST, I am stuck in 4K! GAH! Give me inspiration for POAST! Someone... technically I know what I want to write but not how to write it DOWN. Damn it... this is all because I watched Psycho Pass and get hooked on LIFE IS DEEP indeed and philosophical debate. So I also quote Makishima somewhere up there... he he he...**


	29. Case 06, Part 05

**Case 06, Part 05**

Mai supposed Naru could slip in a moment of emergency too. Then again… paranormal investigator or not, she supposed Naru was never in 'real' dangerous emergency situation. There was that one time an evil spirit following him in Yuasa case, a genuine danger he dealt with stupidly because of his idle curiosity. One time Naru was completely thrown off of his game by mini earthquake in the old school building also counted.

It was all the matter of inexperience…

She had read about difference of paranormal entities on the west and east… demon existed but appeared rarely. Ghost in general was just there, popping up once in a while and cause poltergeist was the most harmful they could get. In short ghost in in this side of the world was more dangerous especially in country where faith in occult and old ways was strong.

So Naru in all his glory as Oliver Davis, up and coming researcher and Ghost Hunter of SPR could be excused for his slip up.

Such as letting her to sleep in Infirmary, one place she had warned him as dangerous place. Then again… she was mildly poisoned by formalin vapour and infirmary was nearest place with everything Ayako need to treat her. So… Mai would keep this slip up to herself and won't call Naru _and_ Gene out on it.

Still…

"Hm…" Mai hummed.

Ayako crossed her arms, "Just go to sleep already!"

How to get Ayako out of the room… hm~

BADUMP

Then she saw it, a vision of John and Yasuhara heading towards off limit place she had insisted them to not even try to get close. She sighed, seriously… she had warned them and yet. "Ayako-san."

"Yes?"

Mai glanced at the older woman and said, "Could you go to first floor printing room? Yasuhara-san and John are on the way there…"

Ayako blanched, "What are those idiots trying to do?!"

She smiled at her, "Well… you can ask them yourself, you just need to stop them from going in."

The miko nodded, "Alright! I will be back as soon as I can!" And with that she walked out of the infirmary and completely forgetting the place she just left was also a danger zone.

Looking at closed door, Mai sighed to herself as she sat up. "I wonder if this was what Reborn felt when we naively danced to his tune?" She wondered as she reached out for the ornamented box, pushing small amount of sky flame on the keyhole-shaped like one but actually flame scanner- and opened the lid.

Inside were eight white balls the size of marble with electric green orb that signified it was to be activated with lightning flame, it was a good thing she was the sky so she had no problem using flame tools of any kind. She held the them within her hands tightly, pushing enough flame then for activation.

She let them fell off of her hands and the balls stirred, the censor came to live and scanned the infirmary. Mai watched the balls shot up and latched to the eight corners of the room, green line shot to three direction and connecting the barrier.

"Well… let's just wait." She flopped herself down and it didn't take long for the lights to flicker on and off. "Aah… as soon as I'm alone they try to jump me."

These guys were really intending to get rid of her as soon as they could.

She turned to the side, recalling the 'ghost story' of infirmary room. The second innermost bed right beside the one she occupied, someone was sleeping on the bed. It was a human figure cocooned in the blankets.

A hint of smirk painted on her lips, "Hello monster-chan~"

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

By all right the spirit in infirmary was harmless, in a sense it was just appeared according to the students. It had not harmed anyone, but I doubted it would be as harmless to me. I sat up and it followed my example, mirroring my movement. I couldn't stop a smile from curving my lips.

"To be honest… I have no personal grudge against you." I began in cheery tone. "But you see…" I cupped my cheek, sighing exasperatedly. "Your friends is giving me hard time lately…"

The dog threw a desk at me.

The kids locked me up and suffocate me with formalin.

Then Sakauchi-kun's vision pulled me in and gave me a panic attack.

Not to mention…

My cheeks turned furious red as I recalled the kiss, or rather kisses… Taking advantage of a distraught girl to make fun of her! The nerve of them… Fine, I was sorry for scaring them out of their wits for disappearing, and I already said I was sorry! The worse thing was… I couldn't even get angry at them! They weren't as tough as our guardians so I couldn't get physical either! And like hell I would lecture them on making fun of me and kissing! It would be awkward, embarrassing and a losing battle…

Which was why I let Gene off of the hook… but Naru just had to deliver the finishing blow! No matter how nice they were about it…

SLAP!

I ignored the spirit who seemed to be torn whether it should slap its cheek too like I did. Snap out of it Mai! So what if the kisses were pleasant! If you let something like this get to you, Naru and Gene would gain upper hand in making fun of you! I need to focus! Get my mind off of those kisses… and how gentle they were even if they were just making fu-

"SO!" I pointed at the spirit who recoiled in shock. "I will vent my frustration on you!"

For a moment I swore it flailed as if trying to say, _'Why me?! I have nothing to do with your frustration!'_

"Well! You're just conveniently appeared! You're asking for it!" I shouted as I throw a bullet like flame at it.

It yelped when my flame bullet grazed its shoulder and dispersed. It was not gone yet for sure I could feel its presence within this thin darkness had diffused the room. I could not even see the shadow of anything. I hopped off of the bed and placed myself on the center of the room.. In normal situation placing myself on the center made me vulnerable but against a spirit… I didn't put it past spirit to ambush me through the wall.

I inhaled slowly and let my flame washed over me, feeling the familiar hum of power that dyed my hair in flame. I welcomed myself back to the world of serenity where noises ceased and everything was static…

"Hm?"

WHAM!

Knocking? From below? I jumped as my intuition told me, letting flame of sky flowed through my leg so I could hover a little above the floor. Then the floor collapsed harmlessly below me, the floor of infirmary crashed against the room below.

Gah! There was no way we could hide this mess! A hole on the wall? Just put an illusion over rushed job of patching! Ceiling? The same… the floor? That required real illusion for people to step on them constantly.

I landed softly on the floor, fuming silently. These spirits would get it!

"Hm?" There were soft noises sounded around me. It was like there were some small animals moving agitatedly around on the ground. I would know this, recalling one time when visiting Kyo-san's house he released his little critters all over the place, including his hedgedog!

Poor Hayato and Takeshi were limping for weeks because of that.

Still… in this infirmary it seemed the spirit was some sort of shape shifter. First it looked like human and then it took form of little critters with red eyes. I didn't see them actually I just imagining it, but I could hear the critters were coming closer to me, their numbers were increasing.

It was trying to surround me?

There was also strange coloured mist, miasma?

There was a soft slithering sound. It also took form of some sort of snake too perhaps? Well, surrounding me was not a bad idea if it was fight hand to hand combat with me, but on its state…

It was coming closer to me. It was already very near.

I swept my hands in wide sweeping motion, and wave of flame washed over the whole room, dyeing it in golden glow of sky flame. Inhuman howl of pain told me I had severely damage it and now even if I left it be, the flame would eat it up like fire met gasoline. It won't be able to escape…

I was mildly disappointed, it brought the whole floor down but it was only go as far as scaring me in the end. Should I climb up to that door above and let my flame finished it off? I hurriedly jumped up and climbed up the wall. After forcing the door open, I held on to the door frame and climbed up. At that moment, something grasped my foot.

I scowled and jumped down again, "Let go!" I swung my leg, throwing whatever grabbing me off of my leg. Then I threw my flame to where I sensed something was thrown off of my leg, I didn't know what I was burning but it was screaming in pain now.

Glaring at nothing in particular I stomped, sending small waves of sky flame from my foot and something shrieked again in pain. Whatever spirit inside this infirmary, it was dying now, it was rapidly losing energy and its presence was fading like flickering candle.

"Just die quietly already." I grumbled as I walked back to the door.

The sound of footsteps approached the door, "Mai?!" It was Naru's voice, he sounded he had run marathon from the other side of the building back to infirmary.

"Uh oh." Well at least this time the material damage was so not my fault!

His eyes widened as he took in at what state the infirmary and the room below ended up in span of twenty minutes he left me on my own device.

I lifted my head and looked up. I raised my hand sheepishly in greeting. "Yo, Naru!"

"What happened here?!" Naru looked stunned, and quickly extended a hand towards me. He glared at me, "You have to explain later!"

I rolled my eyes, "Yes, sir." I stretched my arm out towards Naru's, and then I sensed a presence behind Naru who was one feet inside the room. "Naru! Watch- Hmph!"

"Wha-"

It pushed him off towards me, and I stumbled to cushion his fall. Idly I couldn't help but think he was scrawny and lightly muscled unlike our guardians, this guy needed to eat more and exercise that heavier than lifting equipment. It didn't take long for him to regain his balance, Naru looked annoyed.

"Where is Matsuzaki-san?" He asked.

"Printing Room." I answered, tensing as I sensed presence of others approaching fast and-

BADUMP

I pushed Naru forward, "Get back up there! Quick!"

Sensing my distress he quickly climbed back up to the door and offered his hand to help me, I was about to take his hand but sensing a presence behind me I withdrew my hand and swept over entity I couldn't see. "Back off!" It was already on the verge of death –or second death- whichever and it wanted to take us down with it!

The room was shaking violently and sound of something cracking came from above. I looked up, and I saw the crack line on the edge. "Eh?" My eyes widened when I heard sound of feet landing and I saw Naru had foolishly jumped back down. "Baka!" Was all I could say when the ceiling slid down and Naru pulled me down.

This idiot never learned! I thought as I grabbed the back of his head and pulled, if he was planning to shield me with his body, he had another thing coming! My free hand shot up, there was not much time!

Then came an intense low pitched crashing sound, and I sensed the spirit flickered out of existence. Falling ceiling aside, at least I got rid of that damned evil spirit.

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

I could feel something warm beneath my cheek, and scent of amaryllis flower, mild, sweet and delicate. There was also faint smell of tea mixed in. I opened my eyes, but all I could see was faint white outline. Then I noticed a good part of my body was pressed against something warm and soft.

"You never learn." Familiar voice said. "Why did you keep following down to a hole? What are you, Alice in wonderland?"

I knew who could deliver that kind of remark after getting a ceiling falling on top of her, "Mai…" I pushed myself off of her, my eyes widened when I realized there was only small debris on my back. It didn't make sense, because the ceiling fell on top of us. I looked around and surprised to see there was a perfect circular hole on what left of the ceiling. The said circular hole also just happened to fit us, so we're mostly unharmed.

"Mai!"

That was Matsuzaki-san's shout. "We are fine." I shouted at them.

"Naru?! What happened?!" That was Lin, poking his head in.

"The ceiling collapsed. The floor also caved in. That's all." I answered as though nothing had happened; I was not going to enlighten them.

Then I heard a long sigh, and a growl. "How long do you intend to stay in this position?! Get off of me, NARU!" Mai snapped testily.

What was her problem? I thought as I stood up and Mai dusted her not so pristine white shirt, before marching towards the door of infirmary that was one level above us. I was about to help her to climb up but she jumped, both hands on the edge of the floor and flipped herself up to the door.

"Hmph!" She harrumphed before throwing one last glance at me and stuck her tongue out childishly. "Baka."

"Mai!"

* * *

 **SPR Base (3** **rd** **POV)**

Surprisingly for Mai and Naru their base was not only occupied by Tojo and Shima but also familiar red haired friend of theirs, who took one look at their dusty appearance and pulled first aid box out of nowhere. "Care to enlighten me, what the heck happened to you two? Hime? Naru?"

"It's not a big deal." Naru deadpanned.

Bou-san was about to retort when Shouichi beat him to it. "What do you call a 'no big deal'?! I heard something crashing just now and the only reason I was not running there is because I know you're going to return to the base!"

Naru sighed, "Shouichi… I don't think-"

"Of course you don't!" Shouichi pulled him down to sit on nearest chair. "Hime! You too…"

Mai groaned, "I am sorry… I will get this scratches fixed now."

Ayako pulled her to another chair, "And you're not fixing it yourself!" She grumbled, "How did you escape that with small scratches? You must be so lucky but it doesn't excuse your tendency of jumping to danger and Naru following you straight to it!"

"To be fair! I got him back up before the ceiling fall but he jumped down again!" Mai glared at Naru.

"And letting that ceiling fall on top of you? Even though that type of ceiling- ouch!" He cut himself off when Shouichi not so gently rubbed alcohol on the bruise on his hand. "Shouichi!"

The red haired scientist's eyes narrowed behind his glasses, "I don't give shit on who is the idiot in this incident! You guys are both trouble magnet! If you two don't shut up I will call Hayato and inform him what just happened."

That shut both of them up. They didn't need Hayato coming down on them via video call with righteous fury too.

Naru sighed, "Anyway… the ceilings of this type of buildings are only made up of soft wooden boards…"

Shouichi snorted, "Lucky you then…"

Yasuhara piped in, "Anoo… this is perhaps not the right time, but… are you Irie Shouichi?"

He nodded, "Yes…"

Yasuhara squealed like a fanboy and rushed to grab a paper and a paperclip, "I am your fan! The music you compose to stimulate brain is a masterpiece that help my study! Please give me your autograph!"

Shouichi absentmindedly accepted the paper and signed his name. "Okay."

"You did that kind of research too?" Naru raised an eyebrow.

"In my spare time…" He drawled, "You know our policy, if you holed yourself in your lab more than three days you would be kicked out regardless of the deadline of your project." So he needed something to do outside and it was music.

Mai rolled her eyes, "Don't make it sounds like it's an unreasonable rule, mister-I fell asleep in the middle of changing clothes- and record holder of drowning himself in bathtub."

"Hime!" Shouichi flushed a furious red.

Bou-san chimed in, "Uhm… who is this boy again? Naru-bou's friend?" He queried. "I think we saw you on video call before."

Yasuhara was appalled, "Didn't you say you're a bassist?! Where did you live all this time, Takigawa-san? Under a rock?!"

"Hey!"

Shouichi laughed sheepishly. "I don't think I am famous enough to be known by anyone in music field… I compose song with music software even though I can play guitar." He cleared his throat, "I am Irie Shouichi… I'm the head of IT and Robotic development division of V.G corps…"

Bou-san whistled, "You're so young… How did you know Naru-bou?"

Naru was almost worried how Shouichi was going to answer, "We met few years ago~ Thinking about it again, I couldn't help but wonder… maybe I wasn't thinking straight when I decide to befriend him." He laughed at nothing in particular. "Then again I had a bad gastric problem that time I see pass his charming personality." He said sarcastically.

Just like that Ayako and Bou-san was distracted by the part Shouichi wondering why he befriended Naru and not the detail of their first meeting.

Crisis avoided Naru remembered something very important, "Care to enlighten us why you stayed in infirmary? Knowing you Mai, I am sure you can escape infirmary before the floor collapsed."

Mai averted her eyes nervously, and by coincidence locking eyes with Masako who was still sulking and obviously her mood was not getting better after she got an eyeful of Naru and Mai's compromising position. Masako was staring at her in annoyance; she was openly upset about it and showed her further displeasure with huffing and turning her face away.

She had been said to have saint like patience only her brother could beat, but she was getting annoyed with Masako's attitude. It was an emergency situation and she didn't ask the idiot to jump after her!

"Mai!"

"I had it!" She answered bluntly and clamped her mouth shut.

Silence…

Judging from displeasure in Naru's and Shouichi's face, it was wiser to just spill instead of keeping her mouth shut. "I am really sorry… my temper get the better of me. I mean… that dog spirit threw a desk at me…"

Mai knew she was openly sulking like a petulant child but she was being honest!

"Then the children spirit from LL classroom locked me up and tried to suffocate me with formalin." She continued on.

That was strike two.

"And then the spirit in infirmary appeared to mess with me too…" A tick grew on her temple. "I have my limit too… so I…"

Shouichi paled, "Uhm… the collapsed floor and ceiling…"

"Not me!" Mai shouted indignantly. "That's totally not my fault."

"If you say so Hime…" Shouichi didn't look convinced. "Well… I believe I won't see anything worse than what happened in our last Christmas or last vacation in Southern Island..."

Mai glared at him. "Neither of those involved me, get your fact straight! Well… the last one kinda my fault for not keeping an eye on Onii-chan… Let's just talk about the present!"

Bou-san sighed, "Oh well… but this mean the one in Infirmary is the worse if it destroy the room it occupied. Does the spirit is still there or it escape somewhere else? If we disturb that one again… I think this school wouldn't need major renovation but complete rebuilding."

"You don't have to worry about it." Mai informed him in cheery voice.

Masako blinked at that then closed her eyes, "Oh… the one in infirmary disappeared."

Naru's eyes widened, _'Gene…'_

 _'_ _Mai is right… there is not even a trace of it left, what did she do?!'_ Gene sounded panic. _'It's just gone all of a sudden, I didn't even notice until she told us!'_

Shouichi sighed, "Hime… please don't look so pleased with yourself, you do know when you or your brother go off to vent your frustration the result is never pretty…" Shouichi finished nervously. "Well… all things considered, two half-demolished rooms are pretty mild."

Silence…

"I have all right to feel pleased with myself." Mai insisted almost petulantly. "It's asking for it."

They were curious but no one dared to ask, except one brave soul called Oliver Davis. "What did you do?"

Mai smirked, the unsettling smirk that would send chill down the spine even the most hardened Mafioso she learned from her tutor. "Exorcising it in the _most_ _painful_ way I know…" She was almost purring when emphasizing the word pain.

Shouichi just shrugged, the _'You're an idiot for asking that'_ shrug Naru knew so well after years of friendship with Irie Shouichi. She answered his question for the heck of it without giving detail and in the process scaring them out of their wits to not even dare to ask further.

 _'_ _Uhm… Noll, is it just me or perhaps she is venting on that spirit because we kissed her without warning?'_

 _'_ _Maybe.'_ Naru rolled his eyes, _'Like she ever ask for permission to start the greeting kiss tradition with me.'_

Gene pouted, _'To be fair you_ never _complain!'_

Naru slammed a mental barrier over his memory, damn Gene…

"At any rate~" Mai was humming now, and Naru was secretly glad the spirit took the brunt of her frustration. "What are we going to say to our client?"

Silence…

"Uhm, can you fix the room then? Jou-chan? Or hide it?!" Bou-san squeaked.

Mai rolled her eyes, "The problem is… the infirmary is –or was- on second floor, a wall missing can be easily hidden but how do you suppose we fix a missing floor or hiding a surface people walked on constantly?" Mai pointed out. "We ask the principal to close the Infirmary… but at day students are still using the room. Especially if tomorrow other large spirits acted up again, we can't stop them from using that broken room."

Naru sighed at that, "Beside… if the spirit is already capable of destruction at that scale, hiding it from the faculty members is just going to make them more ignorant."

Bou-san sighed exasperatedly, "But still… this is even worse than giant dog and falling lights." If the building collapsed, the students couldn't run. "For a spirit to make an entire ceiling collapse like that, weak beams and soft wood or not," Monk said.

"So this spirit is more powerful than what you usually encounter," Yasuhara said thoughtfully, to which Bou-san nodded in confirmation.

Inwardly both Mai and Shouichi thought, _'It's just two or three room missing floor and ceiling...'_ Considering misfire in their family resulted in rebuilding of several room usually, the damage to Ryokuryo was like a slap to the wrist. Not to mention if the one who misfired was Tsuna…

The missing half of Mafia Land's mountain came to mind, followed by several perfect circle holes and craters.

Shouichi glanced at Naru, ' _Come to think of it, Noll is also a walking disaster.'_ In smaller scale than Tsuna but still one nonetheless.

"But what's more alarming is its brutality," Bou-san added. "I mean… they feel threatened by Mai and took turns to go after her relentlessly, and even on the verge of dead… it tried to drag Mai and Naru-bou with it."

Rather than brutal Mai thought they were just persistent.

Ayako nodded, "Does anyone else think this is weird? It would take an incredible amount of power for a spirit to-"

Badump!

Mai, Naru and Gene then saw it…

 _'_ _It hatched.'_

"It has hatched." Mai said softly.

"Hatched?"

Everyone turned to her and Mai ignored them, focusing on the vision that dominated their thought through their psychic link. "It just hatched," She said to no one in particular.

Naru stayed quiet, Gene was relaying what they sensed from the supernatural entities in Ryokuryo. No wonder Mai and Gene called it disgusting, it was sickening sight… like deformed fetus tainted with evil beating like a pulsing heart.

They waited for Mai to elaborate.

 **"It's been asleep up to this point**..." Mai said, her voice overlapped with Gene's on Naru's mind.

Both of them were on trance. **"After it finished absorbing enough power it hatched..."**

Mai could feel the pulse was getting worse, in fact because one of them who were the largest was gone… it spurred the remaining to grow stronger, to eat and devour… more! More! Their pulse seemed to say that.

 **"And now… no one will be able to stop it** …"

Naru sighed as he walked on, while Mai ignored their rain of questions on what the heck she was talking about. "It's exactly like what Mai said… it seems our presence alone spurred them on to live… like restless beast eating greedily to prepare facing the incoming disaster."

Mai nodded, "This is already out of hand…"

Shouichi frowned at them, "Why such a dangerous haunted site is not sealed yet? Does the school want casualties?"

Yasuhara gritted his teeth. "Maybe that's exactly what our teachers are waiting for…" Injured students had escalated in number and they were still stubbornly holding on to their pride!

"The school will have a lot to say about that." Bou-san pointed out. "About closing the school I mean…"

Naru sighed, "This place is already on their last leg…"

Mai narrowed her eyes, "Still… going to report this without anything to back us up is like asking them to kick us out of here."

Yasuhara paled at that, "But if they do that… it's like sentencing us students to death! You guys stopped us from doing Orikiri-sama! Convincing principal to make dangerous spot off limits! If you guys stop here… we…!"

"This is why… We have to figure out something by tonight." Mai pointed out. "At least to make them hesitate to kick us out."

Naru closed his eyes briefly, _'Gene… you went away before the infirmary collapse, do you find anything new?'_

 _'_ _Yes… but I am not sure of the relevance.'_ Gene admitted.

 _'_ _Whatever it is, just tell me!'_ Naru insisted.

Gene hesitated before he sent Naru and Mai too, a vision of a foggy shrine with old torii gate and fox statues on both side. _'I found it when tracing a thin line of summoning magic from Orikiri-sama, it seems not all students heed our advice… but thanks to that I can track it down to that shrine.'_

 _'_ _What a shrine… a supposedly sacred place has anything to do with Orikiri-sama? It's obviously not a séance with a god.'_ Naru pointed out.

"Shouldn't the danger imposed by these spirits enough to make them to keep us here?" Ayako drawled on with a huff. "I mean… we're obviously doing something for this school! If anything it's Matsuyama that should be kicked out! He has done nothing but bothering us!"

"Didn't he shut up when you told him you're a doctor too?" Masako recalled.

She nodded, "Yeah… what a pathetic man, to be so weak in face of power and pedigree… with that attitude I am surprised no one tried to kill him yet or at least sock him on the face."

Mai perked up at that, "Oh… speaking of trying to kill Matsuyama…"

She started with a morbid idea to begin her sentence, Mai really hated Matsuyama. They couldn't help but thought.

"I had a dream of Sakauchi-kun's room." Mai looked up thoughfully. "And there is this old book on Onmyoudou… Chinese one in his room, it looks really worn and there is new torn page on chapter about Suzhou."

At that Lin stood up abruptly. "Suzhou?! You mean… this boy was dabbling in dark arts?!"

Mai nodded, "It's my intuition talking but… Sakauchi-kun, he is a person that strongly driven by his interest. He is pretty smart, not academic smart, but he is obviously good in kanji… English and I think he most likely learn Chinese too by himself."

Yasuhara jumped in, "I heard this from his fellow club members! Sakauchi-kun is average academically but he is very good in calligraphy because of his interest in onmyoudoy and Taoism! He learns an extra length for fields related to paraphsychology!" Then Yasuhara quieted down. "Uhm… what else? His artwork in art club, his senior also said… he is meticulous in his art style. Sakauchi-kun's greatest strength and weakness is… he likes to do complicated work, something new and revolutionary. Sometimes it turns out good but most of the time he mess his work up…"

Lin looked pale, "He didn't sound like someone I would want to get anywhere near Suzhou art…" He turned to face Mai, he looked almost panic. "Erm… do you know what the page he tore from the book is about? Sawada-san?"

Mai shook her head, and then she blanched. "Uhm… I am sure it's not anything related to hitogata, but… when I skim through the book I think he tore two to three pages from separated chapter… both are about Suzhou but…"

It didn't take a genius to put two and two together…

Lin voiced it out. "So most likely Sakauchi-kun is mixing two or more type of Suzhou curse… what recklessness of an amateur! And he committed suicide most likely-"

Naru went on, "He lit the sparks, and saw the sparks light a fire, then sought his own death… that explained his guilt and delirious state of his spirit."

The amber eyed girl narrowed her eyes at that, "Would you like me to…"

"Absolutely not." Naru hissed. "You're not using post-cognition on Sakauchi-kun's spirit…"

"Hime!" Shouichi scowled, "You have done enough recklessness for one night! In fact you have reached your quota!"

Since when did she has a quota for recklessness? "Fine… but we still have to know what kind of Suzhou! Gee… at this rate the spirits here would continue to consume each other, and if it gets to the last survivor… it will be too stro-"

 **"** **What did you say?!"**

Mai cringed when she heard three voices –Naru, Lin, and Gene (mentally) shouted at her in unison. "Uhm… they'll continue consuming each other until the last one remain?" Mai rephrased, but that was the gist of what she said.

Shouichi's left eye twitched, _'Hime… you did it again.'_

Naru and Lin looked shaken and Mai guessed, Gene too. "How can that be?" Naru seemed to ask himself. "I should have noticed! Your brother told me already…"

Mai and her brother had offered the clue in silver platter since day one!

She blinked in confusion. "About the coliseum impression he got about Ryokuryo?"

In the background Yasuhara asked Bou-sana and Shouichi about 'impression' Mai and Naru were talking about. Then they explained Hyper Intuition tend to give impression in parable to describe a haunted site. Ryokuryo was a jungle full of beast and a coliseum for some reason to Mai and Tsuna.

"You and your brother are looking at half of the picture Ryokuryo is." Naru explained to Mai who was still very confused. "We're up against a kodoku using spirits!"

"Kodoku?" Mai echoed, "Is it a Suzhou hex?"

"A zuhzou hex," Naru confirmed, "A curse that dates back to ancient China… It's been thought to be extinct for years now. Zuhzou normally use hitogata, talismans, and other charms to curse, but some can use living creatures. That is a kodoku." Naru went on.

"Usually an insect is used. One known as a 'Golden Silkworm', but exactly what type of bug that is still remains a mystery. Worms and centipedes are also commonly used. They take the bugs and place them inside a pot, and then bury the pot in the earth. Several months later, they dig it up. What remains is a single bug that has devoured the others. The curse is performed with this lone survivor…"

Bou-san piped in, "You mean… the eating each other part is what Mai's impression is hinting at… in a jungle, or any wilderness… there is an established food chain."

"Coliseum…" John murmured, "An ancient battle arena to decide the strongest… Tsunayoshi-san's clue is about the 'last survivor' part… the bug who won the survival battle."

Mai swallowed, survivor… that explained the allegories they had. "What would they do with the last bug?" She asked.

Naru inhaled slowly. "The bug takes possession of the house owned by the person being cursed… or rather the one who perform the curse and brings in an enormous amount of wealth. However, in return, a human must be sacrificed for the curse to continue. If not, the bug will devour the homeowner."

That was eerily alike with something else she knew, the sacrificed for the curse part.

Naru put his file down on the desk. "If one is unable to feed the bug, they must exchange all of the wealth the bug has produced, plus interest for gold and silver, and leave it in the road. It's called the Golden Silkworm Transfer."

"But if it's laying in the road then what's stopping someone from just taking it for themselves?" Mai asked, not liking the idea of passing over the curse they started. "Isn't that mean… whoever takes it…"

"Whoever takes it will see the money but never really know what they have," Ayako continued. "And obviously…"

Bou-san shuddered, "Their demise is not pretty, get eaten by a bug."

"This same idea can also be used as a death curse," Naru said. "You preform the kodoku curse and send the bug along with some gold and silver to someone you despise. They don't understand its meaning, neglect to feed the bug, and are devoured in the process."

Mai glanced around warily, "The barrier... cannibalizing… this is too much of coincidence to be waived off as something accidental."

Naru nodded, "Sakauchi-kun most likely knows about the history of Ryokuryo but… considering his current, I don't think he did this to terrorize the school."

Lin sighed, "Perhaps he thought the spirits would eat each other peacefully like in original Kodoku, forgetting the part his fellow schoolmates are staying in the same pot… this pot of kodoku spirit is not buried on earth."

Bou-san chimed in, "Regardless of what he had in mind… by the time just one spirit is remaining, the school that it has taken possession of it will have to feed it just like the homeowner does, right?!" He reminded them the worse part of this curse.

"Now hold on," Ayako protested.

"But that's how it works!" The monk said. "If it's not fed then the homeowner is eaten."

"But it's different in this case," John interupted. "Who would the homeowner be? I mean… Sakauchi-kun technically prepared the props but-"

"Probably the students that summoned the spirits," Naru said.

Mai turned to face Yasuhara, "Then they would get killed for something they didn't even aware of!" She turned towards Lin, "Is there anything we can do?"

He looked hesitant but calm. "Kodoku is a form of cursing that is considered to be lost among parapsychologists. In my entire career I've never even heard anyone coming across one," Lin admitted, recalling his years as Omyouji. "Breaking the curse would not be too difficult. But… without clear purpose of this curse known to me, like… to kill particular person for example… Then there would be only two distinct ways to deal with problem."

"Transferring it to someone, or giving in and feeding it," Naru finished out.

"Right."

Mai scowled, "That's not a solution…"

Bou-san eyed her sceptically, "Uhm… Mai-chan, and Naru-bou too… don't kill me but hear me out first." The mentioned teens eyed him back, eyebrows raised. "There is the straightforward way… just exorcise the remaining spirits, ne?"

Mai laughed but there was no mirth, "Bou-san… are you suggesting me to take them on?"

Naru glared at him murderously, and Bou-san flailed. "I mean… her familiar spirit! Or whatever they are!"

Mai raised an eyebrow at that, "You want me to pit my familiar spirits as you put it against the three remaining summoned spirits?"

A hand grabbed his shoulder and when he turned, Takigawa Houshou was scared out of his wits when he saw murderous aura Irie Shouichi emitted. "My! My! What a foolish idea you're trying to put in our princess's mind…" He cackled evilly.

"Gyaa! I am just suggesting! I am not pushing her to anything!" He cried.

Shouichi chuckled darkly, "Maybe a few hours in my glass house and accompanying my giant venus flytrap will clear your mind off of foolish ideas…"

And they thought at least they had met someone harmless from Mai's family, this one was dangerous too!

"Go for it Shouichi." Naru encouraged him.

No wonder they were best friends!

"Shouichi!" Mai sweat-dropped. "I am not going to even consider that idea… don't scare Bou-san, please. You're going to give him nightmares!"

Shouichi beamed, "I am just joking!"

That was definitely a lie! He was not joking at all!

Mai laughed again, "That's one fine idea… seriously Bou-san." Shouichi glared again. "A fine idea if you don't mind we demolish the school in the process."

Silence…

All of them minus Naru and Shouichi gave her 'are you serious' look.

"Totally…" She answered their silent question. "If I unleash them I think between them and the remaining violent spirits in Ryokuryo, there wouldn't be anything left standing once we're through… and no matter how good Takeshi and Fran at cover up and clean up. Keeping a school that is demolished overnight is impossible…"

They gaped at her revelation, and Mai continued on as if she had not said anything surprising.

"Material damage aside… having a spirit showdown in a school full of students is a bad idea." Mai finished. "Don't you think?"

Ayako raised her hand, "Uhm… Bou-san's stupid idea aside, didn't that mean exorcism is also out of question if it drives the spirit to rampage?"

"It's already out of option since day one." Naru pointed out. "In a sense the curse of Kodoku compels the spirits to do anything to survive and cannibalize each other… I think Mai's success in exorcising the spirit in Infirmary is because they saw her as a threat to Kodoku ritual. They prioritize getting rid of her and now… they failed they switch to plan B…"

Mai sighed, "They had been eating in faster rate since then… they're adapting very fast. The spirits are doing everything they could to complete the kodoku." She glanced at Lin, "As our expert said… this not the matter or whether we can beat the spirit anymore, brute force is no longer an option…"

Naru narrowed his eyes, "Do we keep any paper of Orikiri-sama with us?" He wondered.

Ayako and John glanced at their resident Monk, "He confiscated and personally rip every Orikiri-sama charm he came across."

"I understand your feeling but… you should saved one intact for investigation."

Bou-san rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry…"

"Come to think of it again…" Mai trailed off. "Have Lin-san informed on procedure of Orikiri-sama?"

Silence…

Lin was ticked, he was the expert in magic in SPR and yet they kept him out of the loop again. His presence was thin but keeping him informed was the least they should do! "So… what is the procedure? It's unique in comparison of the usual Kokkuri-san, and…?"

Yasuhara became thoughtful, recalling the game he had done only once and two months ago. "Hm… the paper is different, the incantation too… and there is the rule we can only use it once and we have to bury the used paper."

Lin had a very bad feeling, as if an amateur playing around with complicated curse was not bad enough. "The paper is different… what you can recall of the different part?"

Mai was the one who answered, she had confiscate one paper yesterday from a group of girls and after taking a good look on them passing it back for them to tear it themselves. So her memory of the charm was still fresh. "It has the alphabet, numbers, and the yes and no like usual Kokkuri-san. However instead of Torii gate in the middle… Orikiri has a stick human figure and two line beside it… left is number in kanji but I don't remember the number and on the right is worm like script… then the most distinguishing pattern a circle made up of the word '鬼' Oni…"

Lin groaned, if Sakauchi had not died yet Lin would kill the brat himself. "Either this boy is extremely creative or foolish." He would be a fine hexer with proper training. "Yasuhara-san… Orikiri-sama, the name comes from the incantation I guess?" The Kaichou nodded. _"_ _'_ _on, orikiritei, meiritei, meiwayashimaire, sowaka'…"_

His eyes widened in recognition. "Yes! That's the incantation!"

"And the place to bury the used paper is under a shrine?" Lin continued.

"Yes… there is a nearby shrine where everyone buries the paper…"

Mai piped in, "Is it a small shrine with fox statues and a tori gate?"

"You know?" Yasuhara looked surprised.

Mai groaned, _'Aaah… why I have to be the one who take credit for this kind of thing?!'_

Naru's left eye twitched, _'That answer why when you traced the link, it led you to a shrine.'_

 _'_ _Yes… Lin doesn't look so good.'_ He didn't look different but Gene could tell Lin was furious.

The leader of SPR sighed, "One way or another… we have to do something, Lin."

"Hai?"

"Since this is a Suzhou, I believe you can do something about it?" That was not a question.

Lin nodded, "Since this is a Suzhou… breaking it would be simple however, in this case." He turned to Yasuhara. "Do you know what we have here, Yasuhara-san?"

The Kaichou shook his head but he had a feeling he won't like what Lin was going to say. "No."

"If you wish for madness, bury it the crossing of paths…" He recited, "If you wish to kill, bury it beneath the shrine."

Yasuhara's eyes widened, "You mean… all this time we're… assisting a murder attempt?!"

Lin nodded, he was not going to sugarcoat something on this scale. "Hai… and on top of that once the victim dies, the next victim would be…"

He swallowed; it was easy to put two and two together. "Us… the homeowners, who call the spirits forth to this school…"

The SPR unofficial members minus Masako began to argue in the background, as they realized the students were no longer collateral victim but soon they would be inevitable victim to the curse.

"Ne, Lin-san…" Yasuhara began, "I am an amateur in curse and magic… but from what I see… even if you break the curse it won't be without consequence for us who start the curse, right?"

Lin and Naru exchanged glance, Yasuhara was sharp so there was no point hididng the inevitable from him. "By tomorrow… if you manage to secure a paper of Orikiri-sama, we will know who the intended victim of this curse is. I said breaking it, but a curse is not something you can stop…"

Naru continued, "It's either not starting it at all or finish it."

"So what we have as a solution to save the victim is… turning the curse back to its hexer." Lin finished.

In short… turning this horrible curse back to over six hundred students of Ryokuryo.

Mai gritted her teeth, "Is there no other way at all, Lin-san? Naru?"

"There is transferring it to someone else like ordinary Kodoku, or give in and feed it." Lin informed her. "However… this spirit Kodoku, I don't think the first choice is optional…"

Because those options required the Kodoku to be completed, and it would kill its intended victim first and by that point… the school would be a battlefield for three way battle between remaining spirits.

Yasuhara stepped forward. "I have one more question, if you turn the curse back to us what will happen to us?" He asked with firm determination.

Naru was the one who answered him, "Since you didn't cast it alone, the curse in theory would split among six hundreds of you and considerably weakened…"

In theory, but there was no telling whether it would really weakened by one per six hundred or how bad it would be even if they suffered miniscule amount of the original curse.

"Is it alright for me to assume, if we let the curse be… the intended victim will die horribly?" Yasuhara continued.

Naru didn't sugarcoat his answer, "The victim will die in the most brutal manner."

Yasuhara nodded then he bowed deeply, "In that case… we student of Ryokuryo will take responsibility of our action. Our ignorance is not an excuse… please turn the curse back."

Mai stood up abruptly from her seat. "Alright… that's enough, don't be hasty. We don't even have the curse paper to confirm the victim…"

The dark haired scientist snorted, "Mai… you of all people already know who is the victim."

Yasuhara rose from his bow, "I also have figured it out… in fact I think everyone in this school could tell easily." He inhaled slowly, "I am not a dog… one line that echoed deeply to us."

Bou-san swallowed, "Could it be… Matsuyama?!"

"Obviously…" Naru grunted.

Yasuhara smiled, a strained smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I think why this curse is so successful even though Sakauchi-kun is an amateur is because… deep down we're thinking the same thing as him. We harbored the same negative feelings towards our school… especially Matsuyama. Maybe that's also why Orikiri-sama is popular…"

"Yasuhara-san?" Mai's eyes widened. "Don't tell me… the curse… it's addictive?"

Lin looked shocked at that, "What?"

Ayako narrowed her eyes, "Ah… I am no expert in curse but I did hear some curse, especially one that expresses one's negative feeling makes the hexer feels good."

That was why curse was a forbidden art; it was no different than drugs. In fact once… she was called in by a friend because her coworkers fell to curse in short period of time. Ayako didn't even have to be a detective to find the hexer, aided by her tree spirit -in which one life tree happened to be around- she found the culprit quickly. At first the culprit just cursed the coworkers she really hated for bullying, but then feeling of superiority over human life and satisfaction from revenge intoxicate her mind to the point even smallest reason like ignoring her earned people around her hostility enough to be targeted as the next victim.

"There is a case like that…" Ayako sighed. "I almost wonder if they're stupid or what considering I still catch some girls doing Orikiri-sama today after so much warning…"

"Me too." Bou-san cringed, followed by John who raised his hand timidly.

Yasuhara smiled sadly, "Isn't that the more reason for us to take responsibility?"

Mai narrowed her eyes, "Still… while taking responsibility is admirable and noble of you. Yasuhara-san… Do you have right to decide that for over six hundreds of students even though you're their leader? All of you could end up dead, what Naru said about the curse weakening because the brunt would be shared between six hundreds of you is merely a theory…"

"…"

"Do you have enough resolution to go through with this? Taking responsibility of your action that was born out of ignorance, deciding that fate for your friends?" Mai pressed on.

Yasuhara tensed for a moment, he was hesitating before he clenched his fist. "I _am_ the president of student council of Ryokuryo, I maybe the top student of this school but I was given this position because my friends… junior and senior voted for me. They believe in me… and I believe we have to take responsibility of our action. All of us _hates_ Matsuyama, enough to the point some of us thinks it's better if he just disappear… but that's wrong! He is not someone we will mourn even if he died a horrible death, but I am not going to let myself and the rest of student body to be responsible for his death! We're a better person than he is! I believe my friends would refuse to stoop as low as that!"

He was panting now, and Yasuhara was tempted to cry now. Even if it was Matsuyama, he and his friends had unknowingly helping to kill that bastard. He couldn't even hate Sakauchi who started everything, obviously the fact the boy had taken his own life was enough telling Sakauchi only wanted to hurt Matsuyama and no one else. Hell! Once in a while he was tempted to throttle Matsuyama himself, Sakauchi just happened to choose the wrong method and lacking his self-control.

Foolishness of youth indeed.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

He looked up and shocked to see Sawada Mai was clapping with a soft smile on her lips. "As expected of you Yasuhara-san, you're a devoted and resolute leader." She complimented him. "Still… it would be a shame to let this case to end like this so-" She turned towards Naru. "This case… it's not like my family have no say in this at all, after all we have involved this far so… will you let us to have say too?"

As if on cue her phone started to ring, she looked once at the name flashing on the screen before handing her phone to Naru. He took one look at the ringing phone and sighed exasperatedly before he picked it up. "Moshi-moshi… what a time to call, Tsunayoshi-san."

Tsuna was not even surprised Naru was the one picking his call. _"It seems the case in Ryokuryo is escalating from bad to worst..."_

Naru narrowed his eyes, supposedly Tsuna had returned to Italy but he knew… through his psychic link with Mai most likely. "Hai."

 _"And I am sure… at this point you already know why I want you to take this case, it's not for mere altruistic purpose in my part."_

If you already guessed that much, just get on with it. If he was an ordinary person, Naru would be tempted to say something along that line.

 _"And… surely you have find a way, perhaps not something you're sure 100% would work but will end this case with casualties as minimum as possible if not at all."_

This guy!

"I am flattered of your expectation of me." Which was borderline freaky rather than assuring in Naru's book. "For someone who just met me twice…"

Tsuna just laughed, _"If you're not capable of that much my sister wouldn't trust you so much… and if you choose the easy way to end this case, you'll lose that trust."_

Naru's eyes widened in shock, but since his back was facing the rest of his team no one saw his expression.

 _"That's why I trust you, simply because I have faith in Mai's judgment…"_ That was what Tsuna would say, Giotto thought. _"So Shibuya Kazuya, no… Oliver Davis and Eugene Davis."_

Naru and Gene were startled he was addressing both of them.

 _"How do you want to solve this case? The way my sister would approve for you to do?"_ he asked, or rather challenged them.

This was the real test.

"Naru?" Mai noticed his body language was odd, tense and… expectant.

He turned around and stared at her long and hard. Swallowing he answered, "We will do the best for everyone involved in this case… " He whispered to the phone. "So no one will suffer anymore…"That was what Mai would have wanted, what he would try his best to achieve as a Ghost Hunter.

He could almost hear the smile from the other end.

" _Very well… then my family,  
 **our** family will lend you a hand to solve this case.  
Oliver Davis-hakase."_

* * *

 **Since I have reviewers said Yasuhara's spotlight is taken by Mai... I need to write his awesomeness here! Yasuhara you rocks!  
I am SO worried to put a scene of Yasu and Irie in the same room!  
Because... in my head their image overlap a lot SO it's a challenge for me!** （‐＾▽＾‐）  
 **Anyway... next chapter is more on awesomeness of trolling and analysis...  
NEXT chapter: In which faculty members of Ryokuryo have a taste of their own medicine, NO ONE cares about Matsuyama and Yamamoto pop in to give life advice to a very DEAD Sakauchi-kun. **

**Anyway... I writing this side by side with POAST and still stuck on POAST with 8K so I feel like running away ε=ε=ε=┌(;*´Д`)ﾉ and,  
yell (*ﾟﾉOﾟ)GAAAAH! This is why I stop promising when to update!  
**

 **On update of my situation... not the best but getting better, at least we strike a good deal with our landlady.**


	30. Case 06, Part 06

**_Case 06, Part o6_**

 **Day 04, Ryokuryo High**

"Oi, Irie is asleep in the middle of stirring his coffee." Bou-san shouted in shock. "Is he alright?!"

Bou-san pointed at Irie Shouichi who was standing with one hand gripping a spoon, drooling and snoring as resting his head on a table, a cup of lukewarm coffee was forgotten not far from his face.

Naru cracked one eye open at his friend, and said. "At least his head is not on nearest water source." He recalled how often he and Gene had to check on Shouichi constantly during his stay in their house because Shouichi had a habit of falling face first on water basin, and let the water running. People usually would be wide awake when their face hit cold water, but not Shouichi.

It was by sheer miracle this guy had not died yet considering his bad habit and his sleep deprivation inducing profession.

"Naru-bou! Is that how you treat your friend?! He has bad stomachache to boot when he woke up! I saw him clutching his stomach!"

Naru was unperturbed, "That's also nothing to worry about, he has gastric problem since forever…"

Bou-san couldn't help but think, _'No wonder Naru-bou of all people is the least affected by insanity called family by Mai-chan.'_ He had been exposed to them for who knows since when, even before he met Mai.

John laughed sheepishly, "By the way… this morning the teachers and Kochou-sensei looked pretty green when they saw what left of infirmary."

Ayako snorted, "Of course… and I am not surprised if Matsuyama is going to harp on and on it's our fault. Let them have their meeting, it's not like they will kick us out if they have any decency once they listen to what we're going to enlighten them…"

Masako narrowed her eyes, "If they even going to listen at all."

The miko growled, "They better of listening, it's the life of six hundred kids we're fighting for here…"

The door opened and relieved looking Mai came in with Takeshi who was carrying a box full of paper and books in tow. "I get everything from his house! We can proceed." She said as stepped inside the room and straight at Naru but paused midway to snap her fingers at sleeping Shouichi's forehead. "Wake up! If you want to sleep do it in a couch, Shouichi!"

The mechanic woke up groggily, "Hai…" Before walked like a zombie to the said couch, fell on his knees and fell head first on the couch.

"Shouichi…"

The red head sleepily corrected his position and continued his much needed sleep.

Then as if she just remembered, Mai added quickly. "Don't disturb him or even try to wake him up… he is cranky if people he didn't know well wake him up."

"Cranky is an understatement." Naru interjected, "Try went off of his handle…"

Mai snorted at that.

Bou-san smiled softly, _'So… he is not an ice cube after all, he cares enough to know his friend like how a good friend would.'_

Ayako echoed the sentiment, out loud. "Hee… Naru, you care enough to get to know your friend after all." She snickered.

"How well I know my friend is a product of inevitability." Naru responded coolly. "I'm very observant unlike some people."

Mai just laughed at his respond. "Naru… you really…" She shook her head exasperatedly.

Bou-san groaned, _'To think… for a moment I think I misjudge this ice cube brat!'_

* * *

 **Afterschool (Naru's POV)**

As expected, it was almost sad how their so called meeting went on as we predicted. They remained very stubborn about not closing the school. Matsuyama, the monkey insinuated that we had purposely caused the floor to collapse. We have warned them many times that the situation in the school was very dangerous, and that if the investigation was not allowed to continue the danger would escalate, they refused to agree. The morning meeting of theirs… which took three whole hours in the end concluded with "Cease the investigation, so please leave."

It was fine for them to decide kicking us out… after all the investigation had ended as we hold all the clues to solve the mystery already but I wasn't going to inform them that yet. We still could proceed with our plan to break the curse anyway, however that was not a permanent solution…

The curse still had a tight grip in the hearts of their students, and no matter how much we wanted to get rid of the curse completely. Hunting down every single paper in Ryokuryo was not possible. In the end the source of this curse was not Sakauchi alone, but the school and its system.

They should have solved their own problem, fix their own system… they should have. But… it won't happen anytime soon and who knows when second kodoku would start in this school if we let them be in this spiritually enclosed location.

So we offered them one last thing, "We ask you for your time afterschool… we need to talk with Kochou-sensei alone." At least the principal himself understand that spirit-related strange events really happened in the school.

Once again I wasn't surprised when Matsuyama loudly proclaimed in front of the rest of faculty members. "We can't have that you swindler! Who knows what you're going to do to our principal, if you have something to say… your last word. You can tell us too." He scoffed, a smug smile painted on his lips. "You were asked to leave already anyway and I didn't see you're packing up yet. If you coming up with more bogus ghost stories to justify your fee to Kochou-sensei…"

I was very tempted to smirk, "Actually you would be better off not listening to our discussion with headmaster, Matsuyama-sensei… however if you insist it can't be helped."

Mai who was standing beside me added. "We have warned you Matsuyama-sensei… you better off not listening, so if what we say displease you in any way you brought it upon yourself." She said in genuine grim voice.

That response of ours raised discomfort not just from Matsuyama but also the rest of faculty members. "You can't scare me!" He shouted, "Don't think you can scare us to keep you here!"

"We told you… if you don't want us here, we will leave after this." I stated firmly, leaving no room of discussion. "And since no one is interested to leave… may we start?"

They looked at each other wearily, and the principal give us a nod.

I glanced at Shouchi who had taken liberty to connect his laptop to the old projector of their meeting room. "Shouichi, go ahead." Then I turned to my assistant. "Mai, the lights please."

"Hai." She turned off the lights and shut the blinds so the room was dark enough.

Shouichi displayed a 3D model of Ryokuryo building in monochrome, imitating Gene's rendition of spiritual vision. Then he unveiled a translucent dome that covered the whole school compound in blue color. Then he brought another window, detailing the history of Ryokuryo.

"First of all… we warn you about one more thing honored members of Ryokuryo faculty." I began, using microphone so all of them could hear me clearly. "We're not here to convince you to believe spiritual nonsense as you put it so don't bother calling us out on it. Whether or not you believe in paranormal is not our concern, we're here to investigate paranormal activity and what we will present to you are very real according to our investigation."

Matsuyama snorted, "Say you…"

"Which is why we want you to listen to this presentation without interrupting, once we're done you're free to say whatever you wish. Until then we would like to request your cooperation as mature and civilized member of society to pay attention." I continued.

Matsuyama blushed a furious red.

Shouichi snickered in the background, while Mai huffed.

"So let's begin… Yasuhara-san." I passed the microphone over to the president, ignoring their murmur on how we drag one of their students in this.

Yasuhara cleared his throat, "It first came to my attention during assisting SPR's investigation that our school was built in an unique location. A location that in spiritualist's point of view is… the wrong place to build anything, much less a school." Matsuyama opened his mouth to interrupt, but Yasuhara cut him off. "Sensei… as Shibuya-san said, please don't interrupt us! You can argue after we finish but not now."

Matsuyama sputtered.

"Our school was built on top of an ancient cemetery, known as Ryokuryo ruin that also the namesake of our school." Yasuhara turned towards his history teacher. "I believe you mention it once Terada-sensei… it's a part of our school history."

Terada-sensei nodded, "Yes… which is why when this school was built human remains were found and I warned our students about it... gardening club before wanted to plant a tree and they had to dig pretty deep. Since I was their supervisor I asked our OB to help because if I let our students to dig and they found human remains I am afraid it will cause a ruckus."

The faculty warily eyed the pictures of Ryokuryo construction on the screen, in which Yasuhara went as far as finding the article where the construction worker found the human remains in Ryokuryo. It was a solid proof they couldn't deny.

Yasuhara nodded, "And that's also how I found out about it… according to expert from SPR team, ancient cemeteries are sacred places where Kekkais are used to prevent the spirits of the dead from leaving. It's a spiritually enclosed space… and until today the barrier remains and confirmed by expert of SPR team."

Principal frowned, "What is this barrier gets anything to do with disaster we have in our hands now?"

Shouichi scrolled down the article and the next page was scanned picture of Orikiri-sama's paper.

I stepped forward as Yasuhara passed me the mic, "I believe all of you at least are aware of how popular séance is among your students?"

Matsuyama scowled, "Of course I know. I don't even know how many times I've caught these foolish students."

"Well, this is the talisman used in their séance called Orikiri-sama." I pointed my laser point to the picture, "Now… regardless whether you believe in supernatural or not I am sure in Japan that popularize occult, it's a common knowledge why Kokkuri-san is dangerous. Can someone tell us why?"

A hesitant looking teacher in white coat, the school nurse raised her hand. "I have heard kitsune could possess you, and you may make spirits angry with you and cause trouble."

I nodded at her, "That's more or less the danger of reckless séance by amateurs; however the chance of spirits summoned by amateur séance is really small. It's like tuning radio frequency without knowing the exact number of frequency, a hit or miss…" Then I showed them a coin. "I am sure biology teachers here know how human body couldn't stay still… so you can explain why the coin moves in Kokkuri-san even if there is no spirit moving them."

They nodded and voiced how they explained the scientific explanation to their students they caught playing around with Orikiri-sama.

"So even in our understanding… Kokkuri-san could be a harmless game and could turn ugly but with a very miniscule chance to happen." I narrowed my eyes. "Which is why when we found out about how popular Orikiri-sama it baffled us how many summoned spirits we found dwelling in this school. The chance of that happening with ordinary Kokkuri-san is less than one in a thousand…"

Of course we confused them a great deal with our statement, because instead of convincing them to believe something impossible. We presented them something we believed to be impossible.

"So we come to a conclusion… Kokkuri-san in this school, or Orikiri-sama is not an ordinary Kokkuri-san…" I turned towards the screen where Shouichi had displayed a common Kokkuri and Orikiri-sama's talisman side by side. "Can you tell the difference between them?"

One of the teachers murmured, "I never paid attention to the talisman I confiscate but… now we have a good look on it… what's with character oni around it?"

The Japanese teacher also pointed out, "Why is there 'fifty three years old this year' in kanji?"

"A stick figure instead of a tori gate…"

They didn't believe in occult but they could tell there was something really wrong with Orikiri-sama's paper.

"So what?! It's just another stupid way our students come up with to waste their time on!" Matsuyama growled.

They were wasting time in an attempt to murder you ironically. Though no one would disagree plotting such a complex curse to kill a monkey like you was indeed a waste of time.

I was very tempted to give Matsuyama a look, but I turned to the screen and Shouichi had brought up the next slide, displaying a set of rules of Orikiri-sama."As you can see… Orikiri-sama is basically a modified Kokkuri-san or so we thought until we came upon this set of rules."

"First rule, instead of usual mantra to invite fox spirit Kokkuri-san… we have another mantra that sound illegible in Japanese…"

One of the teachers read it out, " _On, orikiritei, meiritei, meiwayashimaire, sowaka?"_

"Second rule is… the paper could only be used just once… third, bury used paper in under a shrine, and last… you may not be seen when you go to bury the paper."

The principal looked uneasy, "Regardless whether this is a foolish pastime of our student or not, why…"

"Why it's so complicated?" I finished.

Mai for the first time piped in. "Students usually wouldn't come up with such a complex procedure just to have fun, would they?"

Murmurs once again broke in the meeting room, it began to dawn on them Orikiri-sama couldn't be just a silly pastime.

"And that's right… the original purpose of Orikiri-sama." I waved the original paper for them to see. "Is not for your students to ask Kami-sama about their true love, but to call evil spirits forth to this school…"

"Nonsense!" Matsuyama hollered.

We ignored him. "Summoning spirits for questioning is something only people with training could do… someone like Hara Masako-san from our team for example, however… if it's for purpose of a curse… even an amateur could do it."

"A curse?" Principal echoed with pale face.

"Hai…" I nodded at him. "However… in the end amateur wouldn't be able to complete this complex curse on their own, an expert…" I raised the paper again. "Could have killed with just one paper."

Silence…

I inhaled slowly, "That's right… Orikiri-sama is actually a tool of murder, why your students easily call so many spirits is simply because they're attracted by sinister purpose of their summoning."

"Death curse?" Matsuyama let out a small laugh. "That's ridiculous. You expect me to believe a piece of paper can kill someone? Who do you think this silly death curse is for?"

It was very tempting to answer that question of his, and we didn't miss how everyone in faculties were as pale as paper sheet and Matsuyama was the only one who still looked smug about the whole ordeal. "We will answer that later… and as we mentioned, while the students succeed… the spirits they called is not strong enough to kill the intended victim on their own."

Mai stepped forward, "I believe you have heard of Yuasa High School and what happened in November in that school?" Some of them nodded, while the fiasco in Yuasa was not blown over like in Ryokuryo for months it gathered some attentions from media. "Something alike happened in that school…"

"Let me guess, you solved it." Matsuyama snarled.

"We did, but it's irrelevant because this is a completely different case that only shares one similarity." Mai pointed out. "An ancient art of curse called Suzhou is involved… but unlike in Ryokuryo, the curse was meant to disturb the victim not killing… and that's all the spirits could do, at worse it severely injure the victim…"

"But in this case…" I narrowed my eyes, "This curse is to kill, multiple weak spirits amateurs called however couldn't accomplish this task… and this is where the strategic location of this school plays a key role."

Shouichi brought the 3D visual back to attention.

I cleared my throat, "There is another curse combined on top of summoning curse Orikiri-sama invoke. Suzhou normally use hitogata, talismans, and other charms to curse, but some can use living creatures. That is called… kodoku." Then I began explaining the simple procedure of Kodoku and I was sure the smarter ones had drawn a line in between. "The very same idea could be used as a curse… with passing them on to unsuspecting victim with gold and silver…"

"That's…"

"The same principle with what's happening here…" I gestured towards the visual where Shouichi had put on will o' wisp on haunted location in this school and an animation of them feeding each other started. Shouichi was not bad at modelling 3D model and visualize the whole process well.

"For the last four months spirits that summoned and trapped in this school is feeding off of each other and negative emotion from humans."

"The reason the damage in this school keep escalating is simply because they're getting stronger with cannibalizing on each other and growing fear and anxiety among students… and by this point, the spirits left are strong enough to kill… you can see yourself what kind of damage they caused in infirmary… it's not just falling lights and moving human model anymore."

"If we leave this kodoku be, the target of this curse will _die_ …"

This time no one called us bluffing, not even Matsuyama or so I thought because he was going to open his mouth again to say something stupid. "Now, I believe we have not answered your question yet… Matsuyama-sensei."

This time even Matsuyama was blanching in fear, when they realized what question we had not answered. So deep down they were well aware their students didn't like them after all…

Shouichi sighed and scrolled the presentation up, back to the page that displayed the talisman of Orikiri-sama and marked the centre that consist of kanji indicating age and the script on the other side of the human stick figure.

"As you can see… the kanji on the left indicate the age of the target… This year the victim is fifty three years old."

Interestingly a number of teachers including Matsuyama became even paler, however a majority of younger teachers didn't look at anyone but Matsuyama right away. So it was no secret even faculty member knew Matsuyama was the most hated teacher in this school.

"On the other side is the name of intended victim."

It was no wonder all of them looked confused now because they couldn't read the script. However one teacher, a male who I believed was a world history teacher followed by a younger one said. "Isn't that… Sanskrit?"

"Looks like it."

I cleared my throat before they could break another chattering, "In Suzhou… It is better to write it in Kanji as it was written for the age indication... Or rather, this is the correct way of writing it. However…"

"Obviously it's not wise to put the name of intended victim everyone in school knows so openly." Mai finished for me. "And yes… the name is written in Sankrit, fortunately we have a Monk in our team so he read the name for us…"

Matsuyama obviously was losing his patience and slammed his fist against the table, "Get on with it! Who is this curse meant to kill?!"

Unfortunately for him we wanted to drag this on as long as possible, "We still have time before sun sets." I told them, "Let's get on to, what this curse did once it's completed."

Then it dawned on them how dangerous their school was at night with the spirits lurking, none of them put on brave faces anymore. They were all frightened out of their wits but none made their move to escape. So frightened none of them had presence of mind to realize sunset was still in two hours even though the sky had been dyed in red and orange.

"Now… let me tell all of you, if the situation is not so dire we would be impressed of meticulousness and creativity of the one who comes up with this curse." I drawled on. "The creator made use of two Suzhou curses… combining them to create a very powerful curse taking advantage of existing spiritually enclosed location of this school… it also eliminate the disadvantage of the lack of training to invoke the summoning. All it takes is time and plenty of patience and the result is… a curse strong enough to make the one we encounter in Yuasa High a mere child's play…"

Yasuhara then added, "I have researched the paranormal disturbance in Yuasa SPR solved… after all their success in this case is why I recommend them to Kochou-sensei in the first place." Yasuhara walked towards their principal and handed him a thin file. "This is not something I get from them… Kochou-sensei so rest assured this is not part of hoax of whatever you accuse SPR for. Take in mind this is what Shibuya-san referred as a 'child's play' in comparison of what is happening in our school and I agreed."

With shaky hand the principal opened the file and began to read, "School equipment poltergeisting… four students get their hands stuck on train…" He listed on with equally shaky voice, "A teacher… had an accident because ghostly hand covering the car's window?!" He looked up at us with pale face, "Is this for real? If this is… not as bad as what happens in our school… what this curse would do to us?!"

I sighed, at last they started to properly listening to us. I would prefer they did before this case escalated to this point. "It's very real… you can contact Yuasa High's principal and their faculty members to confirm it, and… they also called paranormal activity as nonsense until ghostly hand come knocking their door… although I doubt they would love to enlighten you, no one likes it to retell their traumatizing experience with spiritual entities."

"Then you can't prove it to us what happened in Yuasa was not you tricks!" Matsuyama apparently still had enough firepower to spout his own nonsense.

Yasuhara came to our defense, not because we needed it but because he couldn't resist calling Matsuyama's stupidity out. "And pray tell Matsuyama-sensei… how did they get four students to suffer the same accident? Not to mention an accident that happened _before_ their investigation began?"

"That's… those Yuasa High girls are just careless! They're low level school anyway!"

He snorted, making knocking gesture. "So you also think SPR members stalking faculty members of Yuasa and knocking their 'second floor' window every night before request from Yuasa came to their office?"

"That's…" Matsuyama was still idiotically trying to make sense of everything.

Principal at last snapped, "Enough Matsuyama-sensei! The more you talk, the more we sound like an idiot!" Matsuyama flushed a furious red.

I cleared my throat, "Our past case aside… I believe I still haven't answered your question on what will happen to everyone here…"

That caught their attention again and their face including Matsuyama showed they were bracing themselves for the worst. "Your options are still open actually…" They looked dumbfounded for some reason. "However it's all the same… once the spirits here finish feeding on each other, the victim most likely will die in most brutal manner."

A number of teachers looked ready to bolt out of their seats before remembering escaping was not an option.

Mai piped in now, "The manner of brutal death is decided by the last survivor of Kodoku curse…" She turned towards Shouichi who had displayed pictures of remaining spirits in Ryokuryo, "These are images we took from our camera's recording… I believe some of you have seen them yourself in person. First from the left is dog spirit from classroom 2-4, the fire from announcement room, a horde of child spirit from LL classroom and last is pond of blood…" Mai gestured towards the pictures, "In short it's either torn to shred by the demon dog… burned to death or drowned in pond of blood… or quasi combination of all. Since the spirit also absorbed trait from what they devoured, this is why classroom 2-4 also stink like how classroom 3-1 was…"

Judging from their faces, obviously none were too keen on the prospects Mai presented to them.

"Who…" Matsuyama was trembling now, with anger or fear I couldn't tell. "Who the hell would do this to us?!" He demanded.

Like usual we didn't give in to their demand, we answered something else instead. "How about we answer the long standing question on who is the 'intended victim' of this curse first?" Mai brought another question up instead.

Mai most likely could tell at this point no one in this room wanted to know who was going to die brutally in mercy of this elaborate curse.

"Get on with it!" Matsuyama hissed in frustration. "Who is this curse intended to kill?!"

Mai didn't answer him; she inclined her head at Yasuhara. I wouldn't object he deserve the honour to break the news. Yasuhara stepped forward, eyes looking straight at Matsuyama before he walked towards the teacher. Then without a word he placed the talisman in front of the teacher who recoiled in fear.

It seemed now Matsuyama was scared enough to forget 'nonsense' shouldn't be feared.

"The name that's written in Sankrit script… it's yours, it read Matsuyama Hideharu." Yasuhara said with a tone of finality.

The look on his face was simply priceless.

* * *

 **(3** **rd** **POV)**

"Hey, that's not something you joke about!" Matsuyama hollered, panicked.

Yasuhara narrowed his eyes at the teacher, ignoring the commotion in the background his revelation incited. "Does it look like we're joking? I know you don't trust us… children to deserve even privacy but since we're talking about your life here, I think you should have enough faith in me to believe we're not joking at all."

"Matsuyama-sensei is…" That was the principal, he was wide eyed and looked ready to faint. "Who would do this?!"

Naru snorted, "Yasuhara-san… if you please? After all you're the one who traced Orikiri-sama's circulation."

Yasuhara-san nodded, "Hai… according to my investigation, all routes from third to first year… all of them could be traced back to one source… 'first year and art club members' and I believe Matsuyama-sensei know… who is this?"

It didn't take long for Matsuyama to come up with a name, "Sakauchi?! You mean that stupid Sakauchi?!"

Naru answered him. "It should be him. This incident started around September, just at the start of the second semester. It was mid-September when it really caught on. After that time, Sakauchi-kun committed suicide. Most likely lit the sparks, and saw the sparks light a fire, then sought his own death…"

Mai for who knows since when was already in front of Sakauchi and slammed a torn book, it was the book Naru or rather Oliver Davis wrote. "Stupid? On contrary… no, he was a genius in his field of interest." Mai pointed at the box full of research note she borrowed from Sakauchi's room. "You could check it yourself how meticulously Sakauchi-kun was to prepare this curse."

Her eyes narrowed, "Do you even know, what is this book you confiscate and rip apart in front of his eyes?"

Matsuyama recoiled, "It's just a frivo-"

"This book is in English." Mai informed him, loud enough for everyone in the room to hear her. "It's an advanced book of parapsychology written by a famous researcher from BSPR… it's not translated to Japanese yet, it's an imported book and not cheap… Sakauchi-kun's mother said he worked part time for months to buy this book."

Mai glared at Matsuyama, "This is not magic book as you think… if you even bother to check first, this is a legit scientific book and not something you can just rip apart with assumption your student is fooled by short lived frivolous interest!"

Yasuhara growled, "To Sakauchi-kun… the day you shred that book is the same day you stomped on his heart and self-worth, he hated you so much to the point he resorted to this!" Then he turned towards his teachers. "His suicide note 'I am not a dog' he left… do any of you have any idea what that means?! Sensei-tachi?" Yasuhara's eyes narrowed at Matsuyama. "The very reason why he chose Matsuyama to die is not a mere personal grudge…"

"Still! WHY ME?!" He hollered to no one in particular. "I am just-"

The Kaichou cut him off, "There is a deeper reason behind this… and you know what? While all of you don't understand why he left that one line we do…" He turned towards Mai. "I believe Sawada-san in every interview asked all of us one same question _'Do you know what Sakauchi-kun's suicide note means?'_ and all of us without fail answer her that 'yes, we feel the same _all the time_ in this school'"

They were stunned by Yasuhara's cold answer, gone the polite and model student and replaced by cynical Yasuhara Osamu who was sick of his school and their policy who started this tragedy.

"The school plans to train us like dogs, that's why we, as students, understand. If someone were to ask who the representative in all this is, even I would reply with Matsuyama-sensei's name. Because you!" He pointed at Matsuyama, "You are the symbol of the school."

Matsuyama's face flushed bright red andthen twisted in fury, and they could tell he was going to throw a fit. Mai however stopped him with saying coolly, "Well… regardless of the 'why' at this point blaming the dead won't save anyone."

Especially 'you' was not said but implied loudly.

Mai turned towards Naru, her emotion was back under control. "It is meaningless even if we now know who the culprit was. Right, Shibuya-sachou?"

Naru nodded at that, "The curse started four months ago… and you waited this long to contact experts like us to do something about it…" He shook his head exasperatedly, "And since our client has decided we should pack up and leave… yes, there is nothing we can do. At least we answered all of your questions, and we concluded our investigation…"

"Don't worry about the damage in your infirmary, and the room above and below it." Mai added in diplomatic tone. "It's as you say is our responsibility so here…" Mai placed an invoice on principal's table. "We have paid the repair cost, from the construction to materials. We apologize for the inconvenience."

In the background Naru and Shouichi began to pack up their notes and equipment. "Well then, excuse us-"

"WAIT!" Matsuyama shouted at us desperately, standing abruptly from his seat and knocking his chair over to the floor. "Is there no way at all?!" He looked like he was about to break down.

Mai and Naru glanced at each other, "Well…" Naru began, "Unfortunately the curse has already been in motion… Even the originator of this curse –Sakauchi-kun- cannot stop it _if_ he is still alive. The spirits mutually devour each other to complete the curse… interrupting that will result to angering them and more property damage and casualties in this school."

Mai nodded sagely, "Why do you think the infirmary is in such state now? In a way we tried to help you… clumsy handling as you put it, but we're saving lives here so we thought we should try… but as you implied property damage outweigh your lives…" They looked offended by her statement. "Isn't that why all of you refuse to close your school? The number of injured students continues to escalate and the school is still operating in this danger zone."

She smiled at them. "So we guess now the life of one teacher." Namely Matsuyama, "Does not matter either… after all, you have risked the lives of over six hundred students since our investigation began in spite of our warning… why does Matsuyama-sensei matters now?"

Then Yasuhara turned towards them and asked, "Does Matsuyama-sensei's life is more important than ours to you? Kochou-sensei…?" His eyes narrowed, and the principal averted his eyes guiltily. "Once he died, supernatural activity in this school would be over… and our school can continue to operate as usual." He lied through his teeth. "Isn't that wonderful?"

No one dared to answer him.

Matsuyama was shaking now, "Money… we haven't paid you yet! You can't leave!"

Naru scoffed, "Actually we _don't care_ about money, if you're not busy to ignore our words to disturb our investigation you would know we're _research_ organization first and foremost… the expenses of the investigation on our contract compared to market price is much lower… because our main purpose is to _study_ supernatural phenomena. And as you can see… we learned a lot from what happen in this school. We already get what we come for… exorcism is just part of courtesy."

True, going by 'research' as main purpose they didn't really have obligation to exorcise the spirits. It was customary for ghost hunter to investigate supernatural phenomena, but the 'exorcise and purification' part usually was not done by them. Most of the time the client or the ghost hunter would call expert to do it. SPR just happen to bring the expert on exorcism and purification along, but they were merely collaborators and not under obligation to help Ryokuryo at all.

Yasuhara beamed, "See Matsuyama-sensei? Shibuya-san knows how important study is~ After all he is a researcher. Education and knowledge is worth to lay your life down for ne~"

That was exactly what their teacher had subjected them into.

"You're going to let me DIE! I don't want to die!" Matsuyama cried desperately.

Yasuhara rolled his eyes, "I recalled… we're not allowed to leave class when we started seeing things. You don't believe in supernatural nonsense right? Sensei… you're not going to die because of a death curse ne… after all what's happening here is just our hallucination."

Then it dawned on them, this was how their students felt and Yasuhara was inflicting the same thing on Matsuyama.

"You can't do this! You guys… Whoever's participated in this damned Orikiri-sama is helping Sakauchi to kill me! You guys are murderers!" Matsuyama was close to breaking.

Yasuhara shrugged, "We don't know… after all we're ignorant and stupid kids, beside… what are you going to do? Reporting over six hundred students to authorities for helping casting death curse on you?" He turned to the rest of faculty members, "Now… are we going to be reported? Over six hundreds of student? For playing stupid game as you put it? Beside… now you're still very much alive and kicking for…" Yasuhara turned towards Mai and Naru. "How long it will takes until the Kodoku is complete?"

"Considering how quickly the activity escalated for the last few days…" Naru trailed off, "Give or take around one week."

Yasuhara turned to his teachers, "So we only have to be patient for one more week with a demon dog, horde of sadistic spirit of children, fire spirit in announcement room and… bloody spirit in our printing room in our midst…" Then he added, "Oh, I have to plan some safety measure for us students to survive the school for one more week~ But hey, we survive four months sharing the school with them so I am sure we can handle one more week… I don't know about Matsuyama-sensei though."

Matsuyama fell on his knees, trembling in fear of his fate.

"Scary isn't it?" Yasuhara continued. "What a mere boy with worthless hobby in your opinion could do when you pushed him too far?"

The principal slammed his fists against the table, "Enough Yasuhara! We get it! We… we are the one at fault!" He was trembling, his whole body was shaking. "Please… SPR we beg of you, please help us." He begged as he bowed deeply.

Soon the rest of faculty members bowed to them, murmuring their pleading.

"At this rate… our school, our teachers… our students…" He muttered in shaky voice.

Naru shook his head regretfully, "There is nothing we can do, especially since the source of this curse is the school itself."

The principal looked up in shock, "But Sakauchi-kun was…"

Yasuhara narrowed his eyes at him, "Why do you think Sakauchi-kun resort to this? Do you think he wants to kill Matsuyama-sensei just to satisfy himself? Why did he kill himself? Out of guilt? Yes… he felt guilty for dragging all of us to his revenge but in the same time… even in his darkest moment Sakauchi-kun can't let it go! His suicide note 'I am not a dog' have one more message aside of conveying what he feels in this school…"

"What is it?"

"This school is the one who made him feel like that!" Yasuhara spat at them. "As long as this school keep treating their students like this, like disciplining a dog… there is no point to save Matsuyama." The counsellor stared at him in shock. "Because… history will just repeat themselves, there would be a second Sakauchi-kun among us… students who feels sick of this school trying to domesticate us and come to hate this school and Matsuyama enough to plot another tragedy."

Mai nodded, "Yasuhara-san is right… Sakauchi-kun is not the first ne? I believe there was a student who tried to harm Matsuyama-sensei before, even if somehow we find a way to save this school and Matsuyama in extremely short time left until the Kodoku is completed… what's the point?"

"But!"

"Not to mention… if you pay more attention to your students you would notice no matter how popular séance like Kokkuri-san, your student's obsession for this game is abnormal." Mai pointed out to them.

Silence…

The principal looked very confused, "What do you mean?"

"As Matsuyama-sensei said before in Japan nowadays, Kokkuri-san is very popular." Mai glanced at him who was still mulling over his fate. "However… as a student I know very well at present time we have better way to past our time, no matter how strict the school is… playing a game like Orikiri-sama in school and risk getting caught doesn't worth the fun."

She inhaled softly, "And yet… they keep doing it for four months, sometimes more than once a day… not to mention none of them even think there is something wrong with Orikiri-sama for so long in spite of dangerous supernatural activities in this school."

"We assure you…" Naru stressed on, "It has nothing to do with their intelligence, it's Orikiri-sama itself…" He closed his eyes briefly. "Sakauchi-kun the originator of the curse imbued his intent in talisman he distributed to his friends." Naru held the talisman up. "The said intent directed towards the school and Matsuyama resonated to them when they played this game… once, twice… it makes them feels good and satisfied."

They blanched in realization.

"Right." Mai confirmed their guess. "Orikiri-sama is a game that relieves them from their stress and frustration of their school life, that's why for students who have played more than once it's very hard to stop." Mai inclined her head to Yasuhara. "Your Kaichou over here only tried it once so he is not affected… fortunately."

Naru nodded, "If we distribute another survey I am sure those who repeatedly playing Orikiri-sama are students with the worst stress in this school…" Then he turned towards them. "This is why we said, there is no point to help Matsuyama-sensei… As long as you keep treating your students like dogs, even if we warn them again and again… they will go back playing Orikiri-sama. They're already… addicted to pain killer called Orikiri-sama."

Mai took a deep breath, "So the conclusion is… Matsuyama-sensei, Kochou-sensei… Sensei-tachi… you brought this curse upon yourself."

"You're the origin of all this, not Sakauchi-kun… not the spirits, not your students…" Naru narrowed his eyes. "Please remember that."

The principal closed his eyes and steeled himself, "Very well… we understand, this is all our fault… we… ignore our students plea, we only think to shape their person to our liking… we turn away from their desperation when the spirits start to terrorize them, we call them liars… we insist to continue educating them in dangerous classroom…" He bowed deeply. "I will resign after this case… we will reform our system and reflect on our mistakes… so please… please… help this school, help our students… don't let them to stain their hands with blood. I beg of you…"

"Please!" Another teacher followed, "We beg you… please help us!"

"Please!

"We're the one at fault but please… at least spare our students from this!"

Matsuyama looked around, stunned before he too bowed or rather he was in dogeza. Whether he was really reflecting like his fellow teachers or begging for his own hide was up to debate. "Please…"

Yasuhara shrugged at the face of his proud teachers prostrating themselves humbly like this. "Alright… Shibuya-san it seems, you have to save Ryokuryo and Matsuyama-sensei after all!"

Naru sighed exasperatedly, "If you keep your word to fix your system… and start to treat your students like human being." The principal nodded frantically. "We will hold you to that then…"

They looked relieved and Matsuyama just had to open his mouth, soft laughter bubbled through his lips. "I'll be spared, won't I?" he laughed. "I didn't do anything. Why should I be the one to die? I'm innocent!" His crazed laughter softly sounded through the room.

He was so relieved he was going to live, he forgot where he was and who was listening…

"Matsuyama-sensei!" The principal snapped at him.

Mai glared at him, sighing, "And here we thought we should honour Yasuhara-san's and student council's wish to keep this a secret."

That snapped their attention back to her, while Yasuhara just laughed without mirth. "Ha ha ha… come on Sawada-san." Then their attention snapped to him who grinned sheepishly. "In the first place we have no intention to let Matsuyama-sensei to die, believe me… majority of us dream to throttle Matsuyama and wish when we wake up the world is Matsuyama-less."

They looked shocked, most likely they never saw this side of Yasuhara, their top student.

"We won't even mourn Matsuyama even if he dies a brutal death." Yasuhara confessed shamelessly, "Well, maybe we will send flowers to his funeral at least…"

Matsuyama smartly got away as far as he could from Yasuhara.

"However we're not going to stoop as low as killing him, even indirectly and unaware of it… we're a better person than that…" He smiled at them. "Which is why, I held an emergency meeting this morning when you have yours with student council."

On cue a group of students came inside the meeting room, they were the student council of Ryokuryo High School. Eda, the boy from the same class and also a victim of supernatural activity gave a curt bow to his teachers followed by the rest of student councils.

"We from student council as representative of student body decide to take responsibility of the curse Sakauchi-kun started and we invoked in this school." Eda, the vice president informed them in solemn tone.

Then a girl in ponytail from LL classroom incident stepped forward. "There is no excuse of our action even if we're unaware of what we have done."

Yasuhara stepped forward, "And that's how it is… Kochou-sensei~" He patted his chest. "We will take responsibility for this curse."

The principal was confused but with he didn't like where this was going, especially after he promised to reflect on their mistake. "What do you mean?! Yasuhara-kun… this is not a joke! What's responsibility?"

Yasuhara glanced at the director of SPR and said, "Well… actually last night after we found out about the curse, Shibuya-san present us with several options… unfortunately only one of them is feasible and the least damaging for everyone in school."

"What option?!" He looked ready to shriek. "Shibuya-san! You didn't…" He clamped his mouth shut before he could say anything disrespectful to Naru. "I mean… whatever it is, please don't involve our student. They already…"

Naru sighed, shaking his head exasperatedly. "Then we will present the same option… first, give in to the curse and let it run its course… and Matsuyama dies." They ignored Matsuyama's sputtering protest, "Second… pass the curse to someone else with gold and silver, however since this is no ordinary kodoku there is no way to do that…"

Yasuhara added, "Not to mention throwing gold and silver on street will invite a commotion in this age~ This is not ancient China after all~"

Eda snorted, "Yasuhara… your mask is slipping very fast."

"Nah~ We're going to graduate in few months, who cares?" He deadpanned.

He cleared his throat, and the chatters ceased. "And last option is turning the curse back to its caster."

Silence…

"But…" Kochou-sensei broke the silence, "Sakauchi-kun is already dead."

Yasuhara chimed in. "Fortunately Kochou-sensei… you can't turn curse back on the dead, but the casters of this curse are very much alive and kicking!" He threw his arms up dramatically. "So the question is… who cast the curse?"

As one the student councils who all had played Orikiri-sama pointed at themselves with a smile on their lips.

Kochou-sensei's eyes widened in horror, "It can't be! You… the curse is going to be turned back on our students?!"

"They are the casters of this curse…" Naru stated. "Whether or not they're aware of their role…"

"I can't accept that!" He hollered followed by other teachers. "Forget turning the curse! Matsuyama-sensei may die for all I care but not our students!"

Matsuyama looked at principal in disbelief and fury. "I am innocent! Why should I die?!"

"Like hell you're innocent!" A young male teacher growled at him.

Another young female teacher followed, hollering at Matsuyama. "If you're innocent, no one would want to kill you!"

* * *

"That's one valid point." Mai commented and whispered to Naru. "Amazing… now all of a sudden all of them are on their student's side."

Naru nodded, "Well, everything goes as planned… but we better interfere before the teachers decided to kill Matsuyama themselves."

"Seems like they understand very well how their students feels in regards to Matsuyama now." Mai snorted.

* * *

Naru expressionlessly stopped the argument from escalating. "Please hear us out why we think this is the safest solution."

The principal glared, "How is genocide a solution, Shibuya-san?"

Yasuhara piped in, "Shibuya-san has explained to us that… since the number of casters of this curse is over six hundred... The strength will be dispersed; the effectiveness should also be diminished. So yeah… we're not going to die." They didn't look convinced about the idea, but somewhat relieved no student would die.

Yasuhara didn't resist to pop their budding hope, he was still a little bitter about their treatment for the last four months. "Maybe~"

Silence…

"Maybe?" Principal echoed.

Yasuhara shrugged, "Well… it's not SPR's fault, this curse Sakauchi-kun create could be considered a new type of curse with combining two type of curse~ So about turning the curse back and pray the effect would be divided to over six hundreds is theoretical at best."

Eda shrugged, "In the end even though we denied parapsychology and every supernatural related phenomenon as not scientific… it's a science in the end. You need research and experiment Sensei…"

"There is a reason why people study parapsychology… and not just fleeting interest." Yasuhara nodded sagely. "And since we're down to our last option, just let us do this please…"

"But Yasuhara…"

"Our decision is final." He stated resolutely. "We're going to take responsibility of our action." He glanced at Matsuyama. "No matter how much we hate him, we don't want to kill him… we can't live with guilt over his death. This is not for him or this school… this if for our own sake."

At his resolution, no one dared to object their choice anymore.

* * *

 **(Meanwhile, on the rooftop)**

The students and Yamamoto –who insisted to join them- had taken advantage of their teacher's absence to hold a memorial service for Sakauchi-kun. Uttering solemn prayers to calm his soul and wish for his safe journey to the light. They didn't expect for him to appear, sitting on the corner and staring at them wide eyedly in shock.

They were scared but in comparison of what they experienced for the last few months, harmless Sakauchi-kun was not scary at all. If anything they were very happy to know he was here and listening to them.

"Sakauchi-kun!" They beamed at him, "It's fine… we're not angry at you at all!" For a moment they were before they remembered Sakauchi had taken his own life to atone and they wished he didn't.

"We understand your pain…" One of them said. "It's hard right… you just want to do what you love, and Matsuyama talked you down…"

"He is a jerk!"

"Right!"

"Still…" They quieted down, letting a representative to convey their feeling. "We wish you to stop blaming yourself, it's enough… you're in enough pain all this time for what you did."

"It's fine already so please…"

Sakauchi began to cry, "It's all my fault! Because of me… you guys suffered so much! I want to hurt Matsuyama-sensei so much to the point I carelessly dabble on dark art and… I hurt you guys too!"

They looked sadly at him. "But…"

"I deserve to get eaten too!" He cried. "I should just die again! I thought if I die I can repent but I just left this mess of curse for you to shoulder… I make you guys to help me to kill Matsuyama! I am… sorry! I am sorry!"

He keep chanting apology like a mantra, stunning his friends who could do nothing but stare then they break down in tears like him.

Yamamoto stepped forward and sat cross-legged in front of the crying spirit, "That's enough! Idiot! If you regret what you have done, the least you can do is stop making people you care about to cry!"

Sakauchi snapped from his delirious state and stare at Yamamoto in bewilderment.

"Once… I also attempted to kill myself, for even more stupider reason than yours! The gist is the same though… I am obsessed with something I love so much to the point when my love for it backed me to the corner I snapped…"

He recalled how he foolishly thought it was the end of the world just because he broke his arm.

"I thought I should just end my life… and looking back I regret how foolish I was back then."

"…"

"Yeah I didn't die but I forever live with regret of my stupidity back then, after all… I almost killed the most important person in my life that day… more like he almost got himself killed to save me." Yamamoto laughed softly, wiping tears that almost pooled on his eyes. "So I promise myself since that day… I will live not for 'something' I love but for my precious friends and family."

Sakauchi continued to stare before he said. "I am already dead." He pointed out.

"I know." Yamamoto crossed his arms petulantly. "You still have afterlife and… after everything there is one thing you can do for these guys, ne…?"

Sakauchi looked at his friends, people he didn't know in life but in death… he knew how they mourned for him. How they get to know him through his suicide note, they understood his pain.

"I…"

"Sakauchi-kun!" They cried. "Please… please don't torture yourself for us anymore!"

"You have done something terrible yes…" Yamamoto nodded, "But beating yourself for it forever in the world you no longer belong is not going to help anyone… So for these guys…"

"Sakauchi-kun!"

"Don't be afraid and go to the light!"

"Hey! Isn't that what mediums on TV keep saying to lost spirits?"

"Well! I am trying! I want Sakauchi-kun to pass over!"

Yamamoto grinned at him. "See… all they wanted from you is not atonement, they want you to stop suffering to move on…"

Sakauchi sobbed as golden light began to envelop him. He was so stupid… what he wouldn't give to keep living, and going to school with his friends. He had thrown all of that way in his darkest moment, he selfishly throw himself to darkness. So now… the least he could do was going to the light they show him.

 **"** **Thank you…  
Sayonara…" **

Yamamoto watched the spirit of Sakauchi-kun vanished in gentle flow of golden light that reminded him of their sky flame… strong, gentle and kind… he clenched his hand, recalling the warm hand that offered to him on that fated day.

He was so glad to be alive… he owed this life to his sky forever.

* * *

 **SPR's Base (3** **rd** **POV)**

It was almost touching really… how almost half of faculty members of Ryokuryo came knocking down the door of SPR's base and demanded the curse to be turned to them instead of their students. If this was a drama, heartfelt background music would follow but this was reality so collaborators of SPR namely Bou-san, Ayako, John and Masako could only stare, dumbfounded at the teachers' dramatic entry.

"Wow." Bou-san breathed out as taking a sip of his tea, "What do you know… Naru-bou and Mai-chan foresaw this perfectly."

Ayako snorted, "Well… after the show yesterday I guess you guys starts to show some propriety, late by a few months but as people often said… better than never."

Masako harrumphed, "Really…" She was pretty annoyed by their continuous stare when she was walking around the school. She was used to stare, but it annoyed her when adult like them showed open disdain to her profession.

"Maa… maa…" John, their resident priest once again assigned himself to be the agent of peace and failed spectacularly. He turned towards the teachers sympathetically. "If you're looking for our boss and onmyouji…"

WHAM!

There was a slight shaking, something slamming heavily to the ground and sound of strong wind blowing outside.

"Wha-"

Bou-san sighed, "Morning assembly today… the curse was reversed just now. So…"

SLAM!

The SPR's collaborators stared in unison at the door that had slammed loudly, followed by sounds of hurried footsteps.

John fidgeted, "Is it really alright?"

Bou-san sighed, "We can just trust Naru-bou… I have a feeling he is not going to cross his fingers and hope the curse will split to six hundred students…"

"Curse like that…" Ayako trailed off softly, "There is no way even if it's divided by six hundreds the students could escape with small scratch."

"Mai-san called Yamamoto-san to prepare medics on standby too, right?" Masako drawled on. "It's… strange even for me that Mai-san condone this method."

Bou-san shrugged, "Which is why I think we should have faith… do you think Jou-chan will let Naru-bou to sacrifice so many people, regardless of the reason?"

"Let's just go to the gymnasium and check it ourselves." Ayako suggested. "Regardless of everything, I want to see this through myself."

* * *

 **Gymnasium**

They found the teachers slumping on the floor as staring listlessly at the broken hitogata littered all over the gymnasium. It was almost surreal, how it looked like a typhoon had just passed by but nothing but hitogata was broken. While Mai, Tojo and Shima were picking the wooden remains from the floor. Or rather they were picking up undamaged hitogata, there were only a handful of them though.

Mai glanced at the dumbfounded teachers, "Please don't stand there… we're looking for undamaged hitogata, students with their name on undamaged ones could be in great danger now so we need to check it."

That prompted the teacher to carefully tread around the hitogatas, and searched the undamaged ones without being asked.

Bou-san grinned. "See?! Naru-bou wouldn't sacrifice anyone, he wouldn't want Mai to hate him." He snickered.

Ayako's left eye twitched, "So your faith in him is based on Mai's approval?"

Masako scoffed, "That doesn't sounds like genuine faith!"

The Monk rolled his eyes, "Well… it's Naru-bou, do you think I didn't learn my lesson? If there is anything I… without a doubt could have a faith on him, it's Mai-chan."

* * *

 **One Hour Later (Mai's POV)**

It was easy to find Naru, his brimming power was like beacon to me. If Onii-chan was light warm and overwhelming torrent, Naru's was… like cold but refreshing breeze mixed with electrical current that was tingling to my senses. It was odd but not unpleasant…

There he was, of all places in the middle of a field looking up at the sky. I wondered what he was thinking when looking at the sky? Overwhelmed by rush of excitement after a case solved and job well done, I tiptoed and locked my arms around his neck.

"Naru! We did it! We called every students with undamaged hitogata, and they're all unharmed since they never play Orikiri-sama!"

He staggered a little before regaining his balance, "That's good…" He sounded relieved.

I giggled softly, "The teachers were enraged that they were worried out of their mind the whole night for nothing… you should look at their sleep deprived faces."

He snorted at that, "Transferring a curse to a hitogata is extremely difficult. Especially a layered curse like this… Even Lin wasn't sure everyone would be safe," Naru said. "We can't go around promising their students would be safe… "

"We did explain that to them… well, in the end they also think it's better for themselves to feel scared. At least to make up for their ignorance for the last few months…" I giggled softly, "I guess… they're more relieved than angry."

Naru exhaled softly at that, "Is that so?"

I perked up. "Hm?" This feeling… "Ah, so Gene feels like this. Interesting…" No wonder his flame was mist, sun and rain.

"Gene?"

"His presence mixed in a little with yours, but because he is pretty deep in the other realm only with this close of proximity I can feel him…" I hummed softly. "Hm…"

Strange… Gene's presence also felt pleasant, but rather than tingling my sense, it was… lulling instead.

He sat down on the nearby bench and I didn't need to tip toe anymore, "Our presence feels different to you too?"

"Would you like to know?" I whispered to him, resting my chin on his shoulder. Taking his silence as a yes, I answered. "Yours is like a breeze… when you keep it controlled at least… it's cooling but refreshing in an odd way, mixed in with little spark of electricity… it's tingling to me."

He snorted. "You make me sounds like soda…"

I giggled at that, "Perhaps you're…"

"And Gene?" He urged me.

I inhaled slowly, "Morning breeze perhaps? You know… morning after the rain, misty… with gentle heat sunlight filtered through the mist… a little chilly but also warm."

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

So to her we felt like that? Interesting…

 _'_ _That's what you think when a girl say you feels pleasant to her?'_ Gene wondered out loud.

Gene… Mai was speaking metaphorically about our presence to her intuition, not anything you're trying to imply. It was no different than coffee suits her taste, and tea was not as good.

Gene scoffed, _'Why can't you be a little honest about what you feel? Maybe we will get somewhere if you get to my wavelength instead of Mai's.'_

What are you talking about stupid medium?

 _'_ _Explaining would be just an exercise in futility.'_ He told me bluntly, _'So… when Mai did something that make your brain stop working and breathing mechanism become something complicated… forget thinking and feel.'_

Again… Gene didn't make sense.

 _'_ _You didn't make sense yourself, letting Mai hanging around your neck… I am not complaining though it's pleasant.'_

Then I realized Gene was feeling what I feel through our link, this started to sound like he was-

 _'_ _You're the one who let her and not complaining yourself… being close with Mai always feels nice…'_

Gene was humming now, like cat purring in bliss. Gene you!

"Thank you Naru…"

Since when did she was sitting beside me? I wondered, blinking in confusion. "For what?"

Her eyes were fluttered open and close slowly, "It's not easy… to prepare six hundreds of hitogata, and you don't even say anything about it to our clients…"

I sighed at that, "It's safer with six hundred VS three… rather than making hitogata for Matsuyama, and as Lin himself is unsure I can't give them false hope…"

"So it's better to let them think you're cruel enough to let the students to suffer the consequence of their ignorance?" Mai wondered out loud, followed by a sigh as I didn't respond to her query. "Naru… you're so kind and considerate, even though you're awkward about it."

I frowned at that as I could feel my cheeks began to get warm for some reason. "Are you sure you're not confusing me with Gene?" After all it was Gene's misguided kindness who led to him losing his body.

 _'_ _Hey!'_

She was dozing off and suddenly she leaned her head against my shoulder, "As if… Gene is Gene and you is you… just because you guys have different personality doesn't mean you can't be kind, not like Gene's open kindness but still kindness nevertheless…"

"I'm kind because I let people to hate me?" I snorted, "You said the weirdest thing all the time Mai…"

She giggled at me, her eyes closed now. "What do you know about kindness… speaking in theory?" I quieted down at that and she laughed at me softly. "This is what I think though… every people have their own way to be kind, and in this less than ideal world… it's easy to misunderstood kindness." Then her voice lowered, drawling on. "And more often than not… This world doesn't treat kindness kindly."

"…"

"So in my opinion a truly kind person… they are kind in spite of all that." She murmured softly, "That's why to me… both of you're kind, foolishly so…" She giggled softly, "But I guess that's why I _like_ you both."

Silence…

It was an impressive crash on my brain, followed by familiar light-headedness, rushing blood to heart and cheeks and… why breathing felt difficult again?

Gene was also strangely quiet, until I heard his strangely small voice. _'That's so cute…'_ I could feel the heat doubled and I was sure half of it was because of Gene.

 _'_ _Gene!'_

With our natural pale complexion, I must look like tomato now. What did Mai do to both of us?! "Mai! You-"

A soft snore answered me, she was sleeping with her head against my shoulder. She looked very comfortable for some reason. Why the heck she was sleeping now of all time?

 _'_ _In case you forgot… Mai is sleeping in a very dangerous place with evil spirit lurking everywhere. How well she was sleeping for the last few days with her sensitivity to danger, do you think?'_ Gene pointed out. _'Not to mention the stunt she pulled in infirmary.'_

Obviously while she could sleep, it was not a peaceful one. I thought as I shifted a little to give her a more comfortable position, adjusting her head to lean deeper to my shoulder while my hand trailed from the the small of her back to her shoulder to steady her position. My fingers brushed against her auburn locks, and before I could stop myself I was running my fingers through her silk like hair.

"Hm…" She sighed contently.

Was that mean… she liked this? Before I knew it I was petting her gently like she was a cat and I couldn't stop.

One minute passed…

Three…

Five…

Maybe five more minutes…

Ten…

It was a stroke of luck that after fifteen minutes Shouichi found us dozing off, he had strangest look on his face but his presence was enough to snap me out of my daydream. Although… I was also a little disappointed for some reason.

Gene for some reason said, _'At least our subconscious are on the same wavelength.'_

* * *

 **The next day~ (Mai's POV)**

At last I could sleep well last night, although the short nap I took in the afternoon was nicer for some reason. Shouichi also acted a little strange yesterday and he kept looking at Naru _and_ Gene with something akin to worry and anxiety.  
I hope it was nothing serious although my intuition said otherwise.

He was worried about them for some reason.

"I wanted to thank you for all you've done," Yasu said, snapping me out of my thought. "And since Sakauchi-kun's curse is what started this whole mess, we're going to hold a proper memorial service for him. It will also serve to keep any possibility of future problems in check." He glanced at his school, "After all… it's not easy to forget negative emotions we have to our school and its system, so we will focus on remembering. So we will never forget, but not dwelling on them either…"

"That wouldn't be a bad idea," Our resident monk said from beside me.

I glanced at the building, at the rooftop where Sakauchi had taken his life _._ "It's a relief he passed on peacefully… that in the end what tied him down to this world is guilt and regret and not his hatred for Matsuyama."

Bou-san nodded. "Well… everything solved well this time, no one gets hurt anymore, the faculty members are reflecting their mistakes and Sakauchi-kun should feel relieved."

I smiled softly at that. "I am sure he is glad with this end, it's not perfect but no one gets hurt anymore… he should feel happy."

"And with this I can retire at last!" Because of this paranormal disturbance Yasuhara-san had not find a good time to retire. "I also feels very satisfied before I graduate I got to spill every pent up frustration I had on my chest to this school! Matsuyama especially.

I frowned, "Matsuyama… did he say anything?" Like apologize or something… yeah, right.

"Nothing at all. But he will always have his own opinions. At least he keep his mouth shut…" Shaking his head exasperatedly he added. "He _has_ reached that age; it's not that easy to change. Then again… staying in this school is becoming very difficult now because even his co-workers doesn't like him after they saw how he is fine we get hurt to save his own hide."

Obviously… he lost all respect after that stunt of his, begging for his life and not caring what became of his students.

"So I heard he is going to retire too soon… he is going home to his hometown or something, and we're happy to see his back." Yasuhara inhaled softly. "Well… Ryokuryo is reflecting on their system, it won't do with him as the symbol of our darkest moment to hand around so he has to go."

It wasn't like he would want to stay after he almost got himself killed brutally in this school

"Shounen, you were very scared at that time, right?" Bou-san asked with teasing grin.

"Ah, you are talking about the time when the curse was reflected?" Yasuhara-san in the other hand was as cool as cucumber.

"Oh, you mean when you guys said the curse would be reversed back on us?" Yasuhara asked, disturbingly calm about the ordeal that almost got him injured or murdered brutally.

"That's right," Our monk confirmed.

"Well, you see," Yasuhara said, his grin followed by flashing glasses made a picture of complete confidence. "I had faith in myself."

That sounded disturbingly like something Naru would say, well… kind of.

"—because I don't recall having ever done anything evil that would make me deserve to die so young." He laughed it off.

"You will live a long life with that attitude." Bou-san grumbled.

"That's the idea!" He beamed.

Before I could stop myself , I chimed in. "Good people died everyday all over the world regardless of their age though ."

Bou-san and Yasuhara became eerily quiet at my sudden statement, and he patted my head. "Jou-chan… young people shouldn't say something pessimistic like that. And if you say 'it's reality' save it for Naru-bou to say it. Saying such thing is a recipe of short life."

I smiled at him safely, "You think so?"

Once again they clamped their mouth shut and Bou-san flailed, "Jou-chan! I am just joking! Don't take it seriously!"

I just laughed at them and soon they laughed too, thinking I was fooling around and found their flailing and panic hilarious. While I found their reaction was indeed hilarious, I was not joking at all… there was nothing to joke about.

Our time is engraved within the ring… within this watch, soon that frozen time would melt and the hand of the clock would move. And when that happen… my life, our life… would burn away.

* * *

 **AT LAST... Ryokuryo arc :Forbidden Pastime ENDED! Long arc... and did anyone note how ominous for Case 06 to end in 6th part LOL  
That's not intentional...  
**

 **At any rate I feel so accomplished I get Ryokuryo to reform their ways, I was annoyed in this arc for canon because the school just go scot-free, the teachers especially. I mean the reckless way they treat their students is so vexing to the extreme! I mean the class next door got attacked by a rabid dog and Matsuyama told them to go back to class?!  
I feel so acomplished to send Matsuyama back home HO HO HO...  
The last scene is some sort of way for me to show opposite picture of Mai, in canon novel Yasuhara and Monk made a comment/make fun of her like this:  
**

"I don't think so. Taniyama-san's situation is…"

Yasuhara was the one who spoke. Then, as though they had rehearsed beforehand, everyone chorused:

"not having thought through anything at all!"

\- precisely! I did not think through anything at all! Anyway I'm a person without self awareness.

The Monk used a tone of admiration and expressed his discontent.

"En, amongst all of us the one with the longest lifespan is Mai."

"Well said."

"Exactly."

Can you not make use of other people as your source of entertainment?

Yes, yes. Anyway I will have a very long life.

 **Obviously Mai in this story didn't think SO. Which is understandable as she is tip-toeing around mortal risk to hold on her brother's life. Not to mention Vongola obviously have an IMPRESSIVELY bad record in keeping their heirs alive! I mean... they have five and down to two, and one is not even legit. In this story they have five and half are dead in a short time...  
So yes, while Mai have no plan of dying anytime soon, she doesn' really have high expectation on her life span. This got nothing to do with being optimistic, pessimistic... life expectation in mafia is NOT that great in the first place. **

**BTW the case Ayako mentioned in last chapter is taken from a manga published in my country about the curse... it's an OLD manga, as old as GH I think so I don't remember it well. However this is what happen to the caster, drunk by feeling of superiority of human life and make a business out of it. So yeah... anyone knows this story?  
I use this as legitimate reason for Ryokuryo case to be finished to the roots, which is the school system. I also find it weird after so much warning and in grave danger every day the students still want to play Orikiri-sama. So... I make it so there is a good reason why they're addicted to this dangerous game ^^ he he he **

**See you again in next chapter...**

 **I am still contemplating an original case again or straight to Blood Stained Labyrinth.**


	31. Post Case 06

**Interlude X-4**

She was pouring another cup of tea, and for the first time in SPR it was not black tea but green tea. Because…

"Thank you Mai-hime."

Came to think of it, back when she met Gene… she shouldn't be that surprised considering she met this man already. That face… was exactly like Kyo-san, or rather… Kyo-san looked exactly like him it was a wonder how the heck he was Kyo-san's uncle and not twin.

"As expected of Reborn's student, your skill in brewing beverage is superb."

Mai smiled at the man wearing red chángshān, "Thank you for the kind compliment… Fon-san." Which was an understatement considering how picky Reborn was with his drink and food, or with everything really. "We're really owe this case to you Fon-san."

"Ah it's also my pleasure to meet my fellow spiritualist like Lin-san."

* * *

 _Flashback_ ** _(Mai's POV)_**

 ** _Naru's Apartment, the night before curse reverse._**

 _"_ _It's a relieve we live at the age of technology…" I said as I set down the tray of tea and snacks on Naru's coffee table. "Don't you think so?"_

 _"_ _You're right Mai-hime…few years ago we would have to cut all of this hitogata with knife." A solemn voice said._

 _"_ _Why am I allowed to go back earlier to Japan for this of all things?" A grumpy voice that sounded very similar with the first said._

 _It was very amusing to see Lin-san looked so flustered to sit on the same table as his idol. "It's an honor… Fon-shi."_

 _Fon, arcobaleno of storm and uncle Kyo-san would rather die than admitted related by blood with just smiled at his fellow Taoist. "It's an honor to me too, Lin-kun… I believe I have met your father years ago. It's unfortunate because of my lifestyle I can't keep contact with my fellow spiritualist…"_

 _Onii-chan or rather… Giotto called in a favour to Fon-san in China to help us to make over six hundreds hitogata for Ryokuryo High students. Fon-san was more than happy to oblige his request, especially when he was informed about the two layered curse. He was interested to be involved in this case and also to see Lin-san._

 _He glanced to the side where his younger looking clone glared petulantly while writing charm to paste on hitogata. "I made effort to keep track of my family though, no matter how uncooperative he is…"_

 _"_ _I don't remember I am related to someone like you." Kyo-san growled at him._

 _"_ _Hai… hai~ I know Kyouya…"_

 _Looking at Naru's face and his reflection –Gene- obviously they were thinking something along the line, whether Fon-san and Kyo-san were twins or Kyo-san was cloned from his uncle. Personally I thought Kyo-san was being an idiot to try making Fon-san keeping their relationship a secret._

 _After all… with a face like that, it was an exercise in futility. It would be like Onii-chan and I denying we were related to Giotto, it was like writing 'dumb' on your own forehead._

 _TING TONG!_

 _"_ _I will get it!" I rushed to the door and not surprised to see grinning Takeshi and tired looking Tojo carrying another cardbox._

 _"_ _This is the last ones!" He exclaimed as he and Tojo brought it inside the apartment._

 _I hummed as I opened the box Takeshi set down on the floor, where a freshly cut hitogata arranged neatly inside the box. "What an irony… we make something like Hitogata with laser cut nowadays."_

 _Lin coughed, "I am actually surprised hitogata that was cut with laser can work properly." In the first place Fon was called in because Lin had a hard time to make over six hundred hitogata by himself, then the older Taoist just suggested they made the doll with laser cut of all things._

 _Fon-san beamed. "Oh… it doesn't really matter how we cut them."_

 _Takeshi grinned, "We got weird looks from the shopkeeper though!"_

 _Tojo nodded, "I think they suspect we're either making some sort of shady merchandise or we're cursing people with them."_

 _I sweat-dropped at that. "In a sense… it does related to cursing…"_

 _Takeshi beamed at me and said, "Well then, I am going back to Ryokuryo now." In case they needed a fighter and keeping an eye on Fran we left with the rest of SPR team._

 _"_ _Take care… Takeshi." I waved as our rain skipped back to the exit._

 _BLAM_

 _In the background Kyo-san was glaring at the hitogata he was crafting with ire, "Why do I have to do this?" He had to endure Fon-san's company, crowding, and on top of that making two hundred hitogata. A craft he never thought he had to practice even though Fon-san taught him about it years ago._

 _It was still a mystery how the heck Fon-san managed to sit him down to learn making dolls, hitogata doll but still…_

 _"_ _Because your boss makes you, Kyouya." Fon-san pointed out, "Beside… you're the one jumping at the first opportunity to go back to Japan earlier, and forget checking why and who you're going back with. You should learn some patience and paying more attention to your surrounding, focused is good, but being single minded is no good."_

 _He was about to grip the hitogata on his hand to splinters but I quickly stopped our cloud. "While we have extras… we're working with pressing deadlines here, Kyo-san… please don't go breaking hitogata you're working on."_

 _He grunted in annoyance and continued to work, glaring at his uncle who seemed to take the whole ordeal as family bonding activity rather than a job._

 _I glanced at my phone, "Well… no calls from Bou-san and co, which mean tonight would be a quiet one. Hopefully…"_

 _"_ _As long as no idiot enters the dangerous locations…" Naru grunted._

 _I snorted at him, "Still… why can't I help?" I couldn't help but wonder. "Can't you teach me, Fon-san?"_

 _Fon shook his head, "No Mai-hime… crafting hitogata is an art you shouldn't learn, Reborn would have my head if he knows I let you learn this… it's tainting you see."_

 _I blinked at him, "Ah… right, that make sense."_

End of Flashback

* * *

 **Naru's Office**

"It seems Fon-san is still outside…" Gene commented.

Naru looked up from the document he was perusing to his twin, for convenience sake he had put a mirror on the wall across his desk. "Yes…"

"That person is quite something, don't you think so Noll?"

* * *

 _Flashback_ ** _(Naru's POV)_**

 _She couldn't learn the art of crafting hitogata because it was tainting. What a strange way to phrase it._

 _"_ _I don't think Mai-hime would mind if you ask me, Shibuya-kun."_

 _Since when he was so open, even a stranger could read him._

 _"_ _Ie… you're not open at all, but your aura feels pretty restless since I told her, she shouldn't learn how to make hitogata. Your aura is supressed very well but… considering immense power you have for someone like me you're like beacon of light." Fon-shi explained, he looked amused but not mocking. Then he glanced at Lin, "You did a splendid job to train his chi… Lin-kun."_

 _Lin almost sputtered but settled on inclining his head slightly, "I am flattered to hear your kind words, Fon-shi."_

 _Fon-shi just smiled in respond, "At any rate… about why Mai-hime shouldn't learn this kind of art, while it's not something that will endanger her or anything… for someone like Mai-hime, it's something that will taint her purity."_

 _Silence…_

 _Purity? He couldn't mean…_

 _Steel like eyes glinted murderously. "Kamikorosu!"_

 _'_ _Noll! Hibari-san looks like he wants to kill you!' Gene cried mentally to me in panic._

 _Fon-shi sighed as he grabbed his nephew's collar before Hibari-san could get anywhere near me. "Kyouya… when we're talking about purity of spirituality, it's normal to think in that direction. Mai-hime wouldn't appreciate it if you try to bite Shibuya-kun to death."_

 _He fumed silently as he sat back and continued his work. "Hn."_

 _The older Taoist paused from his work and sipped his tea, "Hm…" He exhaled slowly. "I was talking about purity of her aura… or chi." He glanced at Lin. "If you look at her with your right eye you will be able to see how clear her aura is… when her teacher introduce Mai-hime and her brother I was very surprised."_

 _"_ _Surprised?"_

 _He nodded, "Tsunayoshi-kun of course have immense and overwhelming aura that seems like it would engulf everything around him… it's like feeling the sky is about to fall on top of you." He laughed softly at the memory. "Mai-hime in the other hand… her aura is more refined, controlled and gentle… the very opposite of her brother."_

 _Even though I couldn't see aura like Gene, I suppose it fits them. Mai was control, while her brother was power._

 _"_ _However… both of them share the same trait too, pure, clear and harmonious…" Fon-shi muttered as he picked up his brush again. "That's why since they were young; their teacher taught them to never ever lie."_

 _I was confused by that, "I was under impression she is naturally a bad liar."_

 _"_ _She is." He didn't correct me. "In fact I think anyone who is related to her by blood are all naturally bad at lying, it gets to the point her father have a pretty convoluted way of speech…"_

 _Didn't Mai say she was distant with her father?_

 _"_ _You see… Shibuya-kun, a wise woman once told me." He placed a finger over his lips, "Words are very powerful. That's why you have to watch everything that comes out from your mouth."_

 _"…"_

 _"_ _For Mai-hime… lying is not a restriction, but she chose to restrict herself from it following her master's teaching. Her brother is also the same…"_

 _I frowned at that, "Is that like we cleansing ourselves with refraining from eating meat?"_

 _Fon-shi blinked at that, "I guess you can interpret it that way…"_

 _Lin glanced at him, "I recall once… Sawada-san commented about our fasting in investigation…"_

 _"_ _Ah… she did say something odd."_

 _'_ _Cleansing yourself with eating only vegetarian food?  
Ah, I did hear some people do that…  
Maaa… for me whatever I eat won't matter to me spiritually…' _

_That was back in Kokuyo, and she was the one who cooked our meals. She ran off to do some business in her hometown before I could ask, and because the case was escalating, it slipped my mind._

 _"_ _Ah that…" Fon-san laughed softly as clasping his hands together. "I believe you already know the twins repel spirit with their presence alone? It has something to do with that…" A soft smile graced his lips, "Beside… fasting enhance our spiritual sensitivity, does that matter when they have hyper intuition?"_

 _"_ _I see…" I coughed once, "…what kind of person their teacher is?" I couldn't help but wonder. "Sometimes she mentions him and said I remind her of him a lot."_

 _Interestingly Fon-shi who had been very loyal to enlighten me was frozen stiff by my question. "Hm… she said that?"_

 _"_ _Is that meant as an insult or compliment in her part?"_

 _"_ _Ha ha ha… I admire and respect Reborn, but when one is compared to him it can be taken both ways." Fon-shi strangely rolled his eyes to the side when he said this._

 _"_ _Hn." Hibari-san grunted, he too… rolling his eyes to the side like his uncle. I was sure he didn't realize he mirrored Fon-shi._

 _'_ _Ne… Noll.'_

 _'_ _What?'_

 _'_ _While I believe they're related… rather than uncle and nephew they look more like brothers, not to mention….'_

 _I snorted, Gene was thinking something odd or idiotic again._

 _'_ _I heard that! And if you bothered to pay attention… Fon-shi supposed to be in his fifties at least! Lin's treasured book he authored is published over twenty years ago! He doesn't look any different than the photo of his younger self on that book!'_

 _Hearing that I looked closer to Fon-shi who was busy writing charm, 'He… he looks so young, around Lin's age perhaps?'_

 _'_ _Baby faced or not… is it normal to looks like half your age?' Gene wondered out loud._

 _True… but his nephew didn't seem to think there was anything out of ordinary with Fon-shi, Mai didn't either…_

 _"_ _Just in case… tomorrow, we will also erect a layered barrier for students." He said._

 _"_ _Hai…" Lin agreed. "We're gambling here after all… precaution is needed."_

 _Gene's voice resounded again in my mind, 'Ne… Noll, Lin didn't notice either. Is that… normal?'_

 _My eyes widened, turning away to my reflection I exchanged glance with Gene. It was one thing for Mai or Hibari-san to not care or perhaps… they knew the reason of this abnormality but Lin…Why didn't Lin notice?_

 _End of Flashback_

* * *

At the rate this was going it was becoming hard for me to stay ignorant of oddity around Mai, her family and associates. Which was probably why she told him she was of completely different world I shouldn't tread lightly.

Mai tolerated secrets but that didn't mean she liked it. If from what I saw so far of her, Mai almost loathed secrets even. Like bitter medicine she had to swallow for her own good, but she didn't like it.

Then why…

I glanced at his phone on my desk, it was vibrating. I picked the phone, a mail from Shouichi… he was asking me to come to his hotel to have lunch with him. _Or else…_ was written on the end. Did Shouichi just threaten him to come?

 _"_ _Noll… what's with Mai's family and blackmailing us to have lunch with them?"_ Gene wondered out loud.

I wondered about that myself.

* * *

 **Shouichi's hotel room (3** **rd** **POV)**

Shouichi had heard the guardians, namely Mukuro and Gokudera whispering about Noll, Gene and Hime lately. At first he thought Hayato was just worrying about the twins' involvement with their world and Mukuro didn't care if they did. It wasn't like they had never involved civilians, Haru and Hana were the prime examples.

It was a legit concern though, as they never knew the real background of their friends. Shouichi himself had no intention to make it known, not because he was ashamed but because some things were better off remained as secrets…

Apparently it was not the case and Hayato through video call explained to him what he and Mukuro were talking about. The twins' involvement would be a minor problem in comparison of what they had gotten themselves into. Hayato seemed to be torn between letting nature run its course and stopping them.

Mukuro added his two cents, "To be or not to be… that's the question. For _them_ not for you…"

In short, it was none of their business and only idiots meddle on it.

He and Hayato agreed normally it shouldn't be their business; it was between Noll, Gene and their Hime. It should be… but… considering their present circumstances on their side and the Davises' side, Shouichi didn't think they could afford standing on the side line.

So he braced himself to talk with Noll _and_ Gene before he had to go back to Palermo. It won't be pleasant and most likely awkward, but it was necessary.

"Noll… Gene." He began, "This is going to be awkward and I am sure since you have met a number of our family members you _already_ get the gist… you know, about Hime…"

Noll rolled his eyes, and Shouichi came to a startling realization that Noll had not realized what he had gotten himself into had escalated from mere mentor-student slash researcher-willing test subject.

Gene –in Noll's reflection- in the other hand looked sheepish with small blush on his cheeks.

Inwardly Shouichi thought in shock, ' _They're not even on the same page yet… Gene gets what I am getting at and Noll_ completely _missed it!'_

Why weren't they on the same page for once in their life! If both were still oblivious, he could drop some hints and hoped they would get it later. If they were already knew, he could give them straightforward warning. In this case… what the heck he should do?

Just drop some hints?

Tell them straight away?

Which?

Naru and Gene in the other hand could almost hear the sound of broken gears on Shouichi's genius brain. Gene wondered if they were going to get standard 'the talk from male relative of the girl they liked' from Shouichi, while Noll couldn't help but wish Shouichi to say something soon instead of wasting their time.

Shouichi recognizing the impatient look on Naru's face, snarled. "Save it, I wouldn't waste your time and mine if only you're not so difficult! Of all times you and Gene aren't on the same page…"

Gene laughed, "Noll is pretty slow when it comes to this kind of thing."

"Try crippled." Shouichi fumed.

Naru was ticked, "I am not sitting here for you two to insult me."

"It's not an insult if it's a fact." Shouichi pointed out and before his friend could retort, he added. "Alright, let's don't talk about this because we can sit here _all day_ if we argue…"

"Then, speak… we don't have all day." Naru pointed out coolly.

Shouichi palmed his face, "Putting what Gene already know and you know not yet aside…" He waved his hands to the side, making shoving motion. "How attached are you to our Hime?"

Silence…

"What?"

Shouichi didn't answer and instead he went on. "Let's say… when you found Gene's body and get him back, you're going to go back to London right?"

"Right…" Naru frowned. "That's why you ask how attached we are to Mai?" Shouichi was afraid they would leave Mai alone or something?

Shouichi groaned, "I wish it could be that simple… you must be thinking it's not like it's a farewell forever and such. What I meant however… is _what if_ one day you won't be able to see Hime ever again."

The way he said it didn't sound like it was a what if scenario however. "Shouichi, what are you talking about?" Gene asked warily. "A 'what if' like that is not a joke."

"Which is why I am not joking…" He clenched his fist, "No… more like, you should be prepared that one day perhaps you will never be able to see Hime ever again."

The red head's tone was grim and serious, leaving no room for argument.

He exhaled slowly. "It shouldn't be any of my business… what you feel for her, but as your friend… the least I could do is giving you a warning." He looked straight at them both. "She can't stay by your side forever… she… has to leave someday, and regardless of what you feel for her. I want you to be prepared…"

Naru's jaw hardened, "You didn't make any sense…"

"You-"

Shouichi snapped, "She doesn't have much time left!"

Silence…

It was Gene who found his voice first, "Shouichi… she… Mai is not dying right?"

Shouichi didn't answer, his lips trembled.

"Shouichi!"

"I can't say anything!" He was cradling his head now in frustration. "You can worry about her health yes… but that's not the main problem here. It's just… she _has_ to leave."

Naru's gaze settled on Shouichi coolly while Gene was still mulling over what the red haired scientist said. "if she is going to leave… would it be by her own free will?"

Shouichi was stunned, he expected Naru to ask 'why' or 'when' not whether or not it was her wish. "It's… a must, but for the best… for everyone's sake she would do so."

He closed his eyes and said, "I see…" He exhaled softly, "Mai… she has made a promise to us."

"Hm?"

"She promised… no matter what she will never intentionally hurt us out of selfishness." Naru snorted, "Mai is strange like that, sometimes I can't help but think she could be so naïve and caught up in concern of other people's wellbeing while forgetting hers…"

Shouichi smiled weakly at that, "That sounds just like our Hime… she and our boss are always like that." He glanced to the side at the dark sky of the night outside. "More often than not they keep forgetting they can get hurt too like the rest of us. It's not like they think they're invulnerable or anything… it's just…"

* * *

 _Flashback…_

 _"_ _You can't do this! Tsunayoshi-kun!" Shouichi cried. "There must be another way so you don't have to resort to this!"_

 _The sky shook his head, "We don't have much time… and since that day I keep thinking of a way but an idiot like me can't think of anything better."_

 _The red head growled, "If you know your brain capacity is limited you should have confided with Hayato and I! Not mulling over it by yourself!"_

 _Tsuna sweat-dropped. "You don't hesitate at all to call me stupid, I am still your boss you know… even though I call myself an idiot."_

 _"_ _What's wrong with calling an idiot, idiot?" He was spending too much time with Noll, calling people idiots was getting therapeutic._

 _"_ _Iee… I mean, you're not holding back at all even with your boss when your hackle raise, are you?" Tsuna palmed his face and at petulant look Shouichi shot him, Tsuna sighed exasperatedly. "Shouichi… I… it's selfish, but I can't live that future. I don't want it…"_

 _"_ _No one wants bad future, not just you!" He snarled._

 _Tsuna laughed softly, "I guess there is a reason why I am the boss of Vongola and not Arcobaleno." His gaze lowered, "I… I can't be like Aria-nee or Yuni, I can't stay still and accept the inevitable future. I am not that accepting…"_

 _"…"_

 _"_ _Ha ha ha… in the end even though Reborn train me so hard, I am still Dame Tsuna… I am seriously no good, a failure as a sky." He closed his eyes, a lone tear fell from his eyes. "I wish to not live that future because I don't want to be the ten years later me I know, I don't want to change…"_ He didn't want to regret.

 _He was breaking… and Shouichi cursed why he was so powerless to help this person. Why he was so weak? Why they were so… helpless?!_

 _"_ _More than anything… I don't want to hurt anyone, but in the end… of all people the one I will hurt the most is my family… Mai especially." He let out a shuddering breath. "I am such a failure as a brother… I can't even get things right so my sister won't cry."_

 _Shouichi's voice trembled, "Why does it have to be like this?"_

 _Tsuna smiled at Shouichi, his usual warm and gentle smile. "It's something I decide for myself…"_

 _"_ _Boss!" Shouichi snapped, "Isn't it enough already?! You and Hime… have been through so much, both of you deserves better!"_

 _This time he was laughing, but there was no mirth in his voice. "You see Shouichi… When the burden I shoulders seemed to kill me, I couldn't help but wondering if the world hates me." Shouichi stilled," but I still love the world regardless… because in this less than ideal world I have you guys with me."_

 _"…"_

 _"_ _I don't know of this 'better things' you said we deserve… Because to us, you guys are the best thing in our life we could hardly believe we deserve…"_

 _He blushed, "Gah… as always you can say something embarrassing with straight face like that."_

 _"_ _I am just being honest."_

 _"_ _Which is why it's embarrassing…" Tsunayoshi didn't know the meaning of 'flattering' people, simply because he was so honest. "And that's why we always warn you to keep your 'honest feeling' talk to yourself around non-family members. People who don't know you well would think it's an open invitation to jump you."_

 _"_ _Heh?"_

 _End of Flashback…_

* * *

"They're just… idiots who shoulders the weight of the world." Shouichi said with shuddering breath. "The biggest idiots… both of them." Soft laughter escaped his lips, but there was no mirth in them.

Naru and Gene became silent, words failed them. This was the first time they saw Shouichi so at lost. They had seen him depressed over little things, clutching his abdomen in agony when things going wrong but… never like this… In their time knowing Mai and her family, they came to know that to Shouichi, Hayato… for all of them Mai and Tsunayoshi were their world.

And perhaps… Mai already meant that much to them too.

"I don't know how to make you two get it when I have so much thing I can't say at all…" Shouichi's lips were trembling, and he was not looking at them in the eye. "Ne… Noll, Gene… how many times you look up and see the sky in daily life? Once… twice?"

"…"

"Looking at ever present sky above our heads of course is not something people do in daily basis, for most people anyway… the sky is always up there."

They were very tempted to ask what Shouichi was babbling about, and worried if their friend lost it.

"You will never expect the sky can disappear on you…"

Now they were really worried if Shouichi had really lost his mind.

"When it does and instead of myriad of colours it graced you with day and night, all that left is a deep and endless abyss…"

Gene suddenly had a vision flashed on his mind of how half of the sky fell and replaced by abyss. _'That was… Mai's astral world?'_ Then he felt it, stab like pain in his chest that quickly became burning pain.

"Hime is the sky, they are our sky. So if one day… you find her not returning to your side, please accept it… "

"I…"

"You two are not like us…" Shouichi said. "Not yet… so please, when the time come. Please… let go."

"It's not yours to decide!" It was Gene who said that, Shouichi turned to him in shock. "Mai's departure in the future is her choice! And if it's her wish neither I nor Noll have right to stop her but…" He trailed off. "What we're going to do about it… is none of your business Shouichi!"

His glasses slipped off of his nose, giving him dishevelled look. "But!"

Much to Shouichi's shock Naru followed. "Beside… from how you talk it sounds more like something she would do out of a must rather than her own free will." Naru said pointedly. "And last time I recall we're neither under her employment nor her family, so what we're going to do about it is up to us, not you, not her, or even the world."

"Not even… the world?" Did Noll even realize what he was talking about?

As if they heard what he was thinking, Gene gave him a stubborn look Shouichi knew he and Spanner caved in to all the time, while Noll had this 'I don't care about the world' face that never failed to exasperate them.

"Do you guys even have inkling what you're up against?"

Noll and Gene glanced at each other, "Contrary to what you think, even though I didn't ask Mai anything doesn't mean I am not aware of strangest things around her… Neither Gene nor I are that ignorant."

"You guys really believe there is something you can do about it?!" He asked in disbelief, and their expression didn't waver in respond. "Gah, no wonder… you guys are equally stupid! Why am I always worrying about stupid people…"

Noll glared at him.

Shouichi ignored the glare and went on, "But perhaps… you're exactly who we need, more idiots who wants to follow our Hime…" He closed his eyes in resignation, sighing in a long suffering way. "Fine… I warned you already, do as you please but…" He opened his abruptly, "I will be on Hime's side when the time comes… and if she said you're out, I will drag you out of her sight myself."

Neither Gene nor Noll wavered, "You're welcome to try."

* * *

 **One hour later…**

"Lunch with Shouichi, hm…" Mai was raising an eyebrow when they returned to the office.

She had this curious look on her face but she didn't say anything else. "You're not going to ask?"

"Well… to be honest I am very curious of why you have this accomplished and determined look on your face after whatever you were talking over lunch with shouichi…" She trailed off, glancing to the side at his unmoving reflection on the mirror. Gene was asleep. "But I guess boys should to keep their manly secret like we keeping our womanly secret."

Naru snorted at that. "If you say so…"

She was still glancing to his reflection, as if making sure Gene was still asleep. "Ne… Naru, you and Gene… are awkward with each other…"

Naru frowned at that, "Hm?" She changed the topic out of the blue again. "Why did you say that?"

"Or so I thought… no, more like I am unsure if it's just how it is when you're twin brothers." She was mumbling to herself. "I mean you guys were bickering and picking on each other." Mostly on their recklessness and stupidity, which was oddly reminded her of Hayato and Takeshi. "But…it seems there is a wall between the two of you."

Especially when Gene told her that his astral world was his room in England, Naru had his _own_ room in that world. That was how Gene perceived his bond with Naru, they were connected but separated in the same time. She and Tsuna had no such thing, merely vast sky connected with each other.

She shook her head, "Iee… if this is-"

This turn of topic was unexpected but Naru foresaw this would pop up sooner or later. "You're not wrong, your Hyper Intuition is right that Gene and I are unusually not as close as twin should be. This is especially apparent when I'm a scientist and he is my assistant, a lot of people who knows us back home were surprised I went all the way to Japan to look for him."

Mai blinked at him, "I just don't want to make an assumption, not making you admitting it… Naru."

"Assumption?" Mai with her Hyper Intuition didn't assume things, she knew.

Mai looked embarrassed, "Well… my brother and I are extraordinarily close." They were close from what he saw back in Christmas and his second encounter with Tsuna but not unusually so like she said. "Well… you never see us in private."

Once again she didn't even notice she was answering the thought running on his mind and not something he spoke out loud.

"Onii-chan spoils me rotten all the time, and to me he is the greatest brother on earth."

Silence…

"So I couldn't help but think using my own relationship with my brother as measuring stick is a little biased…" She looked sheepish about it. "Don't you think so?"

Naru blurted out before he could stop himself, "I can't believe you can say something as embarrassing as that." About how close she was to her brother, she was so open about it.

Mai rolled her eyes and snorted, "Well… this is why-" The rest of her mumbling was unheard, some was in Italian for sure. "At least you guys are not as bad as the last twins I met."

Naru blinked at that, "What do you mean?"

"You guys aren't actively trying to kill each other at least." She said before she closed the door to his office.

Blam.

Naru couldn't help but thought, _'If not because I respect her privacy and what I saw of her past by accident before I would be very curious of what the heck she had seen for the last sixteen years of existence.'_

 _'_ _That kind of curiosity kills, you know.'_

Naru snorted, glancing to the side to the full length mirror. "So you're just pretending?"

Gene shook his head, "It was a short nap.'

"So you said…"

Gene sighed, "Mai saw through us again… and here I don't want her to know we're not so chummy with each other." He gave his twin a look. "But it's totally your fault…"

"Hayato and co already knew… Mai of course could tell, beside from their past comment on our relationship I think Hayato especially in occasion was comparing us with Mai and Tsuna."

 _'_ _Hm… I wonder if it's because you guys are twin boys.'_

 _'_ _How did you guys could be so different,  
when raised in the same household? I don't get it.' _

_'_ _So… older by five minutes didn't count for you, huh… Noll.'_

"Now we know what those comments meant."

Gene just smiled at him, "Ne… Noll, asking Mai why she lives separately from her family is undoubtedly a forbidden question, ne?"

"Obviously." He grunted.

Still… he met Mai here, in Japan. So whatever circumstances that made her to live here, he was grate-

Grateful? Him? For meeting Mai…

Gene laughed softly, startling him. _'It's alright me too… I am grateful to meet her. Noll…'_

This was why having a twin who could read your mind was inconvenient. How could Mai stand this intrusion to privacy?

 _'_ _I didn't read your mind just now, our train of thought happen to be the same…'_ Gene corrected.

Or so Gene said. "Still… why Mai is here is beyond me, apart from her twi-"

Clack

"Your tea, Naru…"

Naru froze, and realized he asked for one before. "I…" Him of all people let his mouth ran and overheard by the last people he wanted to hear it!

Mai wordlessly placed the tea on his table, sighing before she said. "I will tell you one of these days." Then she left his room without another word.

Naru had a feeling he had stepped on a landmine and it was ticking beneath his foot. It had not exploded yet but he was frozen in place with beeping bomb beneath his foot.

* * *

 **In front of SPR's office building**

Masako had just alighted from her car and making her way to the building when a familiar voice interrupted her. "Masako~"

"Matsuzaki-san." Masako turned towards the red haired miko.

She smiled at the medium, and then pointed at café on first floor. "Do you have a moment to spare for a chat?"

Masako wordlessly nodded and followed the miko to the café. They ordered their beverage and began to talk. "How unusual of you to be here… outside and asking me to join you in this café and not SPR's office."

Ayako flicked her hair daintily, "There is nothing wrong to ask for my fellow spiritualist to have a chat."

She frowned. "Do you think I will buy that Matsuzaki-san?" Her eyes narrowed. "You don't like me… just like-"

"Ma-sa-ko." Ayako interjected sternly, "I am not _him_ so I don't think like him, beside… regardless of what you think of me, you should know I am mature enough to acknowledge sometimes…we can't save everyone. Something like what happen in Ryokuryo required massive effort and even that is not happy ever after like in fairy tale…" She crossed her arms. "I am not an idealistic youth who thinks a fourteen years old girl should be able to save people without fail…"

Masako quieted down at that, "I'm sorry."

"I saw it…"

"?"

"The way you're looking at Mai lately, stop that." Ayako told her in stern tone. "Regardless of what you feel to Naru, she doesn't deserve your ire and-"

"Why did Naru treat Mai-san differently?" Masako wondered out loud suddenly.

Ayako blinked at that, "Eh?"

Masako blushed furiously, "Forget I said anything!" She snapped as she averted her eyes.

The miko sighed, "Masako…"

"If you want to laugh, go ahead Matsuzaki-san!" Masako hissed in annoyance, her voice muffled by the sleeve of her kimono.

She sighed exasperatedly, "Why would I laugh at you?"

"I…"

"Seriously…" Matsuzaki took a deep breath. "Masako, listen… I know you're jealous of Mai but again… to show your disdain for her openly. She doesn't deserve any of it…"

"I know." She muttered softly. "But I can't help but think it's so unfair… she… Mai-san never seems to try to get his attention but Naru shower her with it regardless. He even calls her by her name… he kiss…"

"CPR is not a kiss; it's just mouth to mouth first aid. If to you a kiss is just touching your lips with someone else's… then your understanding is shallow." Although… Ayako had a feeling when she left them alone, Naru stole one from Mai judging from that smug look of his and indignant face she made.

Masako grumbled, "And he let her kiss his cheek too… such familiar gesture."

"A familiar gesture she gives to _all_ family members of hers." Ayako pointed out.

"What does she have that I don't?!" She cried. "Attractiveness? Feminine charm?"

Looking at exasperated and miserable look on Masako's face, she sighed. "Look Masako… I am sure you think you're prettier than Mai." Then again that girl never tried to look her best in daily basis like Ayako and Masako. To Mai looking neat, clean and professional was enough.

Sometimes… Ayako wondered if Mai ever remembered she was a teenage girl, not an office lady.

"I am." Masako replied confidently.

She had porcelain skin was delicate and soft to the touch, face framed by sleek, shoulder-length black hair that always fell perfectly in place, the elegant kimono she wore accentuating her natural grace and style. She also worked hard for her medium skill, which nothing to do with her celebrity status that gained her reputation in Japan.

Ayako rolled her eyes, "Does Naru looks like a sucker for pretty face? Aside from his own pretty face, I mean…" Masako stilled at that. "Look… I don't want to make you cry or anything but all of us can see it already, the answer to your first question? He treats her differently… in special way, simply because he _likes_ her in romantic sense."

Masako swallowed, "It's unfair! She doesn't…"

"No, she doesn't even try to gain his affection." Ayako agreed wholeheartedly. "His acknowledgement of her skill? Yes… she did. His trust? That too… However I am sure she doesn't even think to get his attention in romantic sense…" She inhaled deeply. "Which is why… poor Naru, of all girls he is falling for one girl that take his pretty face as a matter of fact…"

"…"

"To be honest I can't figure them out… half of their action and attitude is like a puzzle to me." Ayako admitted honestly. "However… Masako, looking at how he behaves around you… when you ask him out to go on dates… I am sure you expect him to behave like a gentleman for you, special treatment… being romantic and so on…"

She blushed, "Isn't that normal? All girls expect those from the boy they like."

"Unfortunately… Naru is not a normal boy, and I think those demands are why Naru seems to loathe the idea of 'dating' anyone… he is not a complete jerk, we all know that… but does Naru looks like someone who will let anyone even a love interest to dictate how he behaves?" Ayako pointed out with a snort. "Mai in the other hand has no such expectation of him… she did put her foot down when he is getting overbearing… but that's it, in the end it's for him not her."

"…"

"If you ask why Mai is special… simply because she accept Naru as he is, both good and bad… isn't such person put anyone even Naru at ease just by being near her?"

"…I don't want to give up yet…"

Ayako sighed, not that she could blame Masako for wanting to hold on her feeling. However… those eyes she looked at Naru with, because she knew Masako used to look at someone else with the same eyes…

"Masako, I have no right to ask you to give up or anything… especially when obviously while Mai care for him, she doesn't even look at Naru in romantic light…" Not with her strange perception for boys at least. "But I ask you one thing… _if_ you meet _him_ again…"

Masako stiffened in shock as she knew who Ayako was referring too.

"Ask yourself do you still feel the same for Naru or you're just replacing _him_ with Naru…" Masako opened her mouth to protests but Ayako shook her head. "No, don't deny anything… not until you face him and you can proudly tell me your feeling for Naru have nothing to do with your old one for him."

"…Alright…"

Ayako felt bad for her, especially since she felt she had planted a seed of doubt in Masako's mind. Then again… it would be the most unfair for Masako to have his heart broken when her feeling for Naru was not even genuine.  
If she had to suffer broken heart… at least, Ayako hoped her feeling should be a genuine love.

* * *

 **Mai's Office, SPR's next door**

"Haah…"

"Hime." Tojo called her. "Maybe you should-"

Mai shook her head, "It's nothing… just the usual." She grumbled as she put her medicine pass her lips and swallowed. "I am fine…" She laid down. "I just need some rest…"

Her time was still ticking, and yet…

* * *

 **In the end because of dilemma between going to Blood Stained Labyrinth and original arc I went with an interlude instead. Hh... so yes, Shouichi laid down their choice and warn them of what they're up against. Yes, the 'oblivious' reaction to oddities around Mai is NOT natural... in KHR in case you forgot in daily life arc especially. There are lots of oddities with their neighborhood that Tsuna and Shouichi wonder why no one protest about the noise and everything... I am giving a 'cause' here and implying the 'why' so... yeah it's not 'waived off' like in canon KHR.  
**

 **I believe it's an original info somewhere that while Gene and Naru are close, there is awkwardness between them which is why a lot of people were surprised he went to look for Gene in canon.**

 **Hope you like this chapter and look forward for next =_=' as for Original arc I am thinking of SPR investigating the 'Dusk Maiden' from Tasogare Shoujo amnesia... the case only and how Naru would go 'Not a school again, why there is so many paranormal activity in school?' and wonder if Japanese next gen is OK their school is infested with spirits he he he...**

 **Or we can go to BSL arc... hm...**


	32. Bonus Case 065 Part 01

**Case 07, Prologue**

 **February, 4** **th** **Week**

It was written all over his face, and Mai would be very tempted to laugh if it was not so serious. As usual request that was a genuine paranormal case was rare, and one that could attract Naru's attention was rarer. However this case while temptingly interesting, they would rather not taking it.

The reason?

One, it was a case requested by a _student_ of Seikyo Middle School. After their last two disastrous cases in school that made majority of their members gritting their teeth, obviously Naru was not eager to take another case taking place in school.

Mai glanced down at her notes; so far they had jotted down some case of poltergeist, randomly malfunctioning electronics, and some classic seven mysteries you could find in any school. However… this school was _old_ with long history that strongly associated with supernatural world.

However…

"I come on behalf of my grandmother, the principal of Seikyou Gakuen. My name is Kanoe Kirie…" She was tall, beautiful teenage girl with an athletic figure, short boyish black hair and walnut-brown pupils. She was wearing sailor uniform with blue skirt and white top, wearing purple cardigan on top of it as winter attire.

"What we could help you with then… Kanoe-san?"

"You see in our school…"

Their second reason to refuse this case was the principal, Kanoe Yukariko… who was also their client's grandmother, she was holding back information.

"No, I am sorry… it's a painful past for my grandmother so, considering her health issue I don't think you could ask her."

Naru was sitting beside Mai so he could see her notes, where Mai wrote _'This girl wants us to solve this quietly.'_ in English and underline that line. _'She wants us to cleanse the spirit but not investigating deep to this case.'_

"From what we see, there isn't anything pressing that could endanger anyone in your school." Naru said in detached tone. "What could prompt you to request an investigation now?"

Kanoe-san fidgeted under their studious gaze, "Well… the oldest buildings in our complex are worn and sometimes delinquents and homeless peoples wanders there, it's getting dirty and unkempt… if it collapse and someone gets hurt…"

She trailed off. "And also… there are some of our students get fascinated by these stories, if it's just innocent curiosity I won't get worried but… some of them gets really frightened and refuse to come to school when involved in one of the… mysteries in our school."

So the one at risk was their reputation and student, typical… Naru thought.

Then Mai wrote, _'_ _She is avoiding giving the real reason up.'_

Mai narrowed her eyes at the name of the school; Seikyo… that was pretty far from here but Mai remembered there was one time…

"Actually I remember one of your students has visited our office before." Mai began and at Naru's questioning look she added. "A cheerful girl with short blond hair who is playing a game of hide and seek with spirit."

Naru gave her a look that said, _someone like that come with that kind of request?_

"Yes, she did."

And Naru without an ounce of compassion told the girl she was just hallucinating, and if she was so worried she either should go visit a psychiatrist or a shrine. Whichever that could calm her mind. Mai as usual was the one got the share on comforting the girls and explained properly next door on why Naru said so.

She was playing the game at dusk, in an abandoned classroom and by the rule of the game 'Hidden Demon' she had to hide somewhere and in a place like that obviously a petite girl would hide in a narrow and dark place. It was all perfect condition that induces hallucination on her mind. Mai then passed the girl one of many charms Bou-san gave her on occasion to calm the girl's mind down and send her home.

"Due to this prior experience, we think it would be for the best if we consider your request first. We will contact you as soon as we can whether or not we're going to take your case. Kanoe-san…"

Kanoe Kirie looked dejected and then she said, "That's fine… but I wish you will take this case, especially because… the presence of one of the main ghost in our school is bothering my grandmother a lot."

Mai glanced at Naru and he peered at her note, _'She is giving in.'_

"This ghost is haunting your grandmother, the principal specifically?"

She shook her head, "Not specifically… Obaa-sama never told me but most likely she has seen her couple of times like anyone else who have misfortune catching glimpse of this ghost." She clenched her grip on black skirt of her uniform. "It's just that… my grandmother's health is deteriorating lately and the presence of this ghost in our school stressed her."

"Why?" Naru asked.

Kanoe Kirie took a deep breath, "The ghost is actually… her older sister who died in an accident sixty years ago, and Kanoe Yuuko is haunting our school now since then…" She swallowed, "As long as she is still in this world… my grandmother would continue living in sadness and regret."

* * *

 **That night…**

They were talking about the latest request over dinner, and Gene was adamant. "You two… everyone have their secrets, you know." Gene was trying to sound positive.

Mai and Naru? Not so much, they were sceptical. "After what happened in Yuasa, I'd rather not dig our client's dirt up if I could help it."

Mai was not nodding but she sounded like she was. "After Yuasa and Ryokuryo, I can't blame you for thinking that but… in the case of my school it's not so bad… ne?"

Naru had mixed expression in respond and Mai sighed.

"Leaving the location aside, it sounds like an interesting case…" Mai put her chopstick down. "Should I scout the school first before we decide anything?"

Naru and Gene gave him an identical look. "After what happened in Ryokuryo's infirmary…"

"I am not asking to be attacked." Mai pointed out with a sigh, "Still…" She pulled out a piece of paper from her pocket, it should go to their document but she wanted to study it some more. It was a paper with the name of the ghost in kanji Kanoe gave them. "Kanoe… Yuuko-san, we can deduce a lot from this name alone…"

Naru nodded, "Since this is the name of current principal's name means… they're from old family considering she get to keep her maiden name in spite of being married, to have a man married to her family signifies status…"

"Hai… the family name is unusual too, Kanoe (庚) means evening star using kanji taken from Chinese calendar…." Looking at twin blank look she got, Mai sighed loudly. "It seems your kanji learning is a slow going."

"Why don't you try to learn over thousand scribble that could be read in multiple ways as running a business and writing a thesis?"

"Why the heck did you write a thesis now?" Mai couldn't help but wonder.

Gene interrupted before Mai and Naru could argue. "So Yuuko means… the ko is 子 for child or girl/maiden right?"

Mai nodded, "Yuu from Yugare, so with ko… Yuuko, her names literally means maiden of dusk."

"What a beautiful name." Gene couldn't help but commented.

Naru swallowed the piece of dashimaki in his mouth before saying, "The meaning of her name aside, don't you think it's odd there were so many people died from the plague but only Kanoe Yuuko-san who died by accident is rumoured haunting the premise?" At least she was the only ghost confirmed really haunting the school.

Mai nodded at that, "That… and how in this school there are so many horror rumors going on." She finished her meal and put down her chopstick, hand clasped in thanks. "Thanks for the food." She cleared her throat. "Not to mention Kanoe-san's request to get this case investigated quietly…"

"She claimed their school is so big and no one would notice us investigating the old buildings…" Gene trailed off. "I get why she wants us to keep this quiet, but…"

"This is a junior high school, keeping an investigation quietly considering our track record…"

A collapsed high school building

Wild poltergeist in Morishita house

Mini earthquake in an abandoned amusement park

A collapsed infirmary

"It's ironic that even the case we get in that church where the ghost was mute is not even completely silent." Mai couldn't help but pointed out. "Our prior experience aside, just let me scout the school and our client…"

* * *

 **Weekend, Kanoe's residence (Mai's POV)**

"Welcome…" The kind looking old woman smiled at me warmly. "Kirie told me her friend is coming today."

She seemed to be an ordinary kind grandmother to me, but as expected from what we deduced from her name. She was from a family with high status, even in this age her back was straight and she moved elegantly in her kimono. "I'm Sawada Mai, it's a pleasure to meet you Kanoe-san."

"I am Kanoe Yukariko… just call me Obaa-chan, Mai-chan ne…"

"Hai~" I chirped cheerfully as I followed the elderly woman inside the traditional house. The hallway eerily reminded me of Morishita's house.

She glanced at me and said, "Ara… Mai-chan, you have a good pose and your stride is elegant."

Ha ha ha… as expected of a woman from old family, her eyes were sharp.

"But you're not Japanese ne… Japanese girl who learn Sado for example would walk like flowing water." Like how Kanoe-san walked. "Your steps are soft and silent, but rather than flowing water how you walk reminded me of a majestic feline like a lioness or panther…"

Kanoe Kirie-san… you wanted us to investigate your school under the nose of a sharp grandmother like this quietly?

I glanced to the side, there was a wall full of family photos and some was dated back to Kanoe Yukariko-san's teenage years. However… there was no sight of her sister's photo.

Well, it was easy to know what to ask once I reach Kirie-chan's room.

* * *

 **That night (Naru's POV)**

"Thanks for your hard work." I greeted her once she returned from Kanoe residence. "And welcome back."

She didn't look exhausted but not in particular good mood either. "I am back…"

She hung her coat on the nearest clothes rack before flopping herself on the sofa next to me. Lately… Mai seemed to develop tendency for close proximity even more than before to me. It was not like she was clingy, she was just… naturally gravitate close to me.

"Shouldn't you go to take a shower first?" Most girls would take offense on this remark, not Mai though.

She snorted, "Do I smell?"

No, she didn't smell bad. So I shook my head in respond. "Hm? You change your shampoo and soap?" She smelt sweet like vanilla now.

"Kanoe's family own a large open bath, and that's what Kirie-chan and I used as an excuse for this visit." She giggled softly. "It's nice…"

I snorted, "Glad to know you enjoy your visit…" So she had taken a bath.

"By the way… since when you memorize the smell of my shampoo and soap?" She asked curiously.

"You never change the brand… it's either jasmine or amaryllis." I pointed out.

Mai nodded at that, "Oh I see… as observant as ever, Naru."

On the back of my mind Gene commented, _'Any other girl would have taken different train of thought when a guy remember their scent like you do.'_

 _'_ _Shut up, Gene.'_

"So… about Kanoe-san." Mai began, scooting closer as she took out her small notes from her pocket.

 _'_ _Mai is getting too used to be in our personal space…'_ Gene thought, _'Any guy should be happy of this but 'getting used' to us rather than wanting to be close is simply…'_

 _'_ _Gene, shut the hell up already.'_

Mai cleared her throat, most likely she noticed we had an internal argument again. "Kanoe Yukariko-san obviously would refuse to let us investigate her school, or rather her sister… and looking at her frail condition I can understand why Kirie-chan wants us to keep this quiet."

"How did you arrive to that conclusion?" I asked.

She flipped her notes and answered, "The first thing I asked to see to Kirie-chan is her family photo albums, even the black and white ones dated from sixty years ago…" She sighed, her eyes closed. "Kanoe-san didn't show even one picture of Kanoe Yuuko-san…"

"…That's strange." No matter how tragic her death was, to go as far as keeping the deceased's picture away after sixty years was abnormal.

"As for the school…" Mai trailed off in exasperated tone. "Unexpectedly… I don't feel the place as a crowded one like Ryokuryo or Morishita's house, in fact I could only sense one strong presence inside the school."

I frowned at that, with that many rumours circulating in that school should have housed more than one entity. "So most likely the non-Yuuko related rumours are all fakes."

"Most likely." Mai agreed. "Strangely… since I promised I won't get too close to the old school building I can't make sure, but the presence is not hostile at all."

"Not hostile?"

She nodded, "Yes… I can't sense hostile intention from this entity at all, but the whole school in the other hand…"

"The school itself?"

"It gives off bad vibe…" Mai told me, tilting her head to the side. "You know… the feeling ' _something scary is there.'_ Like-" Mai paused and tensing. "Eh? Where did I hear that from?"

I straightened at that, "You heard?"

Mai nodded hesitantly, "I think so… rather than heard, more like that line flashed on my mind and I jotted it down."

"…"

"This case is obviously promising."

"…" Indeed but it was in school and we would be trespassing.

"Aside from keeping this quiet part… shouldn't we take this case?" Mai looked hyped up. "Ne! Naru… this is first time my intuition gives me 'voices' too! I am curious!"

I was as curious, but still… "…"

"Naru… come on!"

My eyes widened when I realized at some point of averting my eyes from her and ignoring her nagging Mai had wrapped her arms around my neck and forcing my attention to focus on her. "Mai…" I hissed. "If the spirit is harmless, there is no point… beside Yuuko-san is still dead and Kanoe-san most likely is just grieving for too long. She should have gone to a therapist if her grief affected her health."

She _pouted_ at me, "If that's the case I would have said so to Kirie-chan." She said pointedly.

"We're going to trespass a private property."

"I don't think we will get in too much trouble, especially since Kirie-chan is the one who asked us. The worse that could happen is we would get scolded by Kanoe-san."

"And I am not going to risk such thing." I growled at her. "And you can't change my mind."

She smirked at me, "Oh really? That sounds like a challenge to me… Naru-chan~ and you know what? It never ends well for my challenger…"

I had a very bad feeling about this and I was right.

* * *

 **Vongola Trivia by Reborn  
** 8\. Never ever try to challenge a Vongola to convince you to change your mind, you either change your mind or run to a wall, neither will end well for you.

One hour later ignoring snickering Gene, I fumed as Mai cheerfully called Kanoe Kirie that we accepted her case and investigation would start in a few days. How the heck did I agree to this again?!

* * *

 **Case 07, Part 01 (3** **rd** **POV)**

In the end with all fuss over keeping things quiet on her end, Kanoe Kirie somehow managed to convince her grandmother that Mai's school club was going to have a study tour in their school plus a mock paranormal investigation. Apparently her grandmother was not _that_ worried about amateur paranormal investigators.

It helped Naru and John passed easily as high school students, they passed Lin as their teacher as easily. The only downside was… Naru was forced to wear a gakuran and Mai was wearing her sailor uniform. At least the gakuran was all black, so Naru relented. John didn't mind, gakuran looked similar to what he wore as a priest, the long sleeve and turtle neck part at least.

The other coworkers of theirs?

Because the nature of this investigation, Naru decided to cut down on numbers. Or so he said, but Mai had a feeling Naru'd rather not inviting the noisy ones-namely Ayako and Bou-san- and a celebrity like Masako to this case.

Not to mention the disastrous valentine day Naru'd rather forget for the rest of his life. Mai tried so hard to get that accursed day passed as harmlessly as possible and yet…

"This school compound is a little…" John's voice snapped her out of her thought.

"Just call it creepy if you want John." Mai told him. "My impression of this place by the way… it's a haunted house."

"…"

"…" Naru stared at her long and hard, "For once your impression is so generic and not informative."

"I am not the one who decides what to feel from a haunted site." Mai pointed out. "And yes… I know how unhelpful that depiction is."

Naru sighed, "Let's just go… "

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

Seikyou Gakuen was a school complex located two hours ride from Tokyo, and it was pretty close from Morishita's house. Unfortunately Morishita family had moved in from their large house, because even though the house was safe now Noriko-san felt unsettled to live in a house with painful memories.

Back to this academy's building, judging from cluttered layout of the school obviously it had been constantly undergoing rebuilding and renovations throughout its 60-year history. Considering their insistence to keep the old building, it was no wonder the school eventually became famous among its students for its many ghost stories.

"And this is the night watch room you guys can use as your bedroom." Kirie announced to us. "You can use the old faculty room next to this as your base… the electricity is still running so there would be no problem at all." Then she added, "Oh, the water is still good too."

I stepped in and went towards the sink, and turned the faucet. The water was still running but it was red… like blood. Kirie looked ready to scream like any normal girl would at the sight, "Kirie-chan… it's just the rust on the pipe, the water will turn clear soon."

And soon the water got clearer. "See?"

"Hooh…" She sighed in relief, rubbing her chest. "As expected of professional investigators, you guys know your stuff."

Naru stepped in, following me. "Plumbing more often than not is the source of fake paranormal activities, bloody fauced and mysterious gurgling noise are very common." He informed the middle school student. "Which is why, the first thing we would do in this investigation is sorting fake and genuine activities."

Kirie rubbed the back of her head at that, "Sorting _everything_ but… I just ask you guys on Yuu-"

"When we're investigating a case, we investigate _all_ activities not just one…" Naru interjected. "The reason we charge lower than market price is because we're research organization."

"And also…" I assured this girl, "Ignoring other activities that could be related to our main one is unadvisable, but rest assured… we will put your grandaunt to rest."

She looked placated by the prospect.

"There is still a long way to go to get to that phase though…" I had to add, and at questioning look I received I elaborated. "Because performing exorcism or purification without knowing the spirit in question well in our prior experience more often than not end with trouble in our side."

Kirie frowned, "You can find info about Yuuko anywhere in this school, there is this girl I know who likes gathering this kind of info."

"Info gathered by an amateur has to be screened." Naru told her sternly.

"We did our own investigation beforehand too you know so we-"

"Once again, amateurish investigation is not recommended to be taken as it is. The reason parapsychology stalled by over fifty years is because recklessly taken folklore and amateurish observation as truth without prior throughout investigation."

"You should know that I have seen Yuuko myself, she is this dark figure-"

"We still have to investigate thoroughly, considering the condition of this site. It's an ideal environment to induce hallucination…not too much of a stretch you're hallucinating Kanoe-san."

Kirie turned towards me and pointed at Naru, her mouth opened and closed like a goldfish. Her expression could be summarized ' _I couldn't believe this arrogant jerk treat his client like this'_ to me. "Naru most of the time has no tact, don't let his words get you too much. Just take the enlightening part and shove the jerkish part to the furthest corner." He should have known no one liked to be told they were imagining things when they were scared out of their wits.

"Mai."

I ignored him pointedly. "At any rate, we're just setting up our equipment for today." Because of traffic we were way behind schedule. "Please come again with your friend tomorrow."

Kirie snorted at Naru and said. "If you don't mind, I would like to stay. I already told my grandmother I am going to help you guys."

"I am not sure it's wise for an amateur to stay here, unless you're confident in your talent in labour."

Kirie stared at Naru in disbelief, "Is it just me or it's convoluted way to say 'you can stay if you do grunt job' in his language?"

"Kind of, but the more exact translation is… it's dangerous for amateur to stay in haunted site, but if you insist you have to work with us so one of us would be always be with you." I corrected her; she was a pretty sharp girl. "Like that."

Kirie suddenly patted my shoulder, "Are you sure you're not sugar-coating his convoluted speech, Sawada-san?"

I glanced at Naru who petulantly –by his standard anyway- turning his attention from me. "Certainly not, I don't sugar-coat my words when Naru is concerned."

* * *

 **Few hours later…**

In the end we sent Kirie-chan home, we decided to familiarize ourselves with the surrounding as setting up equipment first. All thing considered, this old building was surprisingly tough considering from Lin's inspection most of it was safe for exploration. The building was mostly made of wood, very much like the now destroyed old building in my school.

"Still~" I couldn't help but feel excited. "Walking in a haunted old school building is so club like… I wonder what we will see Father John."

John just laughed in respond, as he helped me to measure the room we investigate. It seemed to be the old principal's room, looking at the large desk and the sofa set in front of it.

"Hm?" I narrowed my eyes, glancing at the large mirror placed in this room. "How strange… a room like this has a mirror this size."

jwonder?"

I laughed at that, "Mirror heee… true, mirror is a mystic-"

BADUMP

I whirled around towards the door, "Eh?"

"Mai-san? Is there something…"

I nodded at him. "It's not something hostile but just now… it was observing us." It was not a dangerous presence, merely foreign but…

* * *

 **SPR's base (3** **rd** **POV)**

"Pure?" Naru echoed her.

She nodded, "Hai… it's very quick so I didn't get a good reading but, rather than a malicious spirit it feels like… it's pure one. It reminds me of children's innocence… kind of pure."

John looked thoughtful, "But… the only legen Kanoe-san has told us, about spirited away… if the stories going around this school are horror ones that strikes fear in their mind. Why would the spirit Mai-san sensed is a harmless one instead of malicious?"

"Well-" Mai turned to the lone window on night watch room and she saw the flowing long hair that disappear from sight, not the way ghost would but the owner was running away. She jumped to her feet and scooted closer to the window. "Again…"

"Is it the same spirit?" Naru asked her. "Mai?"

She nodded, she had not taken her eyes off of the window yet. "Most likely… and I am sure 'she' was giggling too just now when she took a peek."

"She?" Naru echoed. "You saw her?"

"Only the end of long flowing black hair…" Mai informed the ghost hunter. "Strange." She frowned, "I saw so little of her and yet I already get… this ghost have this childish impression on me. She kind of reminding me of…"

Mai clenched her eyes shut, "Who is it…"

Naru frowned, "She reminds you of someone?"

"More like a character from a book… a very old story I haven't read for a long time? A fairy tale?" Mai cupped her chin, "You know… the flying boy who wants to stay a child forever?"

John laughed sheepishly at that, "I think you mean Peter Pan."

Mai clasped her hands, "Ah yes… him!"

Naru frowned deeper, "Mai."

"Hm?"

"Why of all things about Peter Pan, what you remember of him is the part he wants to _'stay a child forever'_ and not the more memorable ones like he fight pirates?" Mai blinked owlishly at him. "Nowadays rather than the original works, children of our generation knows classic fairy tale like Peter Pan from animation, which adopted the storyline but tend to gloss most of it over. Peter Pan's endless childhood is noted but… that shouldn't be a lasting impression for you."

Mai blinked again at that, "Uhm… to be honest my family was not so into fairy tale and the likes." Her mother dragged her to the world of dolls and cooking as soon as she could help washing vegetable and her father… let's don't go to that part. "But well… he is not a particularly memorable character."

"So it could be related to this Yuuko-san's character?" John suggested.

"Most likely." Naru agreed.

John frowned, "But… isn't Yuuko-san the notorious ghost in this school a teenage girl?" He wondered, "Why a teenage girl gives off that kind of impression to Mai-san?"

She shrugged, "Saa…"

Knock knock knock

Mai turned to the door and looked at the occupants on the room then to the side where faculty room Lin, Tojo and Shima occupied. "It's the ghost." She whispered.

One thought ran through their head in unison, _'Why the heck she made knocking sound that sounded completely normal?!'_

Naru stepped forward and opened the door nonchalantly, as expected no one was outside. Then Mai heard cutesy and high pitched voice said, _'Excuse me~'_

There was a flash of black and red, but she couldn't see it clearly. However whatever it was, the entity made a beeline towards the old heater and sit right in front of it.

"Uhm… Naru, John, the spirit… she is in front of the heater." Mai pointed out.

"You can see her?" Naru asked.

Mai shook her head, "Just some glimpse… but I can sense her easily though."

"What is she doing now?"

"Nothing… she is just sitting there, in fact…" Mai looked very confused, "She gives off this happy feeling from her, now that she is in the same room… this spirit, she is like a bundle of positive feeling." In fact this ghost now eerily reminded Mai of Kyoko or her mother. "Definitely not malicious but…"

The entity moved away from the heater now and she was skipping towards John, Mai didn't warn him because there was no malicious intent. In fact the spirit was skipping back and forth from John and Naru like a curious child meeting new peoples then the spirit left the room. It was still in cheerful mood.

Then Mai realized something very odd. "That's spirit…"

"Doesn't feel threatened by you, and that mean she is harmless then." Naru concluded.

Mai shook her head, "No Naru… that's not it."

"?"

She inhaled softly, "That spirit… she-"

* * *

 **Somewhere else…**

"Ha~ ha~ la~" a beautiful voice of a girl hummed a melodious tune.

Moonlight cast a shadow over the window, outlining her translucent silhouette. A slender and curvy figure of a young girl, hair as black as night sky swished with every twirl she made, reddish brown eyes glowed eerily in the darkness.

The evening sky  
and ash-colored nights  
are carved into my chest~

She sang a sad tune with expression that didn't match the song, plump lips curved up as she danced to the melancholic melody.

"Guests~ I have guests coming to visit my school~ my room! Ha ha ha… Two cute boys, the one with cold eyes is really pretty but I like the blond one better!" She mused. "Hm… the three shady looking ones are creepy though."

Then she tensed.

"Hm… but for some reason, when I sneaked in to their room…" She mumbled to herself. "I felt like I was missing something…"

In that night watch room…

"Didn't I hear a third voice from inside, a cute voice of a girl… then how come…"

She only saw two guys inside?

* * *

 **SPR's Base**

"What do you mean Mai?" Naru frowned, "That's not possible, you of all people should be the one that spirit noticed the most…"

She nodded, "I know…" She inhaled softly, "But that spirit… she… she didn't notice my presence, no… more like she- she can't see me at all."

That didn't make sense.

"It as if to her, I am the ghost."

How could that be possible?

* * *

 **Yes... regretfully I ERASE Niiya's existence in this case, simply because he is too vital and would get the case solved too soon not to mention his romance with Yuuko is going to make this case even more complicated. Tasogare FAILED a big time in 'letting your beloved go' part anyway... -_-' Initially this is why I take this story as a case but then last ep of Tasogare happens.**

 **So this story dwells on 'letting go' and accepting painful past.  
**

 **And yes... Yuuko can't see Mai for reason connected to what Mai represents. ^^ BTW the song Yuuko hummed is requiem ost of Tasogare. It's one of the most beautiful song I ever heard!**

 **For those who knows Tasogare, and those who don't. Ghost in Tasogare is SO NOT ghost like in a sense she feels cold, hot and can eat so... I have to fit her in to be MORE ghost like according to GH universe.  
This case would be short like Silent Christman so NO WORRIES, we will get to Blood Stained Labyrinth ^^ **

**BTW... since there is a request for Valentine Omake...**

 **OMAKE: Valentine  
In which Mai is trying to help... so here is the most unromantic Valentine Party.  
Naru question Mai's fixation on sweets...  
Poor Masako...  
**

Vongola was a festive family so Mai already had her share of party mood all year around so she felt kind of numb to festive mood of pink and hearts when the month of love came. Normal girls and boys would look forward for the pink and hearts atmosphere, when they could confess their love wrapped in bitter sweet chocolate.

While Mai did send chocolate sweets to guys _and_ girls in her family, she didn't feel particularly hyped by the amorous mood in the air. For her who had no boyfriend, and not looking for one…

Valentine was just the day to enjoy chocolate to your heart's content.

"And so… I finish my paperwork and other clerical tasks for today; I will be in my office next door."

"Eating chocolates." Naru echoed as if he couldn't believe she rushed her works for eating of all things.

"It's one day I let myself loose to eat sweets every month, as usual…" After almost one year they knew each other naturally Naru came to know the 'special day of the month' the girls of Vongola celebrated for themselves.

Naru could only stare at her in disbelief, "I can't believe you celebrate this day with eating the chocolate yourself." Tojo and Shima joined in –they secretly had sweet tooth apparently- but still…

"I sent chocolates to my family members already anyway~ since I am having choco fondue next door you can come along if you want. I have three types of chocolate for fondue, black, milk and white~ we also have cheese in case we're sick of sweet and crave something salty~"

"You splurged on strangest things…" Naru couldn't help but commented.

Gene who once again manifested as Naru's reflection on the mirror looked disheartened. "I thought we will get a chocolate…"

Naru glared at him.

Mai blinked owlishly at that, "Which is why I offers you to join me next door if you want some."

Gene looked down, inwardly he was crying. "No I mean…" That would count as giri choco and not honmei… at least if it was giri he hoped it would be wrapped instead of eaten together. What was the point of living in Japan as a guy then?

"What did you send to Hayato?"

"A three layered opera cake for the whole family."

In conclusion Mai's idea of valentine gift was never ever a personal present.

"Your brother?"

"A box of homemade chocolate truffle." She hummed.

Unless her brother was concerned.

Mai looked impatient, "You're coming or not Naru? It's almost your tea time anyway… beside-" She glanced at the clock, "I have a feeling Masako-chan is going to come sooner or later, so if you don't go she will ask you to go out on a da-"

Naru almost ran past Mai before dragging her by the crook of her arm to the office next door. He _almost_ forgot about Hara-san.

Damn it.

Mai's reason for having a party next door instead of her own house.  
Taking a day off just to eat sweets was troublesome.  
Naru's mood would get sour if Masako manage to drag him out on valentine date.  
When she wanted to help him, she'd rather not mistaken for taking him on a date herself so she made it an open party.

Which was how sour faced Masako –who tried really hard to hide her ire- found SPR members including her crush and one sided rival sitting on a dining table of the office next door as eating chocolate fondue. She clutched the box of expensive Belgian bitter chocolate to her chest and was about to open her mouth when Bou-san, Ayako and John came in with high spirits.

Bou-san in particular was overjoyed he got giri-choco from Mai-chan. John was happy he was told he could bring the leftover with him for the kids in Father Tojo's monastery. Ayako came in just because spending valentine with her coworkers with good food was much better than being alone and reminded she was single.

"I bring crackers and popcorn!" Bou-san announced.

"Some healthy fruits from me!" Ayako chirped. "I get us some peach and banana."

"I bring strawberry children in monastery planted themselves." John offered.

Mai looked to the window at nothing particularly when she felt Masako's sharp stare stabbing her back. _'Not subtle enough…'_ She stabbed a piece of peach and dipped it in bitter chocolate. "Hm… peach goes well with bitter chocolate." She commented after she took a bite, leaving half of the peach slices on her stick.

"Peach hm?" Naru who was sitting in diagonal from the sofa she occupied eyed the half slice of chocolate coated peach on her stick.

Without thinking much of it, and perhaps driven half by curiosity and half by Gene's impulsiveness Naru grabbed Mai's hand and pulled so he could take the rest of peach dipped in chocolate.

"Ah." Mai eyed her empty stick forlornly and said, "Are you developing a habit stealing people's food from their utensil?" Last time he took a bite of her dolce straight from her fork too.

Naru looked at half-bitten granola bar dipped in bitter chocolate on his own stick. "Then you can have the rest of mine."

Since the food was alright right in front of her mouth and habit to not waste food ingrained in her by her mother and Reborn Mai on reflex bit down on the granola bar and chewed. "I think the granola is better with chocolate milk, it's already not sweet Naru."

Bou-san, Ayako and John couldn't help but thought. _'For a moment we thought they're flirting.'_

"You ate too much sweets already, that's why." Naru pointed out.

"Hey! I only indulge myself in sweets once a month." She harrumphed.

Naru sighed at that, "While eating sweets all the time is unhealthy I couldn't comprehend why you have to avoid it and indulge yourself just once a month. It's not like you can put weight with how active you are." In fact it was a wonder how she was not skin and bones.

"Like you can tell even if I put up some weight." She huffed.

"I am pretty sure you lost weight lately rather than gaining actually."

Mai tensed, _'How did he know that?!'_

"If anything you should gain some."

"I don't want to be told that by a scrawny guy like you." Mai grumbled before she finished chewing. "And my weight is still within ideal range."

Naru glared at her, "This coming from the girl who seems to put more protein food in my lunch?" She was on the rage of getting him to add more weight lately.

Well… Naru was too skinny in Mai's book. Of course she conveniently forgot the guys she grew up with were _all_ training their body harder than civilians so a lean boy like Naru would look scrawny next to them.

 _'On lovey dovey day like this… they're concerned more on something like health issue.'_ Ayako couldn't help but thought.

Bou-san inwardly cried, _'For a moment I thought I could tell them to get a room but it's the usual argument.'_

Masako ended up indulging herself with the delicious fondue and sneaked in her chocolate to Naru's office. She didn't want to admit it but even though she couldn't get a date with Naru, it was fun… minus the part Mai and Naru got too close.

Unknown to Masako her chocolate was sneaked in to John's bag of chocolate he brought back for children in monastery by Naru. He would have tolerated the chocolate if it was just giri but it was honmei, and he had no intention to accept Masako's feeling so it was out of option to accept the chocolate too.

Mai was furious when she heard it, and they ended up arguing over throwing someone's feeling out cruelly. Although in the end it got nowhere because the chocolate from Masako was already gone anyway…

They however didn't know it was bitter chocolate, so obviously no children in monastery wanted it but they had opened the wrapping and tried some. So the guilty John ended up sharing the expensive chocolate with Father Tojo, rather than wasting the expensive sweets.

Bou-san and Ayako went to nearest bar to wash out the sweets with some alcohol, nothing romantic of course. "And here I thought there would be something between Mai-chan and Naru-bou."

"If anything… they're getting too familiar and touchy with each other." Ayako pointed out. "But… how the heck teenagers with hormones like them get use to each other like old married couple rather than getting grabby of each other?!"

"It's a mystery of life." Bou-san offered. "It's so them though."

Valentine day or not, Naru was Naru and Mai was Mai. Even if the day was colored in pink and stuck with hearts all over, they won't change just because the day said so.

* * *

 **Yes... I know it's not romantic AT ALL**


	33. Case 07, Prologue-01

' **My... how long it has been since the last update? Erm... *look at my latest update date for this story*** o_O **WOW a week later and that would be ONE YEAR! Aha ha ha ha... Anyway if you're wondering why we started with BLOOD STAINED LABYRINTH! It's because I decided to keep Amnesia's arc as a special one so I will continue it LATER! So don't get confused this is the 7th case NOW!**

* * *

 **Case 07, Prologue**

Madoka had heard of the cute part-time girl Noll hired and purposely came at the time her student was not around, how she knew when he was not in? It was her secret off course. The first thing Madoka noticed when she came in was the girl was really cute with knee length brown hair and the brightest eyes with matching shade that for one moment when light hit it just right had turned to molten gold like. Second, she was not surprised at all when Madoka opened the door in the most abrupt fashion, and offered a cup of tea to her as company to wait for her student and colleague.

"Or perhaps you'd like coffee instead?" She asked again, "Though most coffee I have are all Italian coffee."

She was an Italian descend, Madoka recalled. "How?"

"Yes?"

"How did you know I am not a customer?" Madoka asked curiously.

The girl smiled at her mysteriously and for the first time Madoka felt so out of depth of the face of someone much younger than she was. "Because there is no anxiety in your body language, you're excited… that's not how someone who came looking for service of SPR usually behaved."

Madoka was surprised, just from her body language? She narrowed her eyes at the girl, on specifically at her now brown eyes. It seemed it only took that strange gold tint in correct lighting. "Hm…"

"I can't read mind." She stated bluntly, "And I know that's what you're thinking because a lot of people made that guess just because I'm very good at reading their body language. It's nothing as fancy as mind reading, I assure you."

The SPR researcher just smiled, humming as cupping her chin. "Really?"

"Really." She echoed. "I don't know your name for example… and even if you shouted your name mentally I won't be able to pick it up, miss…"

"Yet you know I am yelling my name in my mind…" Madoka couldn't resist to confirm that.

"Your intense stare give you away…" She pointed out. "I suppose I can start first, I am Sawada Mai… nice to meet you."

Madoka stared longer at her.

Mai sweat-dropped, "Even if you try harder, your thought won't reach me… I swear."

"Is that so? Then my name is Mori Madoka… nice to meet you too Mai-chan!" Then she added, "I'd love tea but this is a rare chance to have genuine Italian coffee! So something sweet and creamy for me!"

The girl smiled at that, "Then… a cappuccino, is it alright with you?"

"Oh yes…" Madoka made a mental note that the way she said _cappuccino_ was not how a native Japanese would pronounce it so she must spoke Italian often enough to get the accent. She had to admire the speed of Mai's coffee brewing because it didn't take long for her to produce a cup of excellent beverage. "Hm… so delicious."

Mai smiled at the compliment, "Thank you, Mori-san."

"Call me Madoka."

"Madoka-san then…" Mai corrected, "I presume you're looking for Naru, or perhaps Lin-san?"

"How did you guess that one?"

"You're very comfortable here… which mean you're familiar with them, and you're glancing at Sachou's door every three minutes at least." She pointed out. "He is out of town… so if you want me to take a message…"

Madoka shook her head, "No, I'd call them myself." She held up her own cellphone and dialed.

Mai gave herself a pat on the back for getting it right that Madoka dropped by to check on her first. She hoped she made a good impression because she had a feeling this woman was…

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

Judging from the slight frown on her face, Naru was not being cooperative. Well, Naru was a person who means 'no' when he says 'no'. I was pretty sure, on the other end of the line, he'd say something like "don't joke with me." However, Mori-san's smile did not crack, and I had a feeling my guess was right..

"You will come back, right?"

Saying that, she smiled. After a moment of silence, Mori-san continued in an excited voice.

"Thank you." She said cheerfully, you could hear the heart in her voice.

"So… when he will come back?"I couldn't help asking. Mori-san nodded. I still called her Mori-san in my mind, and called her Madoka because she seemed to be the type who won't back out on argument so I didn't.

"Yeah. He said he'll arrive tonight."

Naru's travels last at least a week. The long ones can take over 10 days. Now he will actually come back in 2 days? Maybe because Gene was not so dead he softened, but I doubt someone who could bent Naru to her will was just anyone.

 **(3rd POV)The next day…**

True to her prediction, Naru was in bad mood because forced to return against his will. So he sulked and drunk stupid amount of tea early in the morning, and Mai was very worried he would upset his stomach.

"At least eat your breakfast… don't get yourself full on tea." Mai told him.

He glared at her, "I am not hungry."

"Just eat the egg." Mai advised, "And you don't have to be this upset because your teacher told you what to do."

"...She is going to make me take a case, a terrible one." He paused, "Wait, did she tell you that she is my teacher?"

Mai rolled her eyes, "Just eat before I hold this pot of tea hostage…"

" _Mai is serious, Noll… let's just eat and listened the detail of what Madoka wants later? You wasted Mai's cooking."_ Gene told him through the mirror on the other side of the room.

Naru sighed and began to eat.

"Good, as how I know she is your teacher… she didn't tell me but judging from how confident she is at _making_ you to follow her order it's pretty obvious." Mai was glad she could get him to eat breakfast, bad mood or not. "You should be thankful she just cut your trip short and make you take a case… it's nothing worse than pushing you to landmine field in blindfold." Mai told him before starting to wash her dishes.

Naru and Gene stopped, "What?!"

"And that's…" Mai continued, pointedly ignoring shocked look on the twins. "Not even the worst thing my teacher made me and my brother do." She finished grimly.

What kind of teacher was that? And did the guy even had teaching license?!

"By the way Naru… did you say something to make Madoka-san to be scared of me or something?" Mai asked curiously.

The twins looked confused, "No, we keep everything about you mostly to ourselves… aside from we hired you, Madoka wouldn't know anything else."

Mai nodded at that, "Oh well, she will say something to you soon I am sure. Please pretend I never ask."

She talked like that and yet she said she had no pre-cognition ability.

* * *

 **SPR Office (Naru's POV)**

"Our client is… former prime minister?!" Bou-san exclaimed in disbelief.

I nodded, tolerating his theatrics. "His staff, Ohashi-san made the request… we suppose to keep it low. Because the identity of our client."

"Ohashi-san…" Hara-san murmured, "He has come to request my service too."

And her I wished she would have another business to attend, "Then Hara-san must act independently."

"Of course, ask if there's anything I can help with." She said coyly, smiling demurely at my direction.

Matsuzaki-san raised an eyebrow at her, while Mai just dutifully refilled my tea with amused smile. Knowing Mai she was amused I was still indulging Hara-san's blackmail attempt. I just nodded at the medium and looked to all members once more.

"The investigation will begin in 5 days. Is there anyone here who cannot participate?" I asked, and received no reply. "I hope to receive everyone's help this time."

I turned to look at Yasuhara. Yasuhara Osamu - the Student Council President I specifically invited for one purpose. "Yasuhara-kun, I would like to ask you to act as my substitute."

"What in the world?"

"That is to say, have Yasuhara-kun play your part?" To Matsuzaki-san's abrupt outburst, I shot her a cold look. "Didn't you hear what I just said?"

"Of course I heard it. But why?"

"I will explain the situation. Can't you be patient?" I was losing mine at the moment.

Then Madoka came in, and without so much of a hello she marched to my direction and said in simpering tone. "Wh~y do you have to use that tone of voice?"

If she implied I was being rude, she was also barging in and interrupting me. "I'm really sorry. This child has such poor manners."

This… "This child"! Someone in the background giggled, and I had no doubt it was Mai.

"Could everyone treat him as a person with an abnormal disposition and tolerate him please."

All of them gave us a blank look, I put on my extremely displeased expression and coughed once.

"… this is an extremely big job. It could even be called a job for publicity. The client has requested secrecy in its execution, but to what extent secrecy can be maintained I don't know. If the media gets wind of this I can imagine it turning into a big uproar. I did not want to accept it initially, but some events have occurred such that I had to accept. That's why I have requested Yasuhara-kun to be my substitute." I finished my explanation.

I hated media and we survived the last one without media fiasco because Neo-V.G's intervention. I didn't want to rely too much on Mai's family if I could help it.

"However, is this a situation of the level that requires Naru to ask for subtiture?"

To Bou-san's query, I replied coolly, "If that was not the case I would not purposely have Yasuhara-kun come here." Resting my hands on my lap I continued, "It looks like the client has gathered many psychic users. They are practically all suspicious people widely lauded by the media. I don't want to have anything to do with that type of people."

Bou-san smiled, satisfied. "So you are forcing something you dislike onto someone else?"

"I'm not particularly forcing you all. If you don't feel like it, you may leave."

Madoke being Madoka was not happy with how I give my employees leeway. "Why don't you ask everyone nicely? You do wish for everyone to go together, right? That's why you have gathered everyone here, am I wrong?"

The bell chiming like giggling assaulted my ears again, Mai was having too much fun on my account.

"When you are asking people for something, do you use this tone to speak? I've clearly told you before – and yet you refused to fix your manner."

I turned my face to the side and shouted, "Mai!"

Mai was blushing from too much laughing, still giggling. "I am sorry… but it's just too funny."

I glared at her harder and Madoka chimed in. "I'm so sorry he is such a mal-mannered child. Could everyone please not hate him."

"Madoka!"

Mai lost it and banged her fist to nearest wall, "Ha ha ha… my sides."

"Mai…"

She turned around, hands raised in surrender. "Alright, I am sorry… you can laugh at me next time my teacher come to visit me." I wasn't placated, because I am not one to laugh at somebody else's misery. "Although… I would be worried if you find whatever my teacher did funny." She told me, whispering close to my ears and I snorted.

Silence fell and I noticed Hara-san harrumphed in displeasure at our intimacy, if it could be called that because to Mai this closeness meant nothing. It was just the way she was, and she freely blamed it on her mixed blood without shame.

As for her teacher, of course I didn't find pushing one's student to landmine with blindfold was funny.

"Anyway… you're a pretty good student Naru, you don't like this kind of case and you accept it for Madoka-san anyway." Mai said with a smile.

I sighed, "I don't have a choice."

"If you're not tied upside down with a nozzle on your forehead you have a choice." Mai told me in flat tone, "Now, if you don't want her to keep interrupt you just try to be nicer. Just tell them what you want, be honest."

I groaned, "Fine." It seemed Mai was a pro at dealing with difficult teacher figure.

Madoka sighed, "Naru really dislikes the publicity stage. He planned to refuse this job, but he accepted only because of my persuasion. Although I think it is going to trouble everyone, could everyone please help him?"

They had the gall to nod to Madoka as if they agreed I was a difficult child.

I rapped fingertip on the table unhappily. "In conclusion, I beg to be excused from the foolish uproar like the one that happened the last time. And I don't wish to cooperate with the fools who are immeasurably self-satisfied when lauded by the foolish media."

"And then? Is Naru-chan not going to the site?" Bou-san asked.

I wished so, but… "Even if I didn't want to go, I don't have any reason not to."

Mai giggled at that, "I see… so you will go to this mansion as someone else?"

"I will go as a simple investigator from this place." I told her plainly.

She leaned into my ear and asked, "Would you like _our_ help in case there is leak on media?"

"Only if it gets out of our hands." I told her reluctantly.

"Sure."

* * *

From the corner of my eyes I saw Madoka's eyes narrowed at us then she made a discreet hand sign she wanted to talk with me in private. Mai went to office next door to continue her research and Madoka took her chance to have her secret meeting with me, which was strange because I was sure she liked Mai and yet Madoka asked if Mai won't know whatever said in this room.

"She respected my privacy." I told my teacher. "My room is clean not bugged, I assure you."

Madoka sighed in relief as she took her seat, "If you say so, Noll…"

I frowned at her, "I thought you would be smitten with her like most people…"

Madoka face-palmed, "I am actually… she is so sweet and charming which is why it's difficult to swallow the warning from Mr. Maximilian."

Maximilian? It had been a while since I heard the name of American billionaire whose son I saved years ago from buried alive, he had become our staunch sponsor and supporter since then. "A warning? Why?"

"It's about the proposal Martin wrote years ago for Neo V.G corporation…" Madoka began her explanation, "Your father didn't get even any response to that and I heard you have rewritten it recently and that colossal company approved it."

That must be a recent approval considering he had not heard a word about it from Mai or his friends in Italy, because by the end of the day such decision still had to go through senior members of their family. "So what's the problem? I assure you that if you find out that Mai is the COO of Neo V.G, all she did is informing me why that proposal is not approved and… tell me to rewrite it."

Madoka looked amused, "Oh, so she has you whipped…"

What?!

"The joke aside… now that they become one of our sponsor and collaborators our research is going to develop in unbelievable speed." Madoka went on in solemn voice. "There's no reason to refuse it… but Mister Maximilian warned us, that… _it's fine if you want to collaborate with that family but you'd better be careful and don't get involved too deep with them_ , because…" Madoka trailed off, her tone was grim. "Vongola family _isn't a_ family of human."

My eyes narrowed sharply at that, and I could feel Gene waking up with equally somber mood. _'What did that mean?!'_ My twin asked.

"What did he mean by that?" I asked, "If it's because their Hyper Intuition… that ESP didn't make them any less human than other psychic!"

Madoka shook her head, "Noll… I have my reservation to accept that warning especially since I'm a researcher." She looked down, it was uncharacteristic of Madoka to hesitate. "But after I researched deeper about her family… I get a shiver down my spine…" She shuddered and she was not making it up. "Noll… do you know that Intuition of theirs…"

Their intuition? "What's wrong with it? It's unique but you can categorize it as a variation of clairvoyance."

"Noll." Madoka began with a sigh, "It's hereditary."

My eyes widened in shock at that, hereditary psychic's ability was impossible! There was already a scientific proof that psychic ability was not something wired to human's genetic though there was a theory it was the next step of evolution.

"That can't be-"

She shook her head, "I thought so too but… all family head of Vongola family are famous figures since the seventh generation, and all of them according to my research display the sign… heightened awareness for danger, seeing through lies, and other traits of extraordinary perception that couldn't be explained scientifically…"

From seventh generation? If I recall correctly Mai and Tsunayoshi were… _'The tenth generation.'_ Gene answered me. _'Sometimes I heard Hayato and the others called themselves tenth generation of Vongola.'_

That was four generation of people with the same ESP ability, a genuine hereditary trait!

"Though we suspect it's not from the seventh but the first." Madoka added with a tired groan, "I can't believe we got involved with a family with that kind of history."

Naru frowned deeper at her, "Now what, Madoka?"

She took out her note, it was a family tree but most of the names were blank and replaced by first, second and so on. "Have you wondered why a Japanese descend lead an Italian family? So here is the history… I got it from ahem! Some shady source but it's the only one I got."

She got her intel from questionable source again?! "Mai and her twin brother Tsunayoshi you see… they're _very_ distantly related to the previous boss Timotheo di Vongole."

Distantly related? "She called him grandfather though…"

Madoka sighed, "Is that so? According to my research however they came from different branch of the same family… one of these head of Vongola family migrated to Japan for some reason and that was when the family was split to two branches."

"But then… Mai's family is the original main branch." I concluded.

She nodded, "That's right… but it got complicated in previous generation when Mai-chan's father become the head of CEDEF."

CEDEF? Had Mai mention that organization before? Something like Foundation perhaps?

"I am not sure what CEDEF's function is… but they're another company closely affiliated to Neo V.G." Madoka explained, "Though I can't help but wonder why construction company could be in any way related so closely to a gargantuan company like Neo V.G."

Speaking of suspicious company with no clear business, Foundation fit the bill too even though it was passed off as security company. _'I agree.'_

"But never mind, that's not the point… don't you think it's odd Mai and her brother inherited the main company in next generation?"

I became stunned at that, I never thought how odd the previous boss was a grandfather to Mai. Wasn't that mean there was one generation skipped before her and Tsunayoshi. "Perhaps her grandfather… Timotheo don't have children?"

"He had." My blood ran cold at the past tense Madoka used with somber tone. "Three sons… all of them died and hushed up without any further investigation from authority." Madoka informed me, "I can't confirm this at all though… aside from those three sons exist, there's no record whatsoever about their death." She shrugged. "As if they're erased from history."

I swallowed heavily, "You're not implying Mai's family did that, are you?"

"I am not implying anything." Madoka refuted firmly. "It's just that 's warning really got to me… and I found these." She gestured towards her finding, "Which makes me think his warning perhaps is not unfounded after all."

"He warned us Mai's family aren't human…" I pointed out. "The family have a gargantuan company… it's nothing strange for something shady went on when inheritance is concerned."

Madoka nodded, "I wish it's just that too… but Mister Maximilian is not the only one."

"Huh?"

"Businessmen who have dealt with the family head of Vongola family one way or another either as competitors or partners… and have that kind of impressions." Madoka told him, crossing her arms in thoughtful pose. "I can't help but a little scared to hear that… for them, a sixteen years old boy who just took over family business dominated business world, intimidating veteran players as if he was born to it…"

She was talking about Tsunayoshi.

"I met Mai's brother just last week… with your father to speak about the collaboration" Madoka have met with Tsunayoshi-san? "And oh dear… he is so cute, harmless looking, with the most charming smile that even put Gene's to shame…" Madoka was blushing as she said these.

Madoka could still ogling someone younger than her in that situation? ' _I have to admit Tsunayoshi-san's smile is one devastating weapon, he even leave you speechless.'_ Not that he was charming me, more like threatening me, I corrected Gene.

"Then he opened his mouth and look at us…" Madoka was rubbing her temple now, "He does have the skill to lead such a gigantic company and we're both impressed but… there's his charisma, I swear that's the first time I saw someone overflows with it. It's like he put me on trance."

What?! On trance?

"Martin and I felt the same…" She sighed heavily, "You know that Martin have tendency to go of tangen when he is talking about parapsychology?" I nodded, my father was a brilliant scientist but also a chatterbox. "He did no such thing in front of Tsunayoshi-kun… that boy smiled and told him that he is no scientist and ask Martin to kindly explain in a way a common people like him could understand…"

"And?" That was a normal request.

"Noll… even when other people ask the same from him your father usually slipped and I have to correct him, but to Tsunayoshi he is just so… focused, as if there's some sort of unknown power he had over people!" She sighed, "I barely able to suppress my fear when I saw Mai-chan, it didn't help she looks like her brother."

Overwhelming charisma? There was one or two times some people even in state of panic became so compliant to Mai, but… "She would have seen through you no matter how well you hide it." I pointed out.

Madoka tensed, "But… she didn't seem like-"

"Of course she didn't show it." I sighed tiredly, "Listen… I am sure Mai and her brother are no stranger to fear towards them, it's normal for human to fear what they don't understand." I laced my fingers together in thoughtful gesture. "Even scientist like you Madoka… but I hope you can be professional and dismiss your unfounded assumption. I understand ability such as… reading mind or controlling another human is fearsome thing but I have never seen Mai taking advantage of her ability to the point of crossing human's right."

"You trust her that much?"

I nodded at Madoka. "I do."

* * *

 **Office next door (3rd POV)**

"Ah, Kyo-san… about Mori Madoka you told me is swooping around for info about us…" Mai trailed off with a smile to her phone. "Let her be but make sure she didn't get any more information."

Kyouya sighed at her, _"Hime… you're being lenient again to herbivores, but as ordered I have taken care of the leak as usual."_

Mai hummed at that, "Thank you for your hard work Kyou-san! By the way… if the flow of intel stop suddenly it would be suspicious so can you arrange so Mori-san will get some trivial information just to stall suspicion?"

" _Such a willful princess you are…'_ Kyouya snorted, _'I will handle it for Japan area, and the rest would be handled by Takashi.'_

"Thank you, my cloud." Mai ended the line, smiling softly. "Dealing with curious civilian is as troublesome as ever…" Madoka was so lucky she only got that far though, any further Vindice would grab her for poking her nose where it didn't belong. "And that idiot ancestor of mine! He is attracting too much attention!"

Damn Giotto! He should have tuned the harmony property of his sky a little, some people were too sensitive!

* * *

 **Case 07, Part 01**

 **Few Days Later (Mai's POV)**

An abandoned and haunted mansion was cliché in my opinion, and it was also located in the middle of nowhere. Before entering the city we turned off towards the mountains. We followed the road, covered by greenery and winding according to the slope and climbed upwards. Very soon we encountered an ancient, dilapidated gate, what an an unwelcoming iron lattice red with rust, I couldn't help but thought. I had to say gaudy golden gate with Vongole insignia in our mansion could be a better choice and when I saw it I called it the ugliest gate in the world because Giotto had no taste.

The doorpost looked like it was made with bricks, but it appeared half rotten, covered entirely with green moss. Although there was a door, there were no walls on either side. On both sides of the door was a dense forest. It gave one a feeling of not wanting to take a single step in – a dark and frightening feeling.

General impression most people shared, I however had no fear for scary looking mansion because Vongola mansion supposed to be scarier. It was a pretty huge mansion I admitted.

"… It's like a hotel or a museum." I couldn't help but commented. "And poorly maintained." The gardens surrounding the house also looked abandoned. Even from the outside, one could tell that this house had been vacant for a long time.

"Really incredible. There really is everything in this world." Ayako-san said in awe.

"Left like this, it is almost like a haunted house." Bou-san agreed with me.

Naru snorted beside me, "So you're amazed by how badly it's maintained? Go figure… it has nothing on your family's mansion I am sure."

I blinked at that, "Not really, this one is pretty big… as large as Cavallone's at least."

"Cavallone as in Cavallone that is the biggest owner of Equine Business in Europe?" John asked. "My family sold our best horses from Australia to them."

"Yep." I nodded, "The current CEO, Dino is our surrogate brother."

Ayako chimed in, "Do you think you can introduce him to me?"

"Eeh… sure." I didn't bother to refuse because I was sure Ayako would like his face but not his _quirks_.

Naru cleared his throat and I sighed, "Let's just go in before our boss lost his temper." Then we began to walked towards the house. "Still… it looks haunted, for once the location appears true to its nature." I suppose.

Indeed, there wasn't house more like a haunted house than this one – an immense abandoned manor. The haunted houses in foreign horror films are just like this one.

Counting the number of windows, the house was basically a 2 storey structure. There were 3 levels at some places. The exceedingly steep roof was a grayish green color, and attic windows could be seen. Brick colored chimneys normally protruded from the roof, but about half of them have already been destroyed.

The windows too, kept up the appearance with cracked glass. Although all the windows were fitted with frames, only about half remained in a whole condition. The wall, which repetitively protruded and receded in a complicated shape, was made with grey stone. On that wound crisscrossing ivy; due to the season, it's naked stems created a tortoise shell appearance.

The gravel pathway overgrown with weeds led straight to the building. After disembarking on a patch of withered, yellowed weeds had overgrown such that it was no different from a lawn, our feet up to the calves were buried in leaves dampened by dew.

"Out of curiosity, how large your family's house in comparison to this mansion?" Bou-san asked, continuing the previous topic.

I stopped at that and began to think. "This mansion is about the size of one building in our complex so…" I trailed off, "There's around three of building this size, smaller ones around half of this and one three times this mansion that served as our main quarter…" I listed on with a sigh.

Silence…

"What?"

"Is that a palace or mansion?!"

"Some people did call our place Vongola castle." I recalled when I first came to live there I called it a castle too. "Such a waste of space in my opinion because it's not like we have use of so many rooms." And we couldn't do anything to most of the architecture because it was historical site and we had built more modern building so we didn't have to worry would get destroyed for scientific research.

"Byakuran's complex of skyscrapers is more efficient I'd say…" And he used all of them for business, though there was one useless area for his flowers.

Ayako snorted, "Go figures you will call a castle a waste of space."

"And here I thought it's every girl's dream to live in one." Bou-san chuckled in amusement.

Masako nodded in agreement, "You have no dream Mai-san."

Yasuhara laughed, "Guess being a real princess is not for every girl."

You thought so?

Surprisingly Naru cut in, "I have to agree with Mai, a palace is not practical."

I smiled at him. "We have many rugs need to be cleaned, how much dust those ornate decorations gathers in centuries… and the worst of it is the maintenance bill!" I told them blithely. "The zeroes are dream-crushing ❤" If not because we were so rich, we would go bankrupt just to maintain that worthless palace!

"And don't forget the tax" Naru finished with a smirk, "There's one time Hayato call me just to complain about it… such impressive amount of euro." He sounded amused. "I am amazed you have not gone bankrupt yet paying the tax and material damage from Spanner's experiments."

"Nah… sometimes I also wonder what a miracle is that."

That shut all of them up, go figures they had no idea in modern times a palace was not a dream come true, more like a tax nightmare.

* * *

 **3rd POV (Kaneyuki Mansion)**

Naru expected Mai to react to the mansion, however she didn't even bat an eyelash as they walked across the massive front yard. Maybe this time the case was not so bad and their client was exaggerating if Mai was this calm. However as soon as she she stepped inside the house, she backed away so quickly she crashed to him and knocked the air out of his lungs.

Thankfully for his pride as a man he managed to stand still and hold her still. "Mai!"

"Sorry it's just… this place… it's a slaughter house."

That couldn't be a good sign. Mai had called other supernatural location that in no way harmless less with dangerous parable, this time she outright called it a slaughter house.

"Is it cowardly of me if I am losing my nerve because Mai called this place that?" Ayako wondered.

Bou-san shook his head, "To be fair, I don't want to be in a place Mai of all people called a slaughter house… but I suppose now we can rest assured we're in the right place as spiritualist."

Mai looked distraught and Naru leaned in, "What is it?"

"I was fine outside but as soon as I came in my intuition gave me alarming feeling." She told him. "Strange… I should have felt something from outside already."

Naru nodded, then turned towards Hara-san who looked displeased by the two's close proximity. "Hara-san?"

"The air here is bad… Mai-san is right this is not a good place but nothing else _yet."_

Mai nodded, "Please stay alert everyone… this place, I feel like something will jump on us anytime."

Yasuhara laughed nervously, "Uhm… Sawada-san, I am getting really nervous now."

Naru sighed, "Just be glad Mai warned us beforehand… and after this going anywhere alone is definitely out of option."

A few moments later Ohashi-san, a middle aged man came to greet them. Mai was secretly glad he didn't saw her freaking out.

"I am called Ohashi." Saying that, the man bowed deeply.

"The boss is…"

Yasuhara took a step forward. "That would be me."

"I have been given full responsibility over this issue. You can take me as the client." Ohashi told them.

Yasuhara also bowed gently in return. "I am the boss, Shibuya Kazuya." He said that with perfect composure, as though without any guilt on his conscience. Other SPR members were amazed he was such a good actor.

"So I see. You are as youthful as I've heard you to be." Saying that, the client turned his focus to the rest of SPR members. "And they are…"

"You all are?"

Bou-san gently lowered his head.

"I am called Takigawa."

"Takigawa… the first name is?"

"Housou."

Ohashi-san softly repeated "Takigawa Housou" once. Then he turned to the Miko.

"I am Matsuzaki Ayako."

"I am called John Brown."

Yasuhara spoke. "They are psychics who have worked closely with us. They have specially come to help us this time." Yasuhara explained, "and they are my assistants." He gestured towards Lin, Naru and Mai.

Mai smiled and bowed, "I am Sawada Mai." Naru spoke up first.

"I am called Narumi Kazuo." Naru told the client.

Mai couldn't help but laughed inwardly that Naru used variation of his nickname. Lin was the one who introduced himself last, Lin- wore an extremely blank look and lowered his head. It was awkward when Lin revealed himself as a foreigner, a Chinese.

Ohashi-san's vision turned towards Lin-san. Even we had shifted our sights onto Lin. He was finally about to divulge his name. Or would he refuse as usual? That they were enthusiastically looking forward to it was something that couldn't be helped. Everyone was unconsciously staring at Lin.

"I am Lin Koujou."

"You are Chinese?"

"I have gone back to China recently."

"Were you born in Hong Kong?"

"Yes."

Mai wondered why it mattered if he was not a Japanese, maybe because it concerned former Prime Minister of Japan if something like this was leaked to foreigners but Ohashi-san didn't seem concerned about John.

Though it seemed it didn't bother their client as much as Mai thought if his smile was any indication. "Please come this way. All the guests have already gathered." Ohashi looked around them, then gestured towards the corridor at the upper left.

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

Mai was wary but fine when she just entered the house but as we went deeper inside the house, she was blinking and shaking her head as if to disperse cloud of confusion. Then her eyes became hazy and she started to sway on her feet. I grabbed her hand and pulled her to my side, ignoring amused look from our co-workers and displeased one from Hara-san.

"Mai?"

"I am not sure… this place is con...fusing me."

I frowned and pressed on, "How do you feel? If you're unwell…"

"I am as unwell as riding a spinning cup, if you catch my drift." She told me. "Let me hold onto you for a while, I will get used to it." Mai assured me.

"Do you need aspirin?" The miko as our unofficial medic asked.

"No… whatever sensation I felt because of my intuition, ordinary medicine won't work on it." Mai informed the doctor. One more seemingly trivial fact on Mai's intuition, which for me was not as uninteresting as Mai thought. Whatever she felt because of her intuition, she couldn't get rid of it as she pleased. "I would be just fine… soon."

"Huh?" Mai let go of my hand and before I could stop her, she ran to a protruding stairs that attached to the wall and fell flat on the floor. "MAI!"

"Auuh…"

"Is the young lady alright?" Ohashi-san asked from his position in front of our group.

"Did Mai just run to that?!" Bou-san asked. "What's wrong with her?"

I was about to help her to stand when I felt something break under the sole of my feet, which was just a few inches from Mai's head. "Ah."

Mai growled, her face curtained by her bangs. "You… break my contacts again?"

"It's not on purpose, I hope you bring spares?" Then before she could answer I added. "Go ahead… we'll catch up shortly." When they hesitated, Naru sent them away with chilling glare. Lin helped with ushering the rest of the group forward with his intimidating presence and soon Naru was alone with Mai.

"That's my last and the one I order won't arrive until next week." She told me with a scowl, looking up once the coast was clear.

My breath hitched involuntarily at the sight of her mesmerizing amber like eyes, "Too bad then, let's just told the others you're wearing colored contacts if they ask." Why did I feel this way whenever I saw the true color of her eyes?

She groaned, "Damn, you're enthralled… get a hold of yourself!" Then she grabbed my shoulders and shook me back and forth violently. "There!"

I scowled and had to admit that shaking work to make me look at her in the eye without freezing like a statue. "What was that?"

"You saw my eyes in the dark place before… but in normal situation it's…" She trailed off unsurely.

My eyes widened at her admission, "Was this what Madoka-"

Mai smiled at me sadly, "You better warn her to not try to find out more…" She already knew apparently. "Any further… those men in black robe and top hat would come for her and even us would have trouble to help her."

Those guys who got interested in my PK? "What are they?"

Mai stopped in front of the door and for a moment I thought she was about to ignore my question. "They call themselves as law protector of our world." A police organization? "But in my opinion." There was mirth in her voice when he said this, her expression was unreadable. "They're just secret keeper…"

Secret, the one Mai desperately hid from them?

* * *

 **The Dining Hall (3rd POV)**

They were eventually settled into the large meeting room like place. It seemed that the main people of their group were seated with most of everyone else that was called at a large table, there was one space empty beside Yasuhara for Naru and one across Masako. Meanwhile, Ayako, Monk, John, had left a space for Mai were seated at a couple of sofas off to the side.

"Uhm…" Ohashi-san looked around. "Ah, we still have Fujiwara-sama left."

At that name Ayako and Masako jolted, inviting questioning glance from their fellow SPR members. As if on cue the door opened, revealing a boy in his teen dressed in dark red hakama. He had long ebony hair tied in low ponytail with loose front locks framing his porcelain face, with jade colored eyes.

"Fujiwara-kun." Ayako stood up in surprise.

The boy caught sight of the red haired miko and bowed, "It's been a while Matsuzaka-san, thank you for your help with Ouchi-sama."

Ayako blushed, "Aha ha… it's my duty as a miko." She glanced nervously at Masako who had gone very pale. "Let's just what happen in the past to be left in the past aha ha ha…" She said awkwardly.

The teen in hakama frowned at her, "I have no intention to bring it up, Matsuzaki-san."

Masako stood up abruptly, "I don't need-" She was stopped when the teen she wanted to snap at was looking at Mai with shock all over his face.

Mai blinked at him and let out a small, "Oh."

Much to their shock the boy made his way to the side of sofa Mai occupied and bowed deeply, "It's an honor to meet you, I am Fujiwara Hikaru."

Mai just smiled benignly at Fujiwara, not even returning the respectful bow. But she did raised her index finger to her lips. "Keep it down please."

He glanced to his sides and made diminishing gesture to the empty air around him. "As you wish." Then he rose and took his seat across Masako and pointedly ignored the medium.

All eyes was still on Mai and the girl frowned, no one was paying attention to the odd color of her eyes yet. She took a deep breathe, **"Let's continue shall we?"**

As if snapped out of their voice the representative of their client Ohashi-san spoke in a loud, informing voice. "This house has been unoccupied for quite some time now… So local teenagers took advantageto use this place for courage test. However, two months ago it was learned that one of them went missing. A young man from the fire brigade who was searching for the missing boy also disappeared. Shortly thereafter, several people reported seeing foxfires inside the house. In fact, there are many who would swear on their very souls that this house is haunted…"

"While the house was being remodeled, there were similar stories of workers disappearing. Of course, we don't want anyone else to come to harm and we'd like to try to control any more negative rumors, which is why you all have been invited here. Whoever exorcises the house successfully may expect a very substantial reward."

"Oh ho!" One man said, and Naru narrowed his eyes at the man.

Mai did so too, because this man reek of deceit. One of many con-men in this field perhaps?

"Also, if any of you decide to withdraw from the case, I will understand. If you would remain on the premises until such time, I would greatly appreciate it," Ohashi bowed to the group. "Now, please allow me to introduce everyone who so generously agreed to join us today. Igurashi-sama, professor at Ottawa University and her assistant, Naoko Suzuki-sama,"

Igurashi-hakase was a kind looking middle aged woman with greying hair, dressed in simple suit with turtle neck shirt. The younger woman, her assistant was also dressed in the same way, Suzuki had dark hair and eyes.

"Renowned medium, Masako Hara-sama." Masako bowed respectfully.

Ohashi-san then turned to the boy in hakama that at first sight was like Masako's counterpart, and a history with their resident medium and miko. "Onmyouji from Fujiwara family… Fujiwara Hikaru-sama." Fujiwara dipped his head in acknowledgment.

"Reimei Minami-sama, head of the Minami Psychic Research Council, and staff member Hideo Atsugi." The man who perked at the sound of a reward and the young man sitting next to him both bowed at their names. "Their mentor, from the English Psychic Research Society, Doctor Oliver Davis."

Mai looked at Naru, wondering what kind of expression he wore. He was pissed, not because someone was impersonating him, but because of the bastard he had to come all the way here under Madoka's order. Their resident monk was star-struck, which was damn funny because he was fan-boying the wrong person while he had been calling his ido Naru-chan for months.

Mai wondered what went through Naru's head now as they had to endure listening to Minami brag about all his connections to people such as Alex Taunus or Uri Geller to the extent that the seeds of doubt were beginning to blossom in the other's heads about him. Still, from what Mai saw they seemed to think that the Oliver Davis they saw was real, when the real person was also in the same table.

Strangely even with her Hyper Intuition all she could see was annoyance, Naru really had zero interest in fame, he was more concerned with being forced into this.

It was hilarious.

* * *

 **(Mai's POV)**

I felt a little guilty though because even after they set up their base their team was so into the fake Oliver Davis, they didn't even realize my amber eyes or asking about Fujiwara's strange behavior towards me. I didn't expect to see a genuine onmyouji with connection to the world here, he even recognized me. Though it seemed he was polite enough to respect my privacy, what's the deal with him and Hara-san though?

"So who's this Davis-hakase?" Yasu asked. "And why is he such a big deal?"

"Because he's incredible, that's why," Ayako answered bluntly. "He's actually not involved with the psychic power side as much as he's done some really fantastic spirit research."

"That's right," Monk said. "He said in the preface of his book, Supernatural Systems, that he wants the field of psychic research to be considered a science and that researchers in this field should conduct themselves as such."

They started listing down Naru's accomplishment from his books, amazing PK demonstration that reminded me of one my brother and I had to do ourselves just to display our power. If Reborn didn't ask us we would have ditched that power show off. Then they mentioned one case about a billionaire's son, this time it was Father John who did so.

"And there's also that famous case where Doctor Davis helped find and rescue that American billionaire's son who had been kidnapped," John said, an amount of admiration in his tone.

"Yeah, yeah!" Monk said. "That kid had been buried alive in the ground, right?"

"That means Davis-hakase is clairvoyant, too," Ayako said.

"American billionaire's son kidnapped and buried?" I echoed to them, drawing their attention to me. "Maximilian family I guessed? I have heard of the case…" Because it was American mafia who did it, and it got so much coverage that both Millefiore who was in charge of America had to get involved with the clean up.

They had given Byakuran hell for letting a famiglia in his territory went wild like that, kidnapping an innocent civilian, and a child no less.

"You have heard of it? But no idea how it got solved?" Ayako asked in confusion.

I shook my head, "I was in business trip in states with my brother when that happened, so we heard it in passing." We almost resorted using our power to find the boy but apparently Naru beat us to the punch. "So no, I don't know the detail."

"Uhm… business trip? You're… fifteen when that happened." That was just two years ago year.

"So?" I didn't see how my age was a problem considering I was still running my company today. "Anyway…" I lifted another box, "Our boss looks pissed if you guys keep slacking off..."

As if on cue our real sachou entered the room with a screen in hand, "I'm glad to see you're all enjoying yourselves," A deceptively calm voice chimed from the door.

"Hey Naru, where'd you run off to?" Bou-san asked.

Naru set some box on the table. "I decided to start bringing in the equipment. I mean, we were intending to do some work here, right?" Naru said as he rubbed his shoulder.

The collective group now realized they had forgotten about their job and rushed to do some before Naru throw another ice chilling glare at them. I chuckled soft at their harried state under Naru's intimidation and moved to lift two more boxes.

"No Mai, leave it there," He said as he headed out the door to continue unloading. I shivered at the look he gave me. He's a little terrifying. "The equipment is way too heavy for a woman to carry."

Oh, he noticed I found his predicament with his impostor hilarious. "Oh, no, I can do it, you go ahead and take a break," I said with sun like grin. "Beside, I have more muscles than you do."

Silence…

That was one truth Naru couldn't deny and as a man what I said must hurt. Naru didn't have time to respond as Ohashi-san came in to check on us. "Well, this is very impressive."

Typical reaction of SPR's clients towards our wide range of equipment. Naru's body double went straight over to invite him in. "Ah, Ohashi-san," Yasu greeted.

"I hope you find this room to be sufficient for your needs," the middle aged man said.

"Yes, thank you," Yasu said. "We're getting settled in. If you don't mind, may we take this opportunity to ask a few questions?"

"Of course. You're welcome to ask me anything," Ohashi-san, being the good client he was said.

"That's very kind of you," Yasu thanked the man before turning and calling across the room. "All right then, Narumi? Please proceed."

"Yes sir," Naru answered.

The rest of our group went along with setting up all the equipment as Naru took out his case binder and set everything up to ask our clients some questions. Lin sat with his laptop at the ready, and of course Yasuhara the body double. Naru made me sit beside him although I didn't see the point really.

"You said the house was unoccupied for some time," Naru started out. "Would you mind telling us who the previous tenant was?"

"The Prime Minister's wife's grandfather," Ohashi-san stated, "and former family head. He actually built this house around Meiji Ten."

At Naru's frown I leaned in and translated for him in a whisper, _"He mean 1877."_

Naru nodded at that, and mentioned to Ohashi-san to continue. "Since that time there have been numerous renovations and add-ons. In fact, up until the last head of the family, I believe additions were made every year, so it's unlikely that much of the original building still remains."

"What sort of man is the former head of this family?" Naru asked next.

"Well, his name was Kaneyuki Miyama," Ohashi-san said in a tone that suggest he read the history off of a classified family record, "and he owned a lot of land here in the Suwa region. He ended up building a silk mill here, and was known for his involvement with various charitable works, even opening an orphanage and a charity hospital. Unfortunately, he lost most of his ventures when the market collapsed in Meiji 40…"

Naru could add up the year with the previous one I told him, 1907. So I didn't inform him this time.

"And the hospital and orphanage had to be shut down. He passed away about…" He trailed off. "Meiji 43, yes… around three years later."

1910, the timeline fit with economic crisis in my history book. "Ohashi, have you ever witnessed anything out of the ordinary in this house?" Naru asked next.

The man seemed to think for a moment before answering with a certainty in his voice. "I've been here for a week to prepare the place but… No, I haven't."

Naru glanced at me and I nodded, he was being honest he didn't witness anything so far. "Would it be at all possible to interview those people who were in the house at the time of the child's disappearance?" Naru asked again.

"Well, we'd prefer to keep this as quiet as possible," Ohashi-san answered hesitantly.

Typical of politician, they might be on the top of foodchain in civilian's strata but in the end they were the most alike with us, Mafia.

"Do you have any ideas as to the source of the ghost stories?" Naru continued on.

"Hm," Ohashi-san thought for a moment. "No, but the last head of the family might have suspected something. His final words were instructions to leave the mansion alone. He wanted it to deteriorate over time."

"His final words," Naru said softly.

I whispered to him in voice low enough so only him could hear me. "For last words to be about house of all things… and for him to renovate the house continuously to a labyrinth…" Lin in the background was asking about blueprint of the house.

"What do you think about that?" Naru pressed on.

My eyes narrowed, "It as if he wants to buried something terrible… no more like sealing it."

As soon as the interview over, I couldn't help but groan when Lin informed us that we didn't have a floor plan so we had to measure the whole mansion. Now I was sure everyone in our group agreed that a large mansion was a waste of space.

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

"All right let's start by taking temperature readings throughout the house, and after the sun goes down no one does anything alone, agreed?" I began to instruct them, wasting no time to get to business. Though Mai was perhaps an exception, because she scared spirits but I didn't want to take chance even with her. "Matsuzaki-san I want you to make some charms. Be sure to make enough for each of us and all of the rooms."

"Relax man," Our resident monk said. "Don't you think you're jumping the gun a little?"

"That sounds exactly like what somebody would say to excuse their own laziness," I told him, not letting him to argue with me I added. "This is a haunted mansion that's been empty for a long time. There are numerous stories and there's no floor plan. Given what we know and what we don't know, it's only common sense to be cautious… beside you heard Mai."

Mai called this place a slaughterhouse, that was more legitimate than any secondhand information why we had to be cautious of this place.

"And also…" Mai began, "I hate to scare you but I started to smell blood here, and when my intuition translated something to other senses.. It's never a good sign."

Then Hara-san fainted to Takigawa-san's arms, nodding. "Mai is right...There's a foul presence here," She held her sleeves to her face, as if it could help her. "… And I think I smell blood."

I'd say if Hara-san agreed with Mai without protest that was not a good sign at all.

Knock Knock Knock

Another guest, who could it be? "Enter."

Lin opened the door without hesitation and Fujiwara Hikaru, Lin's fellow onmyouji entered the room. Lin told me discreetly after we left the dining room that this person was very powerful though not as overwhelming as Mai's brother, and both of his eyes was like Lin's right one. Hara-san looked tense as soon as he entered her field of vision, and Matsuzaki-san looked like she wanted to step between them or hiding Hara-san from him.

Fujiwara-san gave a curt nod towards Matsuzaki-san, a sign that he respected the miko so I assumed he had seen her shamanic ability. He ignored Hara-san and the girl fumed, so I could tell their relationship was bad and the three of them had history somehow. Which was strange because at our first metting it didn't seem like Hara-san recognized Matsuzaka-san.

The young onmyouji however went straight to Mai and gave her another respectful bow, why he was so humble to Mai? "I'd like to humbly request an audience with you…" Then he pulled a stack of charm and placed it on nearby table. "If it will please you, a sign of my good will." He smiled at our miko. "I am better than Matsuzaka-san in warding."

The miko laughed nervously. "Ah you…"

"Considering the trees around here are dead."

"Right." Matsuzaka-san looked depressed. "The whole forest and all of them dead! What's wrong with the world!" Much to my surprise Mai flinched at her words, and shifting her eyes to the side guiltily.

Why?

Mai sighed before inclining her head towards the door. "Follow me then, Fujiwara-san…" And before anyone could protest the door was closed.

* * *

 **3rd POV**

Mai knew what this onmyouji was going to ask but she let him to say it out loud. "Ask, but I give you no promise to answer." That was the honest truth.

Fujiwara nodded, "I have been warned… as one of three pillars of time and space, secrecy is part of your duty… someone like me has no right to pry than permitted."

How humble of him, then again when you had the world at your fingertips those who knew would bow to you. The prince of such power was high though, and their family was foolish enough to pay it with blood. "Well then?" She urged him on.

"What's happening with the world… are we dying?" Fujiwara asked somberly, "I believe Matsuzaka-san realized it to an extent but she gets no answer from her tree spirits, and mine keep their silence too…"

Because it was not their place to say, of course they would stay quiet even to their summoner.

"I will not let the world to die." That was all Mai could tell him. "We have paid the price with blood, so we will make sure… the balance will be restored in time."

That was their vow as the holder of Trinisette.

* * *

 **No excuse for my long hiatus other than... well, me being me. Hey, it's a productive year considering I update a lot of forgotten fic!**


	34. Case 07, Part 02

**This is one surprising chapter haha ha ^^**

 **Case 07, Part 02**

"By the way Mai, since when you wear colored contact lenses?" Bou-san at last asked when Mai was preparing equipment for exploring the mansion.

Mai was about to answer but Naru beat her to it. "Choice of your coworker's fashion is not your business Bou-san. Get back to work."

Masako eyed Mai suspiciously, then looked at Naru. "Fujiwara…" She trailed off, "What business he has with you, Mai-san?"

Mai was quick to answer this one, "Just a couple of question."

This was one of those they couldn't ask further, Masako concluded, "I see…"

* * *

 **(Mai's POV)**

Yasu, Bou-san, and I formed a group and started the most fun part of ghost hunter job, taking temperatures. It was a splendid maze of a manor and it was irritating to feel my Hyper Intuition protesting to be in this place for who knows why, well this place looked like something out of surreal painting, Agullo's or Dali's perhaps.

"Dead end, ladies and gentlemen," Bou-san said as we finally got to the end of the corridor, this must be the third one since we started.

"He did say there were a lot of additions but seriously this is kinda crazy," Yasu said as we took a random guess as to where to go next. We had chosen random rooms to look at and frankly I thought this was a pointless activity to do when Lin-san, Toujo and Shima had not finished the floor plan yet.

"What is this?" Yasu said as he took in the large room with various doors, windows, floor styles, and two small sets of steps.

"It's just another weird room," Was our collective opinion as we went in, Bou-san took it upon himself to open all the windows and doors as I recorded the temperature.

"You don't think we might actually discover the body of anyone who went missing, do you?" The college student asked sounding genuinely concerned on the matter, well to civilian finding a dead body would be a terrible experience.

In my case? Thanks to certain tutor and a man with talent pretending to be dead, we're already hardened when it comes to dead body. "That would be terrible." I gave out civilian sounding response.

"If it's somewhere we could find it I'm sure the police would have turned it up a long time ago," Bou-san said logically as he opened a set of shutters. "What the…"

"What is it?" Yasu asked as we rushed over to our resident monk. "Did you find a body?" He didn't want to find the body but he sounded oddly excited by the prospect.

"Not quite…" The blond monk said as we took in what seemed to be a dining room

"But, why would there be another room on the other side of this window?" I asked.

Yasu sounded disappointed. "Just a dining room? It looks like a small house to boot."

"Well the shutters look kinda new, so I guess this is just another one of the additions," Bou-san commented.

The electric thermometer beeping insistently and I came over it to see the measured temperature. "Just over four degrees," Normal for winter I suppose? I wouldn't know considering people like me were not sensitive to temperature.

"Well, should we keep moving?"

"Alright," I said, then a concern came to me. "Which way did we come in again?"

"This way," They said at the same time as they both pointed in completely opposite directions.

"Oh great," I sighed tiredly. "Don't worry… I can point us how to get to base later." Because with Naru and Lin there, that room was like a beacon to my senses. But that was the only place I could grasp, what was wrong with my Hyper intuition today?

Yasu beamed at me, "It's so nice to have a human compass with us."

I sweat-dropped, another function added in my repertoire. "Still this surreal mansion is something."

"Nothing like artistic palace of yours and ornate decoration that gather dust nicely?" Yasu asked with a grin.

I nodded at him, "Well, I know my ancestors built our manor with delusion of grandiose." The whole place if searched properly had blood stains _everywhere_ for Trinisette's sake!

"Maybe the previous heads of this family were artist, like John said it feels like we're inside a pain-"

"Ah, Bou-san watch wher-"

WHAM!

Too late he tripped on the protruding beam, moaning in pain. "Why there's a stupid beam here?"

"Are you alright Bou-san?" I asked in worry.

Yasu just beamed at us, he looked very cheerful for some reason. "Cheer up Takigawa-san! You're so tense on the job!"

"And you're so relax." Bou-san retorted, "How could a recent high school graduate so at home as a stand in?"

In a way he was weirder than our real Sachou and… I could already tell Yasuhara would be completely at home with my family.

We eventually wandered out and managed to get to the corridor from before and found more rooms to explore and then we found one funny room which had another room in the middle of it, like a lift but when we opened it there was nothing inside.

"This place reminds me of Winchester Mansion…" Bou-san commented out of the blue.

"Like… Winchester Rifles?" Yasu asked.

I frowned at them, I would know more about firearms than they do but more on practical stuff and type. The history behind it? I had no clue whatsoever since as long as I can shoot with it no one cared where it was invented.

"That's right," Bou-san said. "The inventor of the rifle left a widow when he died. For years she was constantly putting additions on the house to protect her from curses and spirits. She thought people killed by her husband's guns would come back to haunt her. It's supposed to be a pretty complex house, similar to this one…"

"Why?" Yasu asked. "How a house could protect her from them?"

"You know in taoism it's believed if you have recently deceased family member you shouldn't renovate your house because it would confuse the spirit." Bou-san explained. "I don't know on what basis the widow did it but most likely she was influenced by this belief."

My eyes widened in shock at that, and wandered over to the nearest wall. "So that's why this stupid mansion confuse me!" I growled at no one in particular.

"Mai?"

I didn't get a chance to respond as we were interrupted by the con-man and his subordinate, who was it again? Oh yeah, Minami.

"Oh excuse us, we didn't realize there was anyone in here," What a haughty way of speaking, he reminded me of more annoying members of Mafia society.

"You're all with Shibuya Psychic Research, aren't you?" He asked as we waved around an alcohol thermometer in his hand.

I stared at the freaking alcohol thermometer in disbelief. Then towards two assistants of his, I recalled were not in the dining room for introduction like Lin-san and co.

"Ah, the eagerness of youth, I find it so refreshing, really," The fake professor said as he seemed to be recording the temperature. "Of course, when it comes to psychic research, it's all about experience, so I'll be very curious to see how well you kids do, hehe."

I couldn't resist so I point it out, "Uhm, why are you using alcohol thermometer? And waving it around? I believe you should have used electronic one like us!" I beamed at him. "It's more accurate and a _standard_ equipment we _kids_ use for research!"

His face turned to interesting shade of red and he spat out. "You kids are so-"

Yasu stepped forward to him and I had a feeling from his innocent face what he had in mind was in no way innocent. "Pardon me," Yasu began. "I realize I look young, but the truth is I just turned two hundred forty-nine this year."

Minami openly gaped at him,"I've got great genes," Yasu continued and I had to admire his acting skill because now he was totally talking like an old man, "everyone in my family practically lives forever."

"I don't really appreciate being made fun of kid!" Minami shouted. "All right, smart guy, then tell me when you were born."

"Well I was born in Horoki 8," Yasu answered and Minami was taken aback at the correct answer for a two-hundred forty-nine year old to say. "You know, I think you young kids today are just super, but of course if I had talked to my elders with the same sort of disrespect you've shown me I'd have felt it for a week."

He was threatening the idiot even!

Yeah, the times sure were tough back then. I'll never forget the great Tenmei…"

Why he was so surprised? Yasu was smart, it was not that hard to deduct years correctly, this guy was really dumb.

Yasu continued on about his supposed 'childhood' while Bou-san and I just tried to not laugh too hard. "Man! Naru totally knew what he was doing," Bou-san said. "This kid is awesome!"

"Yeah it's kinda freaking me out a little," I laughed, Yasu really would feel at home in my family.

"…And they scared me to death with stories about the Onin War," Yasu went on.

The girl in black by the name Fukuda-san and woman in white Miwa-san called their teacher, "Sensei, I sense something beyond this door."

Seeing the chance to escape Yasu's crazy talk Minami and his assistant started to leave. "Oh please! Wait! I'm not done yet! Minami-san!"

Yasu was answered with the loud bang of the door shutting.

Bou-san and I came up to our 'boss'.

"Well done!" Bou-san congratulated.

"Bravo," I added in. "Good job."

"That was truly amazing," Bou-san told Yasu.

"Thanks, but I really feel a little guilty," Yasu confessed. I don't, in fact if he didn't step in I would have. Yasu set his hands together like he was praying. "Please forgive me for being a jerk to the jerk."

"By the way…" I couldn't resist to add. "Beyond this room." I pointed at direction Minami and his students had gone to. "There's nothing."

Bou-san frowned, "So… even spiritualist he brought with him is a fake?"

Now he wondered why someone like Oliver Davis would supervise a group like Minami's. It as none of my concern though, someone going around impersonating Naru in grand scale of scheme was minor to mystery of this place.

"However…" I trailed off, "Something feels like watching our every move." I told them in serious tone. "So everyone especially Yasuhara-san who has no way to defend yourself… please stick close to any of spiritualist in our group all the time."

* * *

 **Back to the base (Naru's POV)**

Mai was back to the base at last and made her way to me to make her report, "All the temperature readings we took were on the low end," Mai said as handing me the clipboard with temperature report,

"I don't think we should call it a day until we've got the night vision cameras, thermography, and condenser microphones set up," I said. "And remember to stick together no matter what happens. Tomorrow I want us to measure each room and the hallways, then we'll use those to make a working floor plan."

She craned her neck towards the three men in black namely Lin, Shima and Toujo. "Hm… doesn't sounds like it would go smoothly… and also about I feel like the previous head is trying to seal something…"

Everyone perked up at her words. "You find something Mai?"

"Not really… Bou-san mention about Winchester house."

A house built to repel spirit with making them lost in its maze like structure. "So the previous head might be building addition every year with the same purpose?"

Mai nodded, "Hai… but perhaps rather keeping the spirits out, this house is keeping them inside. That explains why I feel fine outside of the house but not inside."

I cupped my chin at that, "I see… "

Bou-san groaned at that, "Isn't that mean the previous head know there's something in here for sure?"

Matsuzaki-san groaned, "Yeah, he didn't do a very good job stopping whatever it is."

"Alright everyone," Our resident monk said as he grabbed a microphone and handed it to Yasuhara. "Back to work." And then grabbing another another equipment box and hauled it onto his shoulder. "Well, this won't be over anytime soon…"

RING! RING!

That was satelite phone Tojo and Shima installed in our base for Mai, and Tojo picked it up. "Eh?" His eyes were wide with fright as the man in buzz cut turned to face Mai. "Uhm Hime… a call for you."

Mai narrowed her eyes, "From who?"

He swallowed heavily, "Iemitsu-san."

Silence…

Mai smiled at him brightly, "Cut the line off." And he did so as ordered.

The phone rang again and this time Mai rejected the call instantly, but it kept ringing until Mai lost her patience and picked up the phone. "What is it this time, stupid old man?! No! Don't answer that! I don't want to hear it! Roll over and die!"

And the phone once again was turned off, Mai was panting heavily as she glared at the innocent device. "Mai?" Matsuzaki-san asked in worry. "Are you alright?"

She turned to Tojo and Shima who flinched, "Block CEDEF number… _all_ of them."

CEDEF, the organization led by her father.

"Uhm Mai, should you speak to your father like that?" How ironic our Monk of all people said that to Mai. "Roll over and die? Not even I use such words to my father…"

Mai scoffed at him, "Believe me Bou-san…" She was smiling now, "There are parents you'd rather don't have in this world…"

No one dared to say anything in response to that and the room was swiftly vacated by our team to get back to work, Mai was still in the room as Shima went out in her place with Bou-san and Yasuhara.

"Mai?"

Suddenly she just slumped on the sofa beside me, looking very exhausted. "We're being watched the whole time…" Her amber eyes were shimmering as she said this. "And I have been hearing sound of something dripping, echoing in my ears."

"Water?"

She shook her head, and the word she uttered froze even me. "Blood."

 **That Night**

Gene at last wake up and it was really frustrating to see him so relaxed, stretching in the mirror while we were in a fix in living world. "Idiot medium."

"Is that how you treat you Nii-san?" Gene huffed, "Anyway… Mai is right we're being watched so even if it pains you don't escape Lin's watch." Our guardian was taking a late bath after long day of work.

I harrumphed at that, "Anything else?"

"There're lots of spirits here, harmless one… like in previous school Rokuryo…" Gene told me, showing dark background with floating orbs of light behind him. "I suspect they're the soul of victims of monster from this house…"

"A monster?"

He nodded grimly at me. "I have no chance to explore this mansion yet myself so I can't be sure but… this place is hiding something terrifying, lurking in the darkness for prey."

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Gene perked up, "It's Mai! A late night visit from a girl! How exciting!"

This idiot brother of mine, what did he expect? It was Mai. "Come in." I didn't lock the door yet.

Mai came in and Gene made a comment about her cute babydoll that made Mai laughed at us. I just sighed at Gene's antics, "What is it?"

She was still smiling from hilarity of Gene's antics, and answered. "I just had a dream."

That stunned both of us, because obviously if she came to report it was related to our case but she was so… too calm about it! "Are you alright, Mai?" Gene asked with concerned face.

She nodded, "It's a dream, why wouldn't I?" She asked cluelessly.

Gene nudged me mentally, _'Give her a hug!'_

' _Why?! She didn't seems like she need it!'_

' _Yeah, and Mai is very open about needing comfort!'_

But before I could retort to my twin Mai had made his way to my bed and sit beside me. "So about the dream…" As usual she didn't wait for permission. "It's pretty cliche, I was dreaming of woken up from my sleep by sound of dripping water so I went to check the faucet in our bathroom, and yes, it's off."

"You're woken up by dripping water?" I craned my ears towards our own bathroom, the wall was thick so there was any barely sound of running water from Lin who was taking a bath. "Was it loud?"

She nodded, "It's like persistently echoing in my ears… drip drop like that!" Mai sighed, "So since the faucet of wastafel is off I checked the shower and bathtub and I saw it." Her voice turned serious, and I turned to face her much to my surprise Mai had a penlight shining her face from below eerily. "A boney body bathing in a pool of blood!"

I stared at her disinterestedly, "If I didn't know you can't lie about this kind of thing I'd think you're joking me."

She turned off the pen, "The dream is real though... even the metallic smell of blood!" She sighed, "I felt pretty icky after that dream, so I will go back and take a bath again." She grumbled as she rose from my bed.

And she still wanted to have a bath in the same bathroom?! "Mai!"I grabbed her by her arm, "After that kind of dream I suspect it would just about time you astral walk by accident so tonight you're sleeping here."

' _Wow! How bold of you Noll!'_ Gene gushed in my mind, _'Nice!'_

' _Shut up stupid medium, you have to take care of her too if she accidentally astral walk to your realm!'_

' _He he…'_

Usual teenage girl would get flustered by the idea of sleeping in the same room with opposite gender but not Mai, with a family like hers obviously it was no big deal. And she had been sleeping in base with me and Lin around anyway. Beside there was one more bed in the room because SPR got three rooms with three beds, there were even spare towels.

"Okay." She shrugged, "But you have to explain to Ayako-san and Hara-san tomorrow…"

That was her concern? _'She is too calm for a teenage girl who just saw such a terrifying sight.'_ Gene commented with a sigh.

Not even Gene and I could be this calm and cherry after witnessing that. Then again considering that dream of hers we accidentally saw back in Morishita's house, what she just saw would be very tame in comparison. Something out of horror movie, cliche as she said.

Lin chose that moment to step out of the bathroom, frowning at Mai who was sitting on the spare bed. "Sawada-san?"

She beamed at him, "Hello, Lin-san!"

"She had a dream, and I'd rather she didn't astral walk without us knowing." I told him as explanation. "And as Lin just finished his bath, go have yours… you can use my soap."

"Hai!" Mai didn't seem to care to share my toiletries either, this girl was too carefree.

' _Isn't it nice she will smell like our soap?'_ Why Gene was so happy because of such thing?

Lin stepped away and let Mai get inside the bathroom, "Takigawa-san will be very upset tomorrow."

"I know."

"Why did she take another bath?"

"The dream make her feels like taking one, how a dream of bathtub full of blood made her want one doesn't make sense even for me." I lied through my teeth, because I had seen that carnage I'd never seen blood in the same way ever again either.

 **Mai's POV**

It was not a particularly scary dream by any stretch considering what I had been through, but the smell of blood made me remember. So once I got the chance to have running hot water and soap, I scrubbed myself clean, even though I know no matter how hard I try I would never feel clean.

After that rite of passage by our ancestor, neither my brother nor me would ever feel clean. It was not our body, but our very soul that was soaked in blood and sin of our family. The price of our power Trinisette granted to us.

" _But Mai- darling!"_

" _Roll over and die!"_

That man was the one who impose the curse on us, after running away from his duty as a father he dared showing himself up and called himself a father! Even after we were coronated he was just there, hanging in the background like a proud father he was! We never expected much, Tsuna perhaps had even given up on him but I…

I wanted him to say sorry! But he never did. Then he dared sending me away from Italy, not asking for my consent. Iemitsu never asked, and never apologize! He was such a…

Blub Blub Blub

Oops, the water was boiling because of me. I'd better get out of the bath before I boiled myself alive. With that in mind I got out of the bathtub, drying my body and put my babydoll night dress back. Then quietly stepped out of the bathroom in case both Lin and Naru were asleep. Naru was, but not Lin who said he wanted to spend more time in base with Tojo and Shima to finish the layout before going to bed.

"Okay, I can take care of Naru." Beside the room was warded by both Lin-san and Fujiwara-kun so this was a relatively safe zone.

He left the room so I was alone with sleeping Naru, then I looked at the spare bed near the bathroom that was empty and one Naru occupied in the other side of the room.

"...Nah~ it's not like we're doing anything." Beside as someone who was born as twins he should understand!

* * *

 **Somewhere unknown (Gene's POV)**

Someone was singing, voice of a very young girl. An eerie lullaby, not in English or Japanese. I didn't even know why I assumed the song was a lullaby even, but the haunting melody had certain lulling quality in it. I wondered who was singing this song and why?

 _La vongole tramandata la sua forma…  
di generazione in generazione.~_

My eyes snapped open and before me was my reflection, or so I thought until the reflection's eyes narrowed at me in displeasure. "Hi, Noll."

"I told you I don't like getting pulled to astral world of yours." Noll told me with a scowl on his lips.

I laughed at him and surveyed our surrounding, it was a world of sepia and we were in a hallway or rather a renaissance styled porch that was right beside a massive and well sculpted garden, the weather was so sunny here it casted such a dark shadow, dividing the space as if it was two different world, black and color.

"This place looks a little like Osborne house in Wales." Noll couldn't help but commented.

That was a place we visited as children, a Italianate villa our mother loved to see. "True… but it's so…" The porch was so long, I almost couldn't see the end from where we were standing.

"Aha ha ha!"

We looked at each other, someone was giggling but obviously such a high pitched voice was not belonging to either of us. Then someone phased through Noll's leg, a girl in her early teens wearing a simple white sundress with orange rim. Her long wavy hair swayed as she ran, and twirling to melody only she could hear.

 _Siamo di prosperare o rovinare~_

We didn't know what possessed us but as one, Noll and I ran after her. It was long way towards the end of the porch where the young girl was just a black dots because the brightness outside of the shade, and before we know it our bare feet no longer touching terrazzo but lush green grass. Scent of amaryllis flower and olive filled our nostrils, somewhat heady but also comforting in the same time.

 _Nelle nostre mani unite sotto il cielo onnicomprensivo~_

Then we saw the little girl again, sweeping her hands under her legs, tidying the skirt of her dress before sitting on the swings tied to a lush olive tree. It was so bright here so we barely could see her outline under the blinding sun. Where could this be?

" _Onii-chan, push me!"_ Said the girl.

A boy we didn't noticed was sitting behind the tree poked his head out, holding an open book on his lap. _"Alright-alright…"_ The boy shared the same hair color as the girl but his was spiked haphazardly. He was wearing button up white shirt and dark orange pants.

Could it be? This pair of sibling were-

"It's Mai." Noll finished my thought, "And Tsunayoshi-san…"

Watching the pair happily playing on the swings I nodded, "This is Mai's memories I think… her personal vision is usually tinted in sepia like this." As soon as we figured their identity the vision was less bright and we could see young Mai and Tsunayoshi, there were more baby fats on their face, and their body was barely leaving that of a child. Their bright amber eyes somehow could look bright even under the sun, in fact it as if they were reflecting the light.

Noll frowned at me, no doubt annoyed I didn't tell him before but turned his attention back to Mai and Tsunayoshi. "How old are they in this vision… thirteen perhaps?" He wondered, "But there's something so different from Mai and Tsunayoshi-san I know."

"More childlike and pure…" I answered for him, "Perhaps this is before.."

Mai interrupted me when she spoke, looking up to her twin who stopped pushing her back. "Ne… Onii-chan, Reborn said… the trial for you will happen soon."

Tsunayoshi tensed, his expression was sad as he gazed down at his sister. "Perhaps… looking at situation of our world, and upcoming coronation… a lot of people disagreed for someone like us to stand on the top of this world."

Mai scowled, her cheeks puffed adorably. "We're not here because we wanted to! Father- no! Iemitsu is the one who push us to this position as he please!"

"Mai…" Tsunayoshi chided her lightly, "Shh…" Then he looked up, Noll and I stopped dead on our track when it as if he was looking at us. "You never know who is listening, be careful of what we said." The he looked back at his sister. "Reborn always said so…"

The girl pouted, "Haaai~ but still.. I don't like the idea you will have to go through the trial on your own, Onii-chan." Mai fidgeted on her swings. "We've always been together so… if possible even though Vongola family didn't choose me I want to share the burden."

Tsunayoshi shook his head frantically to the point he looks like a blur from neck up. "No! I heard the trial is terrible! A horrific experience! I don't want my sister to go through that too!"

"This coming from my brother who is scared of haunted house and horror story?" Mai raised an eyebrow at him, smiling cheekily.

Tsunayoshi blushed deep red, which was quite a sight for me and Noll to see the infallible brother of Mai looked so… not infallible after all. "That's… Mai is the one who keep dragging me there! I don't like them! That's all!"

"No, you're just afraid of them scaredy cat-Niichan!" Mai was snickering now.

"Mai!"

Her eyes widened in shock then pointed behind Tsunayoshi, "Onii-chan behind you! Something black is-"

"HIeey!" He let out a high pitched scream and latched on his sister, "WHat- what!"

A man wearing a black fedora with a thick orange stripe running across the sides of the cone stepped out. He had black eyes, black hair, curly sideburns and wears an all-black suit with black boots and a red long sleeved shirt with a blue necktie underneath. He looked very intimidating with his sharp eyes, glaring at the twins.

"Tsuna!" The older twin flinched when a gun - _of all things-_ was pointed at him, "Unlatch yourself from your sister! Such an embarrassing display is unbecoming for a boss!"

Another high pitched yelp almost escaped his lips but Tsunayoshi clamped his mouth shut, and Mai hopped off of the swings. "Yes, Reborn…"

Reborn?! This was Mai's tutor she said Noll reminded her of?!

Mai encircled her arms around Tsunayoshi's and pouted, "We're alone, it's fine if just a little.. Ne? Shishou?"

He fired and both twins inclined their head to the side to dodge the bullet, Noll and I gaped at the display. "He fired for real!"

"Mai wasn't kidding when she said this person… he-" Even Noll was speechless then again even by our standard firing a gun at kids like it was nothing was outrageous! This person also pushed the twins to landmine field! With blindfold!

"No talking back to me, Mai." The girl deflated, unlatching herself from her brother and stepped away. "I don't want to see you two acting like creepy Tweedledee-Tweedledum in here, not even in private as even wall have eyes and ears!" He told them off coolly, "And no badmouthing your father either! Keep your issue with Iemitsu to yourself, or someone would take advantage of it!"

Mai flinched, "You heard?"

"Hmph! Someone of my caliber have sharp ears… and brilliant mind the likes of my idiotic students couldn't comprehend." He said in a tone that suggest it was a matter of fact.

I stared at the man named Reborn in disbelief, he was oozing confidence and self-importance like it was out of fashion. "I guess this part of him who thinks he is the top of the world is what Mai meant." I pointed at my twin.

Noll just crossed his arms petulantly in response.

"No talking back to me even in your head, Mai, Tsuna!"

The Sawada twins flinched, Noll and I were shocked again to see how this man handled his students. I had never seen them on receiving end of mind reading, maybe this man was the genuine mind reader. "And no, it's just you're too easy to read my idiot students."

Inwardly we were so glad Mai was not corrupted by this man's attitude, it would be aggravating to be told off like this all the time. No wonder Mai looked annoyed Noll complaining about Madoka, our master had nothing on this man. Especially since this man obviously took sadistic pleasure in making his students squirm, and there was his gun. Even if Mai and her brother could dodge bullets…

"Reborn, is there no other way that Onii-chan have to go through the trial?" Mai asked in worried tone.

"Mai!"

Surprisingly the man didn't shot her down like before, but sighing exasperatedly. "Do you think we'd rather he not too?" Reborn asked back, "He will be the youngest in history to receive the trial not to mention we're going to force trigger it."

Mai gritted her teeth, "Selfish!" She hissed, "Why this world is so selfish to force-"

"Mai!" Tsunayoshi interrupted her, "Enough… it's my duty, if I didn't do it who else?"

"Me?" Mai pointed at herself.

"No!"

"Yes!"

Reborn cleared his throat and the two quickly shut up and behaved themselves. Madoka would love to have that kind of absolute control over us, but I shudder to think what this guy had done to get such obedience from the Sawada Twins. "You both will take it." He announced. "Together."

Their eyes widened in shock at the announcement, "What?"

"Considering both of you _are_ linked, it's to be expected." Reborn was shaking his head now. "If you ask me, don't celebrate because I am unhappy with it… no one is…"

His tone send chills down our spine, as if he was about to murder somebody.

"If something goes wrong we will lose you both." Reborn growled at Mai and Tsuna who became strangely quiet. "We already lose three heirs, and we might lost the fourth and fifth… in one go."

"What choice do we have?" Tsuna said, he sounded so… defeated.

Reborn's response to that was stranger. "If you guys want to run, I am not stopping you." They smiled at him. "I am your tutor not your keeper… the family didn't hire me to keep you tied down here."

Tsunayoshi and Mai exchanged glance, smiling softly at each other then to their tutor. "And leave the rest in this world?" They asked in unison. "We can't do that… as the sky that encompass all, we shall not run…"

Reborn for the first time since we saw him smiled genuinely at his students and at that time I knew this man was not someone heartless, there was a heart under that cold and distant persona. In spite of everything he did to his students, he cared for them.

The man clad in black brushed his hands on his student's chocolate locks, "That's my students… I am proud of you."

The scene faded and darkness welcomed us. "What was that?"

"Mai's memory… maybe because she is so close we get a peek by accident?" I suggested. "Still… the trial they were so worried about, could it be?"

Noll's expression turned grim, "That visions of carnage… it couldn't be anything else, that's the trial they were talking about."

"And we're wrong to guess they're something completely forced on Mai and Tsunayoshi-san." I added as afterthought.

Noll gave me disapproving frown, one that I kept chiding him because if he kept doing that his face would stuck like that. "You heard them Gene… they don't have a choice, an obligation to a family like that… to suffer such vision when they were so young…" Noll of all people could understand their pain. "They might as well be forced!"

It was rare to see Noll so emotional but then again my brother was not unfeeling person, he was not a robot. "True… I think they're just about thirteen or fourteen in this memory." I murmured softly. "Noll?" I noticed Noll had thoughtful look on his face.

He shook his head, "It's just… Mai once told me Tsunayoshi-san is someone who would do something he didn't want to do because someone have to, so this is what she meant that time."

"...Noll…"

"She is wrong about the part I chose to be a Ghost Hunter with the same mindset though." He chuckled softly, "One time I told her someone have to do it, just because I don't feel like explaining why I become one…" He felt guilty to tell that to Mai. "I took that brush off answer lightly, when to Mai… if _someone had to do it_ means this…"

There was a world difference between the two.

Still it was so weird to see Noll so… guilty, even if it was over Mai. I didn't like to see this in Noll, even though I always wished he showed more emotion. "By the way another memory came up!"

"Snap us out of this Gene!" He barked at me, "We shouldn't pry any further!"

"Eh! I tried already but it's not working!" In the background a massive hall washed over the darkness. "Perhaps this is our combined ability that caused this vision so we have to break the link together like that time." I reminded Noll of one time he and I broke the vision link together in Morishita's house.

"I see… then let's do it." Noll snapped, it seemed the last vision was really rattling him.

I smiled and started, feeling his energy intertwined in familiar hum through our souls and the vision started to break apart. But I caught sight of something behind Noll, my eyes widened in shock. Noll didn't notice, eyes closed in concentration.

Behind my twin, Mai was standing over an open coffin. She looked like Mai we knew, her hair was short but cut haphazardly and chestnut colored locks were all over the rug covered floor. Her amber eyes were wet with unshed tears. She was wearing a black dress, a mourning clothes like Noll's black attires. On her hand was her ever present pocket watch.

My eyes lowered and I saw a body sleeping peacefully amidst white lilies in the coffin. It was… Tsunayoshi?!

Mai in this vision raised the hand holding the pocket watch and it hung by the chain, swaying like hypnotizing pendulum. Then an aria I heard sometimes from her lips resounded in my ears.

 **"E'la nostra ora incise sull'anello,  
solo per un momento farò girare la clessidra congelato,  
nel mio sangue e il nostro peccato... Primo!"**

And the world was washed away by the golden flame.

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

It was still dark outside when I wake up or so I thought because I couldn't exactly see anything because my face was pressed to something very soft and warm. Since when a pillow was this comfortable? It was not until I recognized mild, sweet and delicate scent of Amaryllis that filled my nostril I realized what pressed to my face was not pillow but Mai. And when my eyes accustomed to darkness I had a face full of cleavage.

I didn't want to but blood rushed to my face as I unable to control my bodily reaction. What the heck did Mai sleep in my bed?! Not to mention she had her arms wrapped loosely around my neck. I tried to inch away, she frowned in her sleep and pulled me closer. And now I had my face buried in her… her…

This time I screwed subtlety and catapulted myself out of the bed and straight to bathroom for refugee. Almost stumbling ungracefully to wastafel, I splashed my heated face with ice cold water. I looked up to my reflection and saw Gene was as red as me and rubbing his cheeks as if it could help our temperature, he was just a soul now and yet he showed bodily reaction too?

"So not the time for scientific observation!" Gene snapped at me, "Just now… it's too much! Mai! Even if you're used to guys, that's just cruel!" He moaned.

I splashed my face with cold water from the sink again, "Cruel, you said? More like moronic…"

A surge of anger from Gene shot up through out link, "Noll! All guys would feel like us when the girl we _loves_ sleep on our bed and got our face pulled to her bosom first thing in the morning!"

Typical of Gene, wait… "Girl _we_ loves?" My cheeks heated up again, "That's just you, not me!"

Gene scowled, "Alright… at first it's hilarious but now it's just dumb, you are the genius here and you don't realize we fell in _love_ with the same girl?" He asked incredulously and before I could protest he added. "Don't deny it! We're twins with psychic link, but _my_ feeling have _nothing_ to do with yours!" He pointed at me with annoyance and frustration bubbling through our link.

Then Gene shoved memories of my moments with Mai, how I acted out of character around her, the surge of annoyance I felt when I saw other guys getting too close to her, and how much I loved teasing and stealing chances to touch. Then there's the looks from our companions… Bou-san's and Matsuzaki-san's amused face, John's understanding smile, Hara-san's jealous scowl and Lin's… knowing glance.

"I…"

"And there's your episode of forgetting simple mechanism of breathing process." Gene added with a scowl. "Mai kept taking your breath away, _literally_ even… and not only when she is in danger. Deny it any longer Noll, I dare you… you will just looks dumber if you do."

"I… loves Mai? Like you?"

"Yeap, in romantic sense… do I have to explain it's not like how I love you, or Spanner likes us… but like Martin loves Luella?" He raised an eyebrow at me. "It's not a simple attraction for sure… funny you know my feelings but not yours."

"..."

"Why do you think Shouichi was so torn back then when he was talking to us about Mai?" Gene brought up the time Shouichi blackmailed us to come to his hotel room. His anguished face when looking at me came to mind.

"Or why Hara-san dislikes Mai so much even though our lady love is so kind to her?"

"..."

"Would you react like this if Hara-san is in Mai's position just now?"

I grimaced at the image, I had enough of that girl taking advantage of me.

Gene smirked at me, "Taking advantage of you huh… so it's fine if Mai did it?"

"She didn't have _that_ in mind for sure."

"Noll, Mai took advantage of you for sure… as her teddy bear, knowing Mai… even though she didn't show it the dream made her uncomfortable and there you are… sleeping innocently and available. As twins we should understand sleeping together is really comforting."

"...If I feel the same as you do to Mai…" Gene glared at me warningly. "Fine! I do!" I hated to admit defeat but when Gene threw evidence after evidence to my face, he was right I'd just make a fool out of myself if I deny it any further.

This was so messed up, me falling in love with Mai, and Gene was also feeling the same for her. "I don't-"

"Again, what I feel for her got nothing to do with you… so don't say something as stupid as you will fall out of love… I am as new as you in this but even I know it doesn't work like that."

"I have no plan to do anything about it."

Gene just smirked at me, "I'd say admitting and realizing your feeling is a very huge step for you already." I scowled at him. "But let me tell you this… we're not _competing_ for Mai, it never works like that for us." Gene was right, he and I never competed for anything. "So… I suggest we will go on as usual."

I'd hate if this changed anything between us, more than it already had.

"Beside… it's not like Mai even see us as guys…"

And there's that.

Knock Knock Knock

"Naru…" Mai's voice could be heard from outside and much to my embarrassment both Gene and I jolted in shock. "I am going back to girl's room, alright? It's still five AM so I don't think Ayako-san or Hara-san is awake yet so we don't have to explain anything."

I could imagine she was beaming in another side of the door. "Oh." Was my smart reply. "Good."

"By the way… you're very comfy! Thanks!" Then she stormed off of our room, or so I assumed from the ensuing silence. She didn't even explain herself why she slept in my bed, or apologize for such inappropriate behavior, she just assumed I'd be okay with it.

Well, her intention was innocent, looking for comfort after a nightmare and assumed I'd be okay because surely Gene and I had done the same thing when we were young. She was right about the later but… I wasn't fine with it, as in _how_ she get the comfort. She should have done what normal human did, like… Gene would know what. Maybe my twin was fine with it but I-

"No, I am not fine with Mai sneaking in my bed either." He grunted at me. "Especially if it's proves she doesn't think of _us_ as men… seriously where did she get the ideal all men around her are family?!"

Never saw Gene this peeved and I agreed with him. Even with my new found feeling, to think Mai didn't even acknowledge Gene and I as men was just aggravating. "Her own family for sure…" Damn Hayato and the rest of their touchy feely family.

* * *

 **2nd Day of Investigation, 3rd POV**

Mai was glad she came back to girls' room in time so no explanation needed where she had gone to. She didn't want Masako to get jealous and in bad mood with her either. Especially with how uptight Japanese could get with this kind of things, seriously, they were just sleeping in the same bed, kissing cheeks and so on.

Sometimes Mai wondered why her mindset of intimacy was so Italian. Maybe because of Reborn.

Speaking of non-Japanese mindset, Naru looked upset for some reason when she met him afterward. Before when she spoke to him who was still in bathroom it seemed he was talking with Gene, and she could feel swirl of mixed emotion beyond the door from both of them. He was even meaner than usual, telling everyone to recheck the measurement again and again while they didn't have enough laser range finders.

Fortunately Mai managed to convince him to quit it, as obviously there were hidden rooms if not there was no way anyone would construct a three meter thick wall. Wasting their day measuring was not productive, so they wandered around checking one hundred and six rooms. As Gene, Mai and Masako suspected there were just floating and harmless and weak spirits around, Masako couldn't even get them to speak to her. All of them were frightened for some reason.

Not even Gene had better luck, and he almost got lost astral walking, giving her and Naru a heart attack over him, Naru pulled him back through their link by force.

"That was close!" Gene patted his chest, while he was a soul he was also alive so even in that state there was bodily reaction.

"No astral walking for both of you." Naru growled at the two astral walkers. "I am not pulling either of you back by force again if I could afford it."

Mai sighed, "It's not my hobby to take a walk without my body."

Naru harrumphed, "Good, go have dinner with the rest first… I will catch up later." He grunted.

She shrugged and left the base with Tojo as my escort to dining room, which already occupied by the rest of SPR minus Lin, Naru and Shima. Bou-san beamed a greeting at her, followed by John and Ayako. Masako was about to return her greeting too out of courtesy when her expression turned sour when certain Onmyouji entered the dining room.

Mai was amused when the boy pulled a chair for her before taking a seat beside her, contrary to his appearance he was quite a gentleman. Mai sweat-dropped when Masako was glaring at them both heatedly, was it just her or it was even more intense than usual?

Fujiwara didn't even spare a glance at Masako. Content to ignore the medium, pointedly no less. Because of the tension between the two, no one dared to breathe a word, not even Mai because she would hate to have a jealous girl exploded in the middle of investigation. Mai was confused too, Masako liked Naru or Fujiwara actually? Or perhaps she didn't like Mai seemingly consorting with her enemy or something? Mai had no idea so far her experience as spectator of romance was just simple example which consist of Chrome & Mukuro, Hana & Ryohei and there's her brother with Kyouko.

They were pretty straightforward mutual feelings, funnily in Vongola family romance was a simple matter. Not much drama involved really, unlike one in this dining table involving Hara Masako. Strangely enough neither Naru nor Fujiwara seemed interested in her romantically, which was pretty sad in Mai's opinion. Although.. Superficially Mai could see Fujiwara's image and Naru's overlapping somehow.

One brave soul cut into the tension, though it was more because she didn't notice. "Shibuya-san, excuse me..."

It was Igarashi-sensei, the kind looking elderly. It took a moment for Yasu to compute he was the addressed Shibuya-san, thankfully because he was in the middle of eating his slow reaction didn't appear too odd. "Oh yes, can I help you Igarashi-san?"

"I am sorry for interupting your dinner."

"It's alright!"

The professor smiled, "I'd like to conduct a seance tonight, and pardon me to say this but you don't look shady like the others…" She trailed off unsurely, most likely referring to Minami and the grumpy Monk that arrived this morning from Housen temple. "I hope to ask for your assistance."

She glanced at Fujiwara "If you'd like…"

"I think I have to pass Igarashi-san." Fujiwara replied promptly, "I brought shiki with me." He glanced at empty air beside him, and Masako's eyes followed his gaze. "I am afraid they will disturb your seance… if you need assistance of onmyouji I think SPR's Lin-san would suffice…" He was chuckling now. "His shiki undoubtedly not as intrusive to other spirit as mine." He ducked his head as if dodging something.

Masako harrumphed, "Playing around with your shiki, how unsightly."

He didn't raise to that bait, in fact at this point rather than ignoring it was more like he pretend Masako didn't exist. "But I'd love to standby near just in case." Masako turned red because she was blatantly ignored.

"Oh, that would be very helpful." Igarashi-san looked a little unnerved by the display. "Ah, so how about SPR Shibuya-san."

Yasu looked relieved when Naru came in, "Ah, Narumi-kun! Igarashi-san is going to hold a seance tonight, do you want to come with me?"

Naru contemplated his choice before nodding, "Yes, of course Sachou."

"Ah, then at nine o'clock… in room next door." Igarashi-san gestured to their left, it seemed there was a smaller living room beside the dining room they occupied. Then the professor quietly left the room, leaving SPR plus one Onmyouji in the dining room.

Fujiwara glanced at the clock nearby, there was still around one hour and a half left until appointed time. "Sawada-san." He began slowly, "May I request for your time to have a talk again later?"

Again? Mai narrowed her eyes at him and Fujiwara returned her gaze unflinchingly. "Very well."

"I'd appreciate it if you don't take our coworker's time for something frivolous when we're in the middle of investigation, Fujiwara-san." Naru told him coldly, inwardly bristling he couldn't stop himself from speaking out. It didn't help Bou-san and co was shooting him knowing look. Interestingly Masako was too focused on Fujiwara to pay attention to him.

' _It's fine Noll! I don't like he is hitting on Mai either although…'_ Gene was unsure if this guy was hitting her.

Fujiwara stared in confusion at Naru, wondering if he didn't pick the wrong implication in Naru's words. "Is informing Sawada-san my prophecy in any way frivolous?" He asked in monotone.

Silence…

Mai sighed, "Prophecy of all things…"

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

In the end both Mai and Fujiwara didn't come inside the room where Igarashi-san was going to conduct her seance, which made sense but I didn't like it. How irritating to feel this way just because I had this kind of feeling for Mai, how to get rid of it?

' _There's no switch for that, Noll. Just suck it up.'_

The strangest thing was I didn't endure this alone but with Gene, twins or not I'd think this kind of personal feelings was something we should deal on our own. Even more so that I didn't feel bothered by Gene harboring the same feeling for Mai, but not Fujiwara. This was so twisted, Gene and I weren't that kind of twin who would share even a girl. That was just-

' _If you dare to say sick, I will punch you in your dream… I have enough to be called that because of our power, I will not have you say so just because of how we deal with loving the same girl.'_

I couldn't help but feel guilty for thinking that way, especially if I accidentally touched an issue neither of us wanted to be reminded of. _'I am sorry, Gene.'_

' _You'd better be.'_ He harrumphed. _'Back to seance at hand… it's a genuine one, Igarashi-san knows what is she doing but in the other hand the con-man who brought your impostor…'_

He was bringing a normal video camera, a handycam no less to a seance where obviously any expert worth their salt would know there would be almost no light.

' _Isn't it just sad that he didn't even have sense to bring a night vision camera?'_

Igarashi-san looked troubled, apparently she didn't invite the con-man but the guy insisted because he wanted to record the seance and bringing Oliver Davis to boot. So the 'shady' one she was talking about was Minami too. "Sachou." I called Yasu, "Shall we bring our night vision camera here?"

Yasu smiled at me, such a good actor. "Of course, I will leave it to you, Narumi."

I left the room with Lin in tow and walked towards our base, my mood worsened with how my name was used by such individual. It was nothing new and I'd rather leave them be, why Madoka cared about my good name anyway?

' _Noll… Mai and Fujiwara is in the next hallway, stop.'_

I did so, Lin followed my example obviously confused why I stopped. Then I overheard Fujiwara's grim voice, and what he said send chill down my spine.

"Those who carries scent of death and flame is coming."

Somehow that description brought up the image of Jager and his companion to mind.

"Ah, I see… what for? And why it bothers you so? They always pop up as they please… but if they do I will not tolerate transgression from them." Was Mai's indifferent reply.

"Perhaps they're on the same side from your standpoint… guardian, but to me… they should have left this world long time ago."

"...The world doesn't work always accordingly to your rule."

"Unfortunately… you of all people is also defying the rule, guardian…"

"I paid the price didn't I?" Mai retorted coolly

There was a long silence until he responded to Mai, and I was about to step out of the shadow but what he said next stopped me dead on my track.

" **And at this rate… you're just killing yourself,  
You and your twin.  
Then can you say, the price is worth it?  
Even with bringing the world down with you?"**

* * *

 **Yes, a snail pace progress for this case… I can't help adding extra scenes… ha ha ha  
Sorry there's no fireworks going when Naru realize his feeling, it's just... I don't think it's world shaking if Naru realized it AT LAST.  
**

 **OMAKE: Fashion is not just for show**

On most days Mai let the irregulars invade SPR's office, because she deemed when there was no client coming in slow days there was nothing wrong with a bit of noise. Not to mention getting acquainted with each other was a positive boost for their team.

Naru disagreed and told Mai to move them next door, as it was none of his business if she wanted to open a café.

Mai insisted listening to their talk could be productive, at least when Bou-san and John were the one talking anyway. Since the girls, namely Ayako was more interested in hitting Bou-san with her purse and Masako… was more interested in Naru.

As long as they kept the noise to bearable level and when Mai sensed incoming client she should shove them next door, Naru compromised.

Today… Naru was working on his thesis, so Mai lured them next door with promising snacks, tea and coffee.

Which lead to Ayako enthusiastically asked to see her photo album that was laying around on her desk, she forgot bringing it back home for quite some time.

It was a hard cover album in white color with snowflakes adorning the center with title 'Winter 20XX' and it looked pretty new.

"Ah yes… it's photo we took before Christmas, we always have a snow fight and other winter related activities in between preparing Christmas."

As there was nothing that could give them away inside she passed the album to Ayako without worry. The Miko flipped the album open enthusiastically, "Wow… you guys seems to have lots of fun." She stopped, she saw some unfamiliar faces but she was not going to ask because talking about who was who would take all day. Beside…

She had a feeling sooner or later _all_ of them would show up to take a look at Naru. Not to mention… was it just her or Mai's family was loaded with mostly guys, and hot guys at that? No… talking about their good looks would make her looks desperate.

"Hm…" She narrowed her eyes, "I have been thinking about this before… Mai, your family is a well-dressed bunch, aren't you?" Their winter wear was stylish even though it supposed to be casual. Her fellow doctor, that Sasagawa boy even wore tie and buttoned up shirt under white cashmere sweater.

Does it have something to do with being Italian?" Even though, some of them obviously were pure Japanese and half.

"Huh?"

"I mean… Italy have this fashion-conscious image."

Mai quirked an eyebrow at that, "Well… dressing yourself with confidence and attitude is the epitome of Italian's take on fashion. Although our fashion sense is more about being part of family rather than nationality."

"Huh? Why?"

"You never know when you will die, so isn't it just make sense to dress your best all the time so you will have no regrets?"

Silence… No one dared to breathe a response to that statement.

Naru recalled what Gene was wearing on his supposedly death day, in a sense if it was true Gene was killed because he wore all black. Maybe there was some truth in what Mai's family believe in.

Gene was not amused.

* * *

 **Review Please!**


	35. Case 07, Part 03

**I just hope you love this case enough to endure the snail pace I'd go for it.**

 **Case 07, Part 03**

" **And at this rate… you're just killing yourself,  
You and your twin.  
Then can you say, the price is worth it?  
Even with bringing the world down with you?" **

I smirked at the Onmyouji, did he think he was the first one asking that question? I had dozens asking me that in my own family. Everyone outside of my inner circle and my fellow skies who was aware of my real situation asked me that question, wondering if Sawada Mai had lost it!

"You have a lot of nerve, Fujiwara-kun." I could feel his shiki, all six of them and six dormant ones in his pocket sleeve were on alert in instance. "Who do you think you are, questioning _me_?"

Fujiwara quieted down at that, his jade eyes closed briefly. "Just a worried human being."

Such a humble answer, I was not impressed though. "It's just fair a human to be worried about the world they're living in I suppose… but Fujiwara-kun, life is not fair and justice is not salvation." For me who lived in the world of Mafia that was especially true, our ancestor Giotto took this path because rules and laws didn't help anyone.

"Say… if I follow the rule, and put my duty before anything else what then? If I regret that, and end up hating the world…" If I gave up on my brother for the world, I'd hate them for taking away my other half forever. "Do you think it's right for someone like _me_ to live that way?"

He contemplated my words and nodded, "I suppose as you said, I am no one to question your judgement… guardian." He glanced at the darkened hallway, where both of us knew two ghost hunters were standing still. "Is it alright they're eavesdropping? Lin-san and… Kazuo-san, I believe."

Naru and Lin stepped out of the shadow, their expressions were stoic but I could feel their discomfort. "It's nothing important." We were speaking in riddles after all. "Naru, Lin-san… the séance hasn't started yet?"

"No, we need our night vision camera."

"Go on then." It was a dismissal and surprisingly Naru didn't put up a fight, I was sure he would want to argue with me but he didn't. He was irritated this morning but also strangely subdued around me, why?

* * *

 **Back to séance Room (3rd POV)**

Naru returned, bringing the night vision camera with him with Lin who was so tall he had to bend down to enter the door. The camera was quickly set up and Naru pointedly ignore Ayako teasing their resident monk fanboying over Oliver Davis. Madoka would pay for getting him into this situation!

' _And how exactly you're going to do that?'_

' _I will figure it out.'_

' _Seven years and still counting, nope you have not figure out how to make Madoka pay.'_ Gene reminded him, _'Maybe we should just take a leaf out of Mai's book, just accept our teacher is undefeated.'_ Though to be fair Mai's teacher was armed, Madoka was not.

' _Never.'_

Gene snorted at him through their shared link, _'Knock yourself out, Noll.'_

"Then let's get started." Igarashi-san who was sitting in circular table with Minami, Yasuhara, her assistant Suzuki and supposed Oliver Davis. "Let us take a deep breath and call out to the spirits… Those living here in this house…" Igarashi-san instructed them which followed religiously bu the séance 's participants.

"To you who dwell around us, I welcome you to use this woman's hand to speak your will to us…" Igarashi-san's assistant was holding a marker on top of a good sized stack of paper. "Please speak to us and help us to understand your wishes. If you can hear my voice, please, use this woman to speak your will to us."

Nothing was happening. The candle flame flickered for a moment, and Masako gave a slight gasp. And Naru could hear Gene whispering through their link. _'They're coming.'_

High pitched sound of marker tip squeaking against smooth surface of paper filled the room, Suzuki's hand was flying across the paper in fast motions and flicking the paper of the table one right after the other. Naru's eyes narrowed at the franticness, it was unusual.

' _The spirits trapped here are desperate.'_ Gene murmured softly. _'They're swarming us now… I sees the missing teenager and firefighter too here.'_

Naru supposed in the first place they already knew the recently missing persons were already dead. _'I see… the other spirits?'_

' _A lot of them are wearing sleeping kimono, and old hospital gown… older spirits are more frantic I can't get a good look of their face with them darting around like this, they started panicking too.'_ Rapping noise started, so intense the chandelier started swaying and all furniture started shaking. Nearby vases were clattering and almost fell of the dresser when the candle for the séance fell over and extinguished.

The amateur namely Minami stood up in a panic. "Minami-san, please sit down!" Igarashi-san instructed him harshly. "You must remain still!"

Suzuki continued writing in a frantic pace and the bangs continued throughout the room. Naru continued to stay still, so did the rest of SPR who was used to this amount of rapping.

' _Noll, something ominous is here! Get out!'_

' _What is here?'_

That was when Mai and presumably the second Onmyouji aside from Lin, Fujiwara burst to the room. "Naru! Everyone! Get out, there's a monster here!" Mai barked.

Fujiwara in the other hand clasped his hands in sword seal, **"Naumaku san manda senda makaroshada taratakan! The army that faces, the one who battles! Fall into position! Appear and go forth!"** He spoke the spell in ancient Japanese.

One final loud bang came from above before everything became still. After a moment, Naru decided darkness was on the way and flicked the switch back on. Everything was in a mess and Lin moved towards his fellow onmyouji. "Just now…"

Fujiwara nodded, "I manage to drive the dangerous presence away but… I meant to exorcise it completely, it's a slippery one." He turned to the side and conversed to his shiki. "Go look-"

Naru interrupted, "I don't recommend sending your shiki out, this place bewilder even spirits… they will get lost."

Lin nodded in agreement, "It takes a long time for one of mine to come back." He almost thought he lost his shiki even.

Fujiwara groaned, "No wonder Tai'in I sent out on errand has not returned, I have to look for her then. Rikugou and the rest… don't wander."

Masako growled at him, "And you let your shiki got lost here?! Tai'in no less?!"

Bou-san turned to Ayako, "Tai'in?"

"Fujiwara-kun's shiki, I can't see her but apparently she takes form of a cute little girl." Ayako explained with a sigh.

"My shiki is none of your business Hara-san." Fujiwara responded curtly. "I shall take my leave, as I need to find my shiki."

Masako followed him, "I am coming with you!"

"I didn't ask, I don't want to bring a susceptible medium around this place when looking for Tai'in."

Masako flinched, "I can help! I can easily sense-"

"You will just get on the way Hara-san, just stay with your friends." He grunted before he closed the door close, on Masako's face.

The medium's face turned rd with anger, "That.. that… infuriating boy! He never change! Arrogant! Heartless!Rude boy who didn't live up to his name!"

Ayako supposed Masako was talking about what wisteria in his surname signified and his own first name. "Masako… Don't start with him, you will just lose."

"But! He is just so-"

Ayako just sighed, "Did you forget Naru act like him too?" Worse even, considering Fujiwara still treated most people courteously if they didn't do anything that make him hate them yet. Heck! Fujiwara respected her! Naru had none.

Masako froze, "No… Naru is dif-"

Naru pointedly ignore the conversation to inspect the messed up room, and the scattered papers that had 'help' written on them. "You succeed to call spirit for sure… Igarashi-san."

The professor was making sure her assistant was alright, "Well, all papers seems to say help."

"This one's the same," Ayako said, picking up a paper.

John held up another one and said, "This one too."

Bou-san picked up a paper. "Hey, this one's different," he said before turning it for the rest of us to read.

Everyone gasped. "'I don't want to die'?" Masako read the paper in Monk's hand.

"Who wrote it?" Bou-san wondered, noting that whatever this message was written in, it wasn't marker. "The ink is red to boot."

"A message written in blood hm…" Someone commented and that was when Mai stepped into the room and Naru's eyes widened in shock, just now she ran out without them knowing and her face was very pale.

He approached her, "Mai! Where were you?"

"I was trying to chase after the dangerous entity, it's gone though… I lost it." There was something else she didn't say.

' _You're so reckless!'_ Gene scolded through their link and Naru echoed the same sentiment.

Mai sighed, and averted her eyes guiltily. At least she understood it was not alright to chase after dangerous spirit alone.

* * *

 **Mai's POV (SPR's base)**

Naru was playing the recording from séance tonight, and it seemed Igarashi-san unlike that con-man was a legitimate professor in parapsychology and earned enough respect from Naru to be invited to our base. He was angry with me and had been ignoring me since then, he and Gene. He still kept an eye on me though, glancing at my direction every few minutes or so as if I would disappeared on him again.

"Tell us what it felt like," Naru asked to Suzuki, his eyes shifted to me for a moment.

"It was like my arm was being yanked around by the marker," Suzuki said. "I honestly felt that if I let go, it would just fly off on its own."

Bou-san chose then to talk to Yasu. "Hey boss," he said. "You sure do seem incredibly calm."

"Well that's just because I'm insensitive," Yasu answered proudly.

I sweat-dropped, in a group like ours he sure was proud for being the insensitive one. I couldn't help but smile at his antics, tensing when I felt Naru's eyes boring hole at my back again. What's with him today? I had to admit I was at fault for my recklessness but I couldn't help it because the presence of that dangerous entity felt like…

Vindice, the law protector of our world. Their presence in my senses signified by suffocating darkness, decay, hollow and death. So unique I couldn't mistake them at all, even under the spell of confusion this mansion imposed to my intuition. Perhaps there was a member of theirs that had gone rogue? No, that couldn't be considering _what_ they were, how united they were to their cause. I couldn't imagine any of Bermuda's underlings betraying him in the first place so… what was haunting this house then?

"Stop," Naru instructed, "Rewind it to around fifty-three seconds and go frame-by-frame," Naru ordered, snapping me out of my thought.

That was also when someone knocked the door and Bou-san opened it to reveal Fujiwara, considering he had all twelve shiki along obviously he had found the lost one. "I'd like to know what happen during séance tonight."

"You come at the right time." Ayako who was the only one in the group who was somewhat familiar with the boy said.

Lin was rewinding the recording to desired time. I came closer, standing beside Lin's unoccupied side so I could look over his shoulder like Naru did. It was easy to be missed but when an empty sheet of paper fell off, it flipped for a moment and a second before it did hit the ground, an ominous red message appeared on it.

"There wasn't anything on it until it hit the floor," Ayako said, voicing everyone's thoughts.

Fujiwara narrowed his eyes, "That's around when Sawada-san and I felt among harmless spirits you summoned, a dangerous one slipped in."

Naru looked at me with a frown, "That's why you and Fujiwara came in?"

I nodded, "We sensed spirits came pouring into your room… but we weren't alarmed because I didn't sense danger from them."

"Did you hear the rapping sound?" I nodded again, "The dangerous presence appear before or after?"

"Well, that's the strange part…" I glanced at Fujiwara, "The dark presence was approaching when the harmless spirits start the rapping."

Fujiwara agreed, "I believe they were warning you about the dangerous spirits…"

"Spirits as in plural?" Bou-san asked to the Onmyouji.

He cupped his chin, "Ah yes… there's only one prominent presence with ill omen. So dominant I almost missed the other two…" He glanced at Masako who sulked and averted from meeting his eyes, Fujiwara didn't care and pointed at her. "They tried to sneak behind her I think."

Masako flinched and Ayako added, "Oh, yes… that's when you let out a yelp all of a sudden."

She nodded, looking ill. "I felt something touching my hand but…" She glanced at Fujiwara, still not meeting his eyes. "Rikugou helped me, thank you." She bowed to empty air, most likely to the shiki.

I sweat-dropped, that must be one of his shiki. Why Masako was so unwilling to be grateful to Fujiwara?

"Lin-san's shiki helped too I believe..." He was cut off by Masako who fell towards him, looking ill.

"I'm sorry," Masako said, her voice muffled as her bare hand covered her mouth, it was obvious she felt really sick. "I don't feel very well."

"Let's go to our room," I told her, thinking of escorting Masako back but Naru caught my hand.

His dark blue eyes narrowed at me, "You're not going anywhere, Matsuzaki-san… escort Hara-san to your room, and perhaps Fujiwara-san, do you mind to escort Igarashi-san and Suzuki-san as well?"

Naru had a problem with Fujiwara for sure, he could have asked John or Bou-san. "Why not me?"

"You run off enough for today."

"I am going to escort them, not running!"

Fujiwara cleared his throat, cutting off the argument. "I wouldn't mind…" He turned towards Igarashi-san. "Do you mind if I send a couple of my shiki with you? They will also stand guard in your room for tonight." Then he handed them a stack of ofuda. "And these are charm for protection, plase paste them in your room."

Igarashi-san looked uncomfortable, even a professor in this field would hesitate to have invisible guards around. "Well, I will appreciate it… Fujiwara-san." In the end, survival instinct won though.

Surprisingly Fujiwara left the base, most likely he caught Naru didn't want him here and went with Masako and Ayako-san. I just hoped Masako was too ill to pick a fight with him on the way back.

Awkward silence fell in the room after the outsiders plus our miko and medium left the base, and I focused my attention back to the screen. Naru was still holding to my hand and judging from the firm grip he was not letting go anytime soon.

"By the way… about that message, I am sure Hara-san randomly smell scent of blood too… but I wonder if she heard too."

Naru turned at me sharply, "Now what Mai… did you forget to tell me something?"

I glared at him, "Don't be so short with me! I am sorry if I was distracted by a bloody bathtub so I didn't pay attention to his wheezing!" I snapped at him. "Then there's the bloody smell randomly everywhere in this mansion! I try to strain my ears but Shi...ni...ta...kunaaai" I mimicked the voice. "It's hard to discern it!"

"You should have told me."

"I just did! So there!"

Bou-san interrupted us, "Wait, what bloody bathtub?!"

"Just the dream I had." I answered curtly. "And if you excuse me! I want some sleep too, so I am going back to bedroom!" I announced as throwing my arms up in frustration.

But before I could open the door Naru added, "With John and I suppose Yasuhara-san can go too…" So the guys wouldn't be on their own after dropping me off.

I sighed, "Right." No matter how frustrating I should obey the ground rule of this investigation.

* * *

 **(3rd POV)**

Bou-san took a deep breathe before asking, "I almost afraid to ask, but have you or have you not realize your feeling for Mai?" Much to Bou-san's shock there was a reaction, which he would have missed if he and Lin weren't watching Naru so intently.

The rapping of his fingertips on his arm stopped and he almost averted his face to the side but they caught him in the middle of it still. "I am not in the mood for teasing, especially in this situation."

The monk raised his hands placatingly, "No, I won't… promise! I will say _finally_ as I am starting to doubt your genius but from what I see the realization comes at the wrong time…"

He didn't know what happen but he was pretty sure Naru was unhappy with Mai's private time with Fujiwara, realizing his feeling and illogical part of his brain was worsening his mood. It was just so Naru to be sullen after realizing he had been in love with Mai for so long.

Naru glared at him petulantly.

"I am sure Fujiwara have no design for Jou-chan, in fact I think what he has is respect with healthy amount of fear." Bou-san said gently to Naru. "And Jou-chan I think just tolerates his presence, in fact since Matsuyama this is the first time she harbor dislike to anyone!" Not to the same extent but to his eyes it was obvious Fujiwara had annoyed her for some reason.

"And Masako…" Naru raised an eyebrow, wondering why the medium was mentioned. "Seems to harbor some crush at least for Fujiwara."

Naru frowned, he didn't see how that could be possible because the medium was not all over the onmyouji the way she did around him. "I thought she hates him."

"If she does, she would be glad Fujiwara ignored him… not fuming and act in a way that scream 'look at me!' around Fujiwara." Bou-san corrected with a grin. "I asked Ayako and while she didn't give me any details it seems Masako liked Fujiwara before she met you, she messed up somehow and since then Fujiwara look down on her… and perhaps have turned her down harshly."

So he was a rebound or something? _'Well…'_ Gene who had been pretty quiet for a while chimed in, _'Like Ayako-san said… Fujiwara-kun is a little like you.'_

' _How so? And which part?'_

' _Impression of your person mostly, I mean without knowing you further.… Both of you are talented, intelligent, somewhat distant when socializing but he is not as bad as you…'_ Gene listed on, _'Even looks wise he is a little bit like us, you know… fair skinned, dark hair and unusual eye color for Japanese.'_

Naru pondered for a moment, it was not hard to see on first impression he and Fujiwara were somewhat similar. _'I see.'_ It was also nice to know what Masako felt for him was not genuine, he didn't even feel slighted to be seen as replacement considering he had to put up with that girl's whim for a while.

' _She didn't ask you on date anymore since you fooled her to think you're living together with Mai.'_ Gene who had seen some of Naru's memory was pretty sure the girl didn't give up yet but unwilling to ask for more dates since she thought it was self-defeating if she pushed Naru even more.

' _I regret nothing, beside… we do live next to her.'_

Gene had to admit they were practically living together, just sleeping in different room.

"So Naru-chan…" Bou-san continued, "Go easy on Mai-chan please? While I am sure how you treat her is somewhat refreshing for a girl so pampered by her family, getting her mad at you is not how to get a girl."

Naru glared at him and Lin who was nodding in agreement, Tojo and Shima suppressed their presence even more because for their own good they'd rather not listening to this. "Don't presume I want a relationship."

Lin and Bou-san raised an eyebrow at him, **"You don't?"** They asked almost in unison, and Naru clamped his mouth shut.

Bou-san shrugged, "Correction, you don't know what you want yet… ma… considering how you live your life as our beloved boss." As in coped up with paranormal books, equipments and ghost hunting. "I am not surprised you don't have any idea what to do with your feelings. Especially considering your lady love is Mai, because…" Naru glared at him but Bou-san was undeterred, "She is even more immature than you at this, she don't even think you're a guy."

In a way it was a blessing to Naru, at least no pressure because his feeling was undoubtedly one-sided. For both of him, and Gene.

* * *

 **Girl's Room (Mai's POV)**

I was using bathroom for privacy, and there was something relaxing about talking on the phone when I was in soaking in hot water. The wonder of technology from my family, satelite phone with waterproof coating. Although on the other end of the line was certain Mare-kozou as my ancestor aptly nicknamed him as.

"Mai-chan…" Byakuran began in exasperated voice. "Even if I have used their service more than your family did… it doesn't mean I have more leeway than you do with them."

If anything that meant his family was in load more trouble with them than mine. Then again technology Millefiore dabbled on was mostly on communication, transportation and other vital but vulnerable to information leak unlike ours. Yuni was even safer considering her family was much smaller, and their business was mostly on high end product for textile, porcelain and agriculture. Then again considering Yuni's position as the sky of Arcobaleno it was just made sense for Vongola and Millefiore to take the lion share of burden to hide our world for Giglio Nero.

"Is that so?" I sighed at that tiredly.

I could imagine him nodding from the noise he was making, "And to ask if there's any of their members had went rogue to boot, there's no way I dare to do that! Bermuda is so scary you know! While we do have a certain degree of privilege because of our position as the three great skies, do remember Bermuda in a sense is outside our sphere of influence!" Byakuran reminded me.

That was so true.

"Not to mention, won't any members of their be dead if they sever their bond with Bermuda?" Byakuran pointed out. "That's why I am so confused Mai-chan felt the same kind of presence in mansion you investigated, but it's Vindice… is it even possible for you to mistake something else with them?"

I shook my head in reflex even though Byakuran couldn't see it. "That would be mistaking rotten corpse with high grade coffee…"

"Aha ha… definitely impossible." Byakuran's laughter was mirthless as he said this. "Beside, would they dare to enter Japan without informing Vongola first? After the reform we're very clear since we're responsible for clean-up of their activity, they should inform family head in charge of said area first…"

"That's true…" Mai had put on her pajamas, a muted orange linen with gi like design. Considering the risk of ambush, she'd better wearing something easy to move on. "Okay, now on less sensitive business…" Cooped up too long in bathroom would be suspicious, so she had saved another topic that was also urgent but not dangerous to continue after her bath.

"About that robot competition we're sponsoring, don't you think-" I was cut off by a pillow, which I caught on reflex coming from the side. "Huh?"

"Mai?" Ayako-san blinked at me, "Sorry for that, Masako is being difficult!"

"I am not! Matsuzaki-san is saying nonsense as usual!"

"What did you say?!"

They stopped when they noticed the phone on my ears, which was pretty obvious because the iriodite phone was bigger than normal cellphone. "I will speak to you tomorrow… Byakuran, tell Yuni for me about you know what. Ja…" And I ended the line. "So, you guys are getting along as close friends as usual?"

" **No we're not!"** They said in unison.

Then Ayako apologized, "I am sorry about your call? Is it about your family business?"

"It is… but it's not so urgent it have to be tonight." I assured her as I went to my bed in the middle, pushing the duvet enough so I could slip under it comfortably. "So what girls talk you guys were talking about?"

Ayako scoffed, "Masako's crush on Fujiwara-kun."

"Hee?" So she liked Naru or Fujiwara actually?

Masako shook her head frantically, "I have no special feeling for someone as cold as him!"

While Naru was not really an ice cube people presumed him to be he was not the warmest guy either, so Masako's argument was invalid for sure. "Really?"

"You agree with me, right? Mai?" Ayako was looking for someone who wanted to side with her.

I yawned, "Hm… not really but Masako-chan did try her best to get him to notice her today."

"I didn't!"

"And forgot about Naru most of the time."

She stopped at that and declared, "I am not giving up about Naru yet! Not to you!"

I was already very sleepy, this duvet was really nice. "Hee… since when we're rival in love?" I yawned again. "I am not even interested in Naru like that… Ma...sa...ko-chan."

"I don't remember giving you permission to call me so familiarly! And with -chan no less!" She was fuming now but I was too sleepy to care. "And what's with not liking Naru? You're always all over him!"

Me? Seriously? I turned my face slowly to see her red face and tears that pooled on the corner of her eyes, "I treat Naru like I would my family members… Hayato, Takeshi… Ryohei-nii…"

That was the truth, I saw them in the same way though the way I treated them differ a bit accordingly to their personality. Though perhaps Naru and Gene were a little different in some way too, the way they looked at me was different than how my family members do usually. I wondered why?

"I don't believe you."

My eyes fluttered close, "Hm… I have never… fallen in love before so… I don't know… either." Seriously, could we talk about this when I was sober?

* * *

 **3rd POV**

"There you have it, our Mai-chan apparently have never fallen in love and that means…" Ayako trailed off with a sigh. "Poor Naru-chan's feeling is one-sided."

Masako harrumphed, "She is so unfeeling! I mean I was spilling my heart out and she said she wouldn't know about love!"

Ayako sighed, "Mai being Mai is just honest… and I told you before remember." Masako flinched, "Face your feeling and don't run away, ask yourself whether are you sure… you don't feel anything for Fujiwara-kun."

 _Flashback_

 _They had arrived in front of her room and Masako couldn't resist to talk with Tai'in. "I am glad to see you're fine Tai'in!" The shiki was back safely with her master and Masako was happy to see her again._

 _Unlike the master who was such a jerk! His shikis were all polite and respectful to her, how did they stand serving someone like Fujiwara Hikaru?_

" _Don't lost her again Fujiwara-kun! If not I will steal her away from you." She meant it, she would treat the cute shiki better than Fujiwara could._

 _Much to her shock and Ayako's the onmyouji was chuckling softly at her threat, his deep green eyes shone with mirth. "You would hm? You really are as kind as ever to spirits to the point of stupidity."_

 _He was insulting her again! Masako was about to tell him to sod it off when a hand reached out and pat her head gently. Fujiwara was smiling at her before his lips murmured a spell in ancient Japanese and suddenly Masako felt much better. "Now you won't get easily sick in this haunted mansion… good night, Hara-san, Matsuzaki-san."_

 _After the onmyouji was out of their sight Masako realized, for the first time since they met again Fujiwara had been kind and called her by name again._

 _End of Flashback_

"You're happy he was kind to you again." Ayako pointed out.

Masako stuttered, "Who would want someone like him…"

"Yeah, and your face isn't as red as tomato now."

Masako didn't respond again and pulled the cover over her head in response, Ayako could only shrug exasperatedly. Girls in puberty was always confused with their feelings although… Ayako glanced at the girl sleeping peacefully in the middle. This one was so mature in personality but in romance she had maturity of a six years old instead of sixteen.

Poor Naru looked ready to explode with possessiveness, Ayako was surprised he didn't try to kill Fujiwara-kun for requesting being alone with Mai twice. Speaking of Fujiwara-kun and Mai…

" _Sawada-san and I? I suppose you have no idea Matsuzaki-san but… please be more respectful and careful with how you treat her."_

" _Why?"_

" _Because she is someone important to the world, that's why."_

Important to the world? How so? Somehow Ayako didn't feel like asking, it felt like something she'd rather not know if she still want Mai as a little sister figure she liked to dote on. Although there were times Mai felt like someone otherworldly, like her tree spirit but not quite. Especially since this case began and she was wearing those contact lens, which no one bought the terrible lie but…

Those eerie but beautiful amber eyes, with strong light flickering in their depth was scary.

* * *

 **Next Morning (Naru's POV)**

It was never pleasant to be woken up by the banging on your door but when you were in the middle of an investigation this kind of rudeness was excused because more often than not it was because of emergency, Lin had woken up but my bed was nearer so I got to the door first. When I opened it, I found Mai whose amber eyes were wide with panic and her hands latched to my pajama top in instance.

Did something happen to Hara-san or Matsuzaki-san? Or was it another nightmare? "Do you know where Igarashi-san's room is?!" She asked in hurry, that was not what I expected. "Suzuki-san! Just now I dreamed of her walking away! And when I tried to call her she was just keep walking!"

Suzuki? Igarashi-san's assistant? "Calm down Mai… their room is warded by Fujiwara." Even Lin acknowledge his fellow onmyouji's superior skill. "And he even offered leaving his shiki to guard them." I was not sure about the latter offer was accepted in the end or not though, Igarashi-san seemed to be the type that was very wary of other spiritualist. Which was a legitimate concern considering we had dangerous peoples and pretenders prowling in this field.

"But!"

"However seems _you_ are worried." And most of Mai's worries was legitimate. "We'd better visit them, rude or not it's concerning safety of her assistant."

I quickly changed, Mai didn't even bother before the three of us including Lin went to Igarashi-san's room. On the way there we passed Fujiwara's room, which Mai recognized from presence of his shiki. So Mai knocked his door too, the onmyouji was already awake and dressed in his hakama. He looked concerned when Mai explained why they had to see Igarashi-san and her assistant.

It surprised me someone who was obviously very proud of his ability didn't even doubt Mai's concern that put credibility of his warding skill in question. However when we arrived in front of Igarashi-san's door Fujiwara admitted his shiki didn't guard the pair, as in the end Igarashi-san was uncomfortable with them, and pretty sensitive to spirit with strong presence like his shiki. So they only had ward to protect them.

"It's still in place." Fujiwara informed us, "From outside I didn't feel any breach in the barrier."

Lin nodded in agreement, "It's a very strong barrier, I am surprised you can keep it active the whole night from distance."

Mai was paling rapidly when she announced, "But… there's only one person inside."

We were shocked to hear that, there was no way Mai could mistake number of presence that was still countable. "That's not good." Fujiwara began to knock. "Igarashi-san! Are you alright?"

After a moment Igarashi-san opened the door, she looked confused and worried. "Ah, you're from SPR… and Fujiwara-kun… uhm, you warned us since we're not guarded by your shiki… we're not to step out of our room without spiritualist."

We had warned them and introduced Igarashi-san to SPR members with skill to defend themselves from spirit, and Fujiwara himself volunteered to escort them if needed.

"But… Suzuki-san my assistant is missing! She wouldn't dare to step out of the room, we're warned and-" Then she broke to tears, crying in front of us.

Mai calmed her down, "Igarashi-san calm down… we need to look for her."

I sighed, whatever Mai did, Igarashi-san somehow calmed down enough to speak coherently. "When did you last saw her, Igarashi-san?"

"This morning," Igarashi-san said between sobs. "I woke up once, it was around daybreak I think, and Suzuki was sleeping right there."

"Do you know what time it was?" I asked again.

Igarashi-san shook her head sadly. "Did you just wake up?" I continued.

She nodded sadly, "Yes… Your knocking woke me up."

Mai checked her pocket watch, "It's six past fifteen now…"

Fujiwara frowned, "Igarashi-san, may I check the ward from inside? Maybe I can find something… Lin-san, could you help me?"

I glanced at Mai as the two Onmyouji went inside with Igarashi-san to do their job, "I assume you dream just Suzuki-san walking away?" She shook her head. "What else?"

"Uhm… there's another but it's a flash kind of dream and I am never good at remembering them." She had told me this before. "I don't remember what I see but I heard sound of something wet, dragging… hm... footsteps with a strange… sound to it… like someone is walking through something like gel?"

Blood again?

"And a deep exhale of rancid breath… like someone starving…" She murmured softly. "And tiles, sight wise I only remember tiled room…"

Fujiwara and Lin chose that time to come out to the hallway, both of them were frowning. "This is really strange." Lin must be really bewildered by whatever they found to speak up first. "Fujiwara-san's barrier is in perfect condition, and there's no sign of spirit trying to get in whatsoever…"

I discreetly brushed my hand on the door, just enough to see few hours previously. "No one opened the door either since last night." Fujiwara would have known I was a psychic anyway, and he didn't seem to be the type who cared about my identity.

Mai was next to try her luck, "Ugh… the whole mansion is so haunted it's hard to tell but… I don't think it's touched by anything tainted recently." Then she added, "It would be weird if spirits open the door to kidnap Suzuki-san in the first place…"

* * *

 **Dining Hall**

We decided grouping in larger room, preferably with access to sunlight was preferable so after all of us dressed decently, informing the rest of the group and Ohashi-san, we went to gather in the largest dining room. It seemed Suzuki was the only one missing and according to Fujiwara, all rooms using his ward were also in pristine condition. No sign of trespassing or attack either.

I knew Lin's skill and if he and someone he deemed was a better onmyouji than he was said so, how Suzuki-san was spirited away was indeed really strange.

"Still…" Fujiwara trailed off. "There's no barrier that perfectly invulnerable, not even mine… even if the spirits is strong enough to bypass my barrier to leave it completely intact should be impossible."

Lin nodded, "I agree… there should be some trace left if that's the case…"

Bou-san interjected, "I checked my room too… no offense to your skill, shounen onmyouji."

"Shounen onmyouji?" He raised an eyebrow at the nick.

"Is it possible to slip in? I mean the weak spirit… maybe it possessed Suzuki-san after that séance ." The monk suggested.

He shook his head, "My shiki would have noticed if they're escorting someone possessed beside… harmless spirits around here are so weak they have not enough power to gain full control of living human's body." Fujiwara explained to us. "Even if they possessed someone at most all they could do is influencing our emotion, and definitely not running off looking for danger." Then he glanced at me meaningfully.

Not to mention as I had checked with my power, no one had opened the door.

Bou-san was frowning deeply, and asked. "Out of all of us who can make a barrier… any idea?"

Matsuzaki-san shook her head, "As Fujiwara-kun said… barrier is not something spirits can just slip past and leave them intact without a trace at all… it's like walls to spirit! Regardless of our style or religion the concept of barrier are all the same."

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Ohashi-san came into the room. "I questioned the staff to see if anyone might have seen her sometime last night or early this morning, but so far there's no news," Ohashi-san told the professor.. "I just recently checked the front door myself and it was still locked, so…"

"So we can probably assume that she didn't go outside," Yasu finished for him.

"Oh no, Suzuki has very bad eyesight," Igarashi-san said. "I know for a fact she wouldn't have gone anywhere without her contacts. She also left all of her luggage!" Definitely not the case where Suzuki-san was running away on her own free will.

This was ridiculous, four experts in warding and all of them were completely bewildered by what happened. "Mai." I called her, "About your dream on Suzuki-san… is there anything else you noticed?"

Mai frowned, "Hm… she was slouching as she walks… so I suppose there's a possibility she is under control somehow. However I believe in what Fujiwara-kun said too… these weak spirits tried to warn you guys last night. There's no way they would possess Suzuki-san to harm her."

Instead of figuring something out, the abduction was getting impossible in theory, as Matsuzaki-san said… barrier was like a wall to spirits so if they could get inside and abduct a human... "It as if… whatever that abducted Suzuki-san could distort space." I said to myself quietly.

Mai's eyes went impossibly wide at what I said, and I was almost afraid she had a heart attack. "Distorting… space?"

My expression mirrored hers when I realized what I just said, and the implication. I just implied the monster prowling this mansion was something like Jager. I was getting dizzy with the realization I swore I was imagining something like tongue of flame was licking Mai's clenched fist.

"Go look for Suzuki-san!" She was halfway to the door before I could stop her. "I need to make a call."

And just like that she ran off on her own.

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

I rarely lost control of myself but this was legitimate cause to blow my control a big time. So I excused myself out of the dining room before I exploded in literal sense and metaphorical, ignoring Naru's protest and went to secluded corner of the backyard of the mansion. It was a safe place to vent, hidden from sight, and I was really alone so no one could see me yelling at phone I set on stereo because in spite of my fine control of flame I didn't want to risk burning the device by accident with how my flame was seeping through my fist.

"What do you mean all your attempt to contact Vindice is denied?!"

"Exactly what I said…" Byakuran sounded exasperated. "They just didn't pick up…"

"Vindice ignoring one of Three Great Skies?!" What our world was coming to if those living corpse defied our authority?!

"Two actually… they ignored Yuni too."

I was shocked they shut Byakuran off, but Yuni was heart-stopping worthy. They ignored Yuni, the arcobaleno of the sky. "This is a disaster…" I had no delusion to think I'd have better luck. "They're not up to something again, are they?!"

"Whoaa! Whoaa!" I could imagine Byakuran was flailing in the other end of the line. "Don't! Even! Joke! About! That! La la la I never heard you! No!"

I snapped and grabbed the phone to yell at the speaker, "Stupid Byakuran, don't run away from reality now!"

"But Ma-" The line went dead, and then I realized I had half-melted the phone by accident.

Since when I became my brother? Melting phone with my flame like a overpowered brother of mine, I would die of embarrassment if Byakuran knew what I did. I was still very ashamed of myself in the end, as the sight of melting phone on my glove covered hand had snapped me back to my senses. I had more reason to be embarrassed other than destroying my satellite phone, I broke the ground rule of investigation and left my friends behind.

Naru and Gene would be furious for sure, how could I face them?

I didn't have time to ponder the how when a pair of arms grabbed me from behind and pulled me close to warm body. I didn't feel threatened because from the scene of tea, paper and ink I knew it was Naru. Further confirmed when I felt the cold torrent with a hint of soothing bite of electricity that was uniquely his intertwining with Gene's equally soothing presence that reminded me of morning dew and spring breeze.

"Why did you ran off like that?!" He spun me around so quickly I almost lost my balance, and I came face to face with him. He was sweating as if he had run a marathon, his blue eyes totally lost its coldness with how wide they were with worry, it was rare to see Naru so…

"I am sorry…" I apologized, because there was no excuse behaving the way I did no matter how panicked I am. "I am really sorry…"

"You should! You scares us!" That was Gene, the voice came from our link. "What if you go missing like Suzuki-san?"

That was impossible considering I would have blasted off the spirit that tried to abduct me for sure. "Uhm.. so Suzuki-san?"

Naru groaned, most likely unhappy I was concerned about someone else at the time like this. "The rest are looking for her, don't make us look for you too!"

"I am sorry!" I would say sorry as much as I could to get them to forgive me, this was really a blunder in my part. "I am really sorry for making you worry, so calm down Naru, Gene! I am fine! See?"

" **Calm down?!"** They sounded incredulous as they spoke in unison. **"You left!"**

Yeah, she did, so? "Uhm…" Why they were so rattled?

"I thought… we thought you are going to leave…"

My heart clenched at his voice, their voices. Both Naru and Gene sounded so lost and afraid that I would leave them. They were brave and curious men, it felt wrong to see them so frightened and lost like this. I pulled Naru's close and I knew Gene shared his senses so he could feel it too. "I am not going anywhere…" I whispered to their ears softly but firmly. "I am here by your side… always. I promise…"

I was the ever present sky, I had promised the same to our guardians but for some reason to Naru and Gene I was promising this as Mai.

* * *

 **SPR's base (3rd POV)**

Fujiwara Hikaru thought it was ridiculous for Narumi Kazuo or whatever the powerful psychic called himself to worry about Sawada Mai, the guardian of vertical axis. "Is he the real Shibuya-san who lead SPR?" He asked to his fellow Onmyouji, both of them had volunteered to protect the base.

"How do you know?"

"Aside from when he is called by the name… his aura didn't match." Name was a powerful thing and yet to Narumi Kazuo, the man's aura didn't fluctuate at all. "He is the one who hold real authority in here obviously."

Lin sighed, of course to Onmyouji that kind of thing stood out. "Yes."

"I see, such a complicated man you're working for… Lin Koujou-san." He was an outsider but when the others were looking for Suzuki Nao - _who might be already dead by now-_ as the ground rules said even Lin couldn't be alone. Well, they were never alone considering their shiki but Bou-san _-such a strange way to call a monk as if having hair was not odd enough-_ said their shikigami didn't count.

"He is."

"And strange considering he is worried about Sawada-san…" Hikaru couldn't resist to add.

Lin averted his eyes from monitor. "Why? Isn't it normal to worry about a friend?"

"Even if said friend is the one is in least danger of us all?" Hikaru pointed out. "Whatever dwelling inside this mansion is powerful, I am not confident myself to come out from direct confrontation alive on my own." With his shiki it was different matter.

He was confused to see wide eyed look on his fellow onmyouji's face. "Sawada-san is that… powerful?"

"Well…" Powerful was not the correct term, more like… "More like she is untouchable to the likes of spirits both good and bad."

Lin frowned at him, "I respect her privacy but after hearing this I can't help but wonder… who is she actually? Why you keep calling her guardian last night?"

Oh right, this person was with the real Shibuya Kazuya last night. He blended so well with darkness. "Because she is a guardian." He answered curtly. "I can't tell you anything more… not without risking my life."

"...Is she someone dangerous?"

"Again, not the correct term to refer her with…" She was pretty harmless to most human who meant no harm to the world. "But I suppose associated with her could be dangerous in a way." To get caught by the sky was both a blessing and curse. "Though in Shibuya-san's case… he is already caught? He seems content with it so perhaps you don't have to worry for your charge Lin-san."

Lin wondered if Fujiwara meant something else, or referring to Naru was smitten with Mai.

SLAM! The door was opened, revealing their team who carried a white doctor coat like a pack of hunters would their hunt.

"We found a trap door! And this!"

Shima and Todo also carried a camera. "We filmed it as well." They reported.

* * *

 **Ten minutes later…**

Naru and Mai were back from wherever they were came from, and inspecting the find their team got from the trap door. "You found a hidden space?" Naru said as he checked the recording on handycam with infrared Tojo used to record their search.

"Yep!" Bou-san gave the happy report.

Mai and Naru inwardly wondered why he was so proud, considering they were looking for a missing girl not for a dirty coat. Clue was still clue and they appreciated the effort all the same. "That's explain the three meters off when we measured the room." Mai gave them a thumbs up. "Good job, everyone."

Naru noted Mai was waving her arm down and tucking it in, something Hayato often did when he saw something he thought was cool. The scientist wondered if Mai who was raised in Japan realized she sometimes slipped her Italian tendency to gesture wildly, especially when she was angry with him. She certainly showed her anger like an Italian rather than a Japanese, considering how wild her arms was gesturing when she did.

"And here is the coat," John handed Naru the old coat, Mai followed him to check their find.

"Look at the tag, Naru..." Bou-san pointed out. "Miyama Charity Hospital… the one that was founded by the first head of the family."

Mai was glad Bou-san pointed it out and read the writing out loud because it was in kanji and Naru still had difficulty with them. Typical of Japanese descend who lived overseas, as even Hayato before was on mindset that learning characters from small island nation was pointless.

"That would mean this coat was in fact issued by the hospital," Naru said as he looked over the mostly intact coat.

"So… what would that be doing here, hidden in a secret room?" Their resident monk asked.

Naru didn't respond for a moment, deep in thought and Mai frowned at him. He'd better not thinking to check a dead man's clothes with psychometric recklessly. "… There's something here," He saw the owner putting something inside.

Mai rolled her eyes, of course he did. If not how did he found the hidden pocket with ease and pulled out a small slip of paper. Which turned out to be an old bill from nineteenth century. "A five yen bill… from long time ago." Both Mai and Naru noticed the writing on the notes, and Mai covered for him. "There's something written on it."

No one found it odd Mai took the money from Naru and read what was written on it. Lin sweat-dropped at the sight, Noll really had to learn kanji faster or Sawada-san had to keep covering his weakness.

"Well Mai," Ayako said. "What does it say?"

From closer inspection Mai couldn't help but frown. "Yo… Kei… Ku… Ki… Ta… Sa… Knee… Ra… Ru… Kyo… **Shi** … Minna… Ha… Rye… Sho?"

"What the hell is that?" Ayako asked , confused with what Mai read out. "It doesn't make any sense."

"It's so dirty," Mai admitted. "Some characters are smudged so it's not readable too."

"Why do you think someone would write on money?" Bou-san inquired.

"Maybe whoever it was didn't have anything else to write on," Their priest suggested.

Naru and Mai exchanged glance, _nothing else_ to write on was pretty serious situation if someone was desperate enough to write a message. "Let's keep investigating," Naru concluded. "Especially measuring the room, with better floor plan it would be easier to look for Suzuki-san."

He glanced at Lin and Fujiwara who were in the room. "As for your shiki… it would be bad if this place confused them if they're parted with their master, it's more effective to use them for protection instead of scouting."

Fujiwara nodded, he didn't mind cooperating. "I agreed."

Mai had an idea, "Oh, speaking of familiar… I wonder." She took out her pocket watch. "Perhaps I can try… they're not shikigami or normal spirit."

Naru frowned at her, recalling her shamanic ability. "Save them to protect yourself."

"Hush you! I have eight… calling one won't make a difference…" Beside she had to test how they reacted to this place at some point. "Beside, even if they got lost they have their own way to come back to me." Unlike onmyouji shiki who had to make their way back manually to their master.

Naru supposed she had a point, if her Hyper Intuition had a problem here she had to make sure her other ability was not hampered too.

Mai sweat-dropped when she noticed everyone was looking at her expectantly, she could almost hear their excitement. Naru was also watching her intently. "To be honest I believe my summoning is less interesting than Ayako-san's or Hara-san's… why do you want to watch anyway?"

Surprisingly it was Masako who answered first, "Uhm… I haven't thanked the spirit who protect us back in Morishita's case."

Bou-san was next, "I am sure you're cooler than Ayako when doing it."

Naru continued to stare, she could almost hear 'academic curiosity' was why he was interested. She sighed, and resigned to disappoint them because compared to Ayako's summoning ritual, hers was in no way cool. "Alright… I am starting." She opened her watch, taking a deep breath as she let it fell from her palm, dangling by its chain from her hand.

 **"E'la nostra ora incise sull'anello,  
solo per un momento farò girare la clessidra congelato,  
nel mio sangue e il nostro peccato... Ottavo"**

The clock became still, both hands began to turn backward to 00:00 and let out sound of chiming bell. As this time Mai wanted to call the avatar longer the time was unfrozen more than usual. Then in a burst of flame a woman in red suit wielding a crossbow descended before them, wearing opera mask made of flame, which vanished and revealed beautiful face with flower tattoo on the side.

" **Ciao, Fiammetta!"** The avatar greeted Mai, **"Come posso aiutarla?"**

Yasuhara rubbed his eyes, "I can see her too?!"

Naru frowned, _'She is see through like other ghost we have seen but she is also somewhat more solid, and lifelike…'_

' _She is indeed unusual, I can't sense intend from her… neither good nor bad."_

Masako stepped forward, in awe of the beautiful spirit. "Anoo… thank you for helping us before and saving Ayami-chan."

The avatar turned to face the medium, looking confused. **"Do I know you?"**

It surprised Naru the woman in red was speaking in English now, it was rare to see a spirit this lively to the point she could even switch language, thinking like living human to accommodate people to understand her.

Mai looked apologetic, "I am sorry Hara-san but… she is not like spirits you have seen, or shiki like Lin-san's… she can't remember anything I don't. So if I send her remotely like before she couldn't remember what she did." They were after all static existence, aside from Giotto who was special all of them feed on memory from hers. Then she turned to the spirit. "I asked you to protect them before."

" **I see."** Now she had switched to Japanese. " **You're welcome** _ **passerotto**! And then she started patting Masako with her incorporeal hand. _

_The medium froze in shock, the hand was warm and it felt like the crown of her head was touched by hot air of summer or in less poetic description, from hairdryer. Such a strange sensation._

 **"Still."** She wound her arm around Mai after dancing away from a very confused Masako. **"Fiammetta is so kind as usual… you and Serafino worries us all the time."**

Mai stared at her in disbelief, "Daniella… and here I thought you have no complaint about me."

" **Complaining is beneath us, we're just voicing our valid concern for you and Fino."** Daniella said in haughty tone, **"Oho ho ho…"**

Bou-san's left eye twitched, "She is so pretty and human like but…"

"This is a familiar? She talk back to Mai." Ayako couldn't help but point out.

Mai just sighed, "Whatever you say… Daniella, could you look for a young woman? A japanese… dressed in pajamas with shoulder length hair. She has been abducted to somewhere in this mansion."

Daniella? Naru frowned, recalling there was that name in Mai's family tree Madoka showed him, right above Timotheo's, the ninth head. It was not a rare name though so perhaps it was just coincidence.

The spirit make a gesture that in Japanese eyes looks like she was asking for money but in Italian body language meant ok. " **Bene, cara Fiammetta!"** Then she walked past Mai and through the wall as humming Ave Maria of all things.

Mai sighed at the wall Danella just walked through, "Not that I have high hopes for Daniella." According to grandfather, his mother was as blind as a bat for direction like Tsuna. She was counting on Daniella could randomly run to something worthwhile actually rather than finding Suzuki-san.

"Mai-san." Masako looked surprised, still touching the crown of her head. "She is warm."

"I know, that's why I said the spirits I keep are unusual."

"She is warm..." Masako repeated in incredulous tone.

"I noticed."

Naru frowned at Mai, that was undoubtedly something she didn't want to answer. But Masako's bewilderment was understandable, spirits was indentic with temperature drop, even Lin's shiki caused it to an extent. Mai's spirits however raised the temperature by a few degrees just now, but Mai herself and her own brother too caused the same phenomenon.

"So what next Naru." Mai asked, obviously to divert attention back to work.

He contemplated their next move, "As I said… But whatever you do, make sure you always stay together." Mai laughed nervously when Naru was looking at her pointedly when he said this. "Hidden rooms can't be a good sign." All of them had to agree with that one.

With that, the group dispersed once again to work as there were so much work to do and a missing girl to find.

Mai approached Naru who was still inspecting the white coat, "Naru…"

"The owner of this coat is murdered." He murmured softly, "After confined in some tiled room, perhaps the same one you saw in your dream."

She tensed at that, "Is it third person or first?"

"First unfortunately but I cut the link quickly before he got killed." It was easy with Gene helping him, and now their psychic link was stronger than ever. Perhaps Mai somehow acted like signal booster or something?

"How?"

"I didn't see how he got killed, I can't… because someone used anesthesia to knock him out." Naru informed her grimly. "However as John implied, whoever wrote the message is very desperate to warn someone."

Mai frowned at that, "Hm… I'd suggest investigating with my-"

"Absolutely not." Naru hissed at her.

She just smiled at that, knowing how much he didn't want to rely on her post-cognition. "I know… but considering how this works bewilder my senses that won't be a good idea. This place is like somewhere with bad reception for me..."

"Your dream still works though…"

"It's because of Gene… he saw Suzuki-san too, right?"

Gene had told him this morning that he and Mai saw the same vision of Suzuki-san. It seemed because of how this house affected Mai, Gene's synchronization with her increased as some sort of self-defense mechanism. That was at least one positive effect of this house that bewilder even spirits.

"Right… but still…" Naru trailed off, "To think Suzuki-san is taken right under our nose." Gene, Mai, Lin and Fujiwara were all topnotch in their skill and yet none could stop Suzuki's abduction in time. It was jarring to think _something_ got past them so easily. Never mind Fujiwara, but it never happened to Gene and Mai before.

It was spine chilling to think their line of defense was breached so easily. Not to mention even with his so-so skill in reading kanji he could read one character that stood out so prominently in illegible message the doctor left.

死 for death.

* * *

 **OMAKE: Mouthful Name of Italian or any European in general perhaps.**

After Daniella left in cheery and ghost like fashion, a question popped up to their mind. "Uhm, Mai…" Ayako called her.

"Yes?"

"Did your familiar…" Mai raised an eyebrow, "I mean Daniella call you Fiammetta?" She asked curiously.

"That's right." Mai nodded. "She is referring to me."

"Why?" Bou-san asked.

Mai blinked owlishly in confusion, "Because that's my name?" She answered as if that was the most obvious thing in the world.

Silence…

"I thought your western name is… Cielo" That was Naru who spoke, recalling one time in Italian restaurant Mai frequented the head waiter called her as sky in Italian.

Mai nodded again, shrugging nonchalantly. "That's my first name… Fiammetta is my middle name, in Italian naming tradition it's normal to have one or two middle names."

Bou-san chimed in, "But then… why you're called by your middle name instead of Cielo?" Both were pretty names, but the monk had to admit Fiammetta sounded more like proper girly first name. Cielo sounded like a boy's name.

The Japanese-Italian averted her eyes in embarrassment, "Uhm that's…"

She knew his real name, both Japanese and western and yet she clamped up about hers? Naru couldn't help but feel annoyed, "Mai." He pressed on. "Just answer… it's no big deal."

Gene agreed, She already knew his and Noll! He wanted to know hers too!

Mai began to sweat, "Because… it's the same."

"?"

"Tsuna and I shared the _same_ first name!" She blurted out, red faced. "We're _both_ Cielo! So if you call me Cielo, we have no idea you mean me or Tsuna!"

SPR team minus stoic kind burst to laughter, even Naru was smirking. Bou-san snickered, "Poor Jou-chan! Why the same name?"

"Because the man who donated half of my genetic pool happen to be an idiot." Silence permeated the air at that, recalling how Mai viewed her father.

Naru shrugged, no wonder she was embarrassed as her first name that was most likely given without not much thought by her own father. "So your full name is?"

Just like that she was distracted from ominous thought about her father. "Cielo Fiammetta Daniella Vongole." She answered promptly, "As for Tsuna… it's Cielo Serafino Giotto Vongole."

Ayako hummed, "Fiammetta? That would mean little flame, ne? Such a cute name…"

Mai just chuckled softly, "Grandfather is the one who think up our middle name… and it's the closest twin like name we have, Fiammetta… for little flame and Serafino for burning one."

Naru supposed meaning wise they had names that made sense for a pair of twins, he and Gene weren't named with any name remotely twin like which was good considering how different they were. Mai and Tsune were more similar than he and Gene could ever be.

"The second middle name, Giotto and Danielle didn't sound like twins name either." Bou-san couldn't help but commented, stumbling on Mai's name.

"Name of ancestor we're named after…" Mai answered promptly, "Maa… it's not even used on birth certificate since we're born in Japan, and just very few people called us Fiammetta and Serafino… they're mouthful as nickname. Not to mention being called Cielo is confusing and just plain demeaning in someway, like a cat named Neko." She grumbled to herself.

"?"

How did being called Cielo was alike to cat called Neko to Mai?

* * *

 **Yes, a snail pace progress for this case… I can't help adding extra scenes… ha ha ha. And now we know Mai's and Tsuna's full name, I have fun looking for fitting name. I can't decide between Serafina and Fiammetta for Mai, but in the end I think the latter suits her more. As for Tsuna... there's Tito, Serafino and other severals that have flame related meaning. At first I just intent to throw Giotto and Daniella as their name... maa, it's just interesting tidbit.  
**

 **Review Please!**


	36. Case 07, Part 04

**This chapter is LONG, and let's say… this arc is getting longer and LONGER because of extra scenes...  
BTW this story, Sky Ghost Hunt is also officially my LONGEST story with epic length 400K words! Ha ha ha**

* * *

 **Case 07, Part 04**

 **Romania**

Iris Hepburn, a loyal member of Millefiore was not happy with her current mission. Her purple eyes shone with annoyance as her partner for the mission, a brute looking man by the name Tazaru from Giglio Nero pushed her heavy bag back to her. They had a staring showdown until Iris had to swallow the fact all Giglio Nero members were lolicon and smittened by their princess, to the point ignoring her womanly charm.

"I don't like this mission, and I hate it even more because those bandaged creeps won't allow us to approach their prison with any vehicle." Iris complained as she pulled her furred jacket closer, because someone with C level flame like her was still as sensitive as non-flame user.

Tazaru groaned, "Stop complaining Iris! You never know if _they_ could hear us." The cloud flame user tensed at that, Tazaru was right. "Beside… we're sent by the three great skies to question Vindice… or rather escorting the real messenger."

Ahead of them a very cheerful punk in full leather suit was over the moon because he was entrusted with a very important mission. "Come on you slowpokes! We need to get to Vindice Prison as soon as we can!"

Iris and Tazaru exchanged glance, sighing exasperatedly as they followed the excited stuntman mafia. "What your princess and my boss were thinking to send the Cloud Arcobaleno of all people? If we have to get Trinisette holder as messenger there's another arcobaleno, Vongola Guardians… or even our general."

The tanned Italian snorted, "Isn't it obvious?"

"What's obvious?"

"Arcobaleno skull is the _only_ holder that's not busy but guaranteed to survive whatever Vindice cooked up." Beside he had been eternally assigned as the 'gopher' in inner circle.

"Ah yes, the man that hated even by Grim Reaper so much… he can't even die properly." Iris nodded in understanding. "By the way, is sending Skull your princess' idea? I am sure as hell it's not my boss' for sure."

Tazaru shook his head, "Nah, it's Vongola's sky princess definitely."

Silence…

"Mai-hime entrusted this mission to me! Ha ha ha! Reborn, I'd like to see what kind of face you make if you know your student is relying on me! Counting on me!"

Iris and Tazaru exchanged glance again, "Ah… I forgot that Neo Primo's younger twin looks as saint like as her brother but-"

"There's good reason why only her brother is hailed as living saint, but really…" Looking at pitiful and excited Skull they couldn't help but shudder.

Shouldn't he realize the Vongola princess was Sun Arcobaleno, Reborn's student through and through? Not to mention, did Skull forget he had once almost _-not that he could do it even if he tried-_ harmed Neo Primo in one of his foolish attempt to attack Mafia land years ago? Sawada Mai was famous for nursing grudge for years when it comes to her brother.

How did an inner circle member of Trinisette like Skull was so oblivious of this?

"Hey… this is a serious business not a covert assassination attempt from Mai-hime, right?" Tazaru couldn't help but wondered

Iris shook her head, "I don't put it pass Sawada Mai…" There was a very good reason on her worst day even their boss dodged the hell out the way.

Depending on how they looked at it, the weakest of Three Great Skies could be the scariest of them all.

* * *

 **Back in Millefiore's HQ in New York (Orchidea)**

Orchidea, the **L** avish office of Byakuran Gesso was located on top of skyscraper sharing the same name. "Why are we sending Skull again?" Byakuran wondered.

Yuni who came visiting sipped the juice served for her, nimble pale fingers playing with aquamarine locks of Bluebell who decided Yuni's lap was the comfiest spot for a nap. "Because he can survive anything, said Mai-san."

The Mare sky whistled, "Mai-chan is as merciless as ever… but that's maybe why Tsuna-kun can afford to be a saint with that kind of sister around."

Yuni took another sip before replying, "We of all people know Tsuna-san is not exactly a saint either…"

Byakuran's eyes shifted to the side, recalling real Tsuna smiling at him with fist blazing with sky flame. "That's so true, then again considering Vongola's trial… there's no way anyone, even Mai-chan and Tsunayoshi-kun would come out of it intact."

The sky arcobaleno nodded in agreement, "It's the price of our power…"

"Now that power is not doing us any good dealing with Vindice."

Yuni frowned at that, to be honest the concern of her fellow skies this time was a false alarm in her opinion. However there was no denying what was waiting for them in the future.

 **"E'la nostra ora incise sull'anello,  
solo per un momento farò girare la clessidra congelato,  
nel mio sangue e il nostro peccato… in invito..."**

" _Our time that engraved within the ring,  
Just for a moment I shall melt the frozen hourglass,  
In our sin and in my blood, I call upon you." _

The aria of Vongola's shaman, their fellow skies, Mai. The time would come when the hand of time will start to move again.

* * *

 **Japan, Dining Hall of Haunted Mansion**

The dinner that night was a quiet affair with Suzuki-san was still missing and the idiots in this group were looking at Mai expectantly because her familiar or whatever Mai wanted to call spirit on her command as, Daniella had not returned since this morning and Mai didn't seem concerned she was going to get lost or not. Or rather Mai was very sure Daniella would.

Apparently according to Mai when she was alive Daniella was directionally challenged, but she believed Daniella would run to something, being a ghost that could walk through wall and all. I had to admit not restricted by wall would be very useful. "Are you alright with her out for so long?"

"She is just wandering around, hardly tasking I'd say." Mai murmured before cutting a piece of meat on her plate. "Don't worry… even if she got lost in Rome, I won't lost her."

"Erm… you think she will get lost to another country?"

"I didn't put it past her. Things happen." She had faraway look when she said this, which made me wondering again if there was anything normal in her family. "But I know Daniella is still inside this house, enjoying herself somewhere in third floor."

She even could tell in what mood her familiar was in, did she divulge that deliberately or not? _'Knowing Mai, it must be something she assume we would have known. You know Mai sometimes forget people aren't as sensitive as she is.'_

Hara-san frowned at Mai, "Daniella-san is a very carefree spirit, she is unusual."

"She is."

"Very lively."

"Indeed."

"Unlike spirit."

"Hn."

It was amusing how Hara-san tried to pry some information from Mai and received less and less response to the point Mai only gave her one syllable answer before turning her attention elsewhere. Mai sipped her water before turned to Shima whi was standing on the corner, as they had eaten ahead of us. "Anything from Byakuran and Yuni yet?"

"Messenger has been sent as ordered, but due to regulation _they_ set…" Shima trailed off. "It would take a while, Hime."

Mai sighed at that, "And Kyou-san?"

"Foundation is still investigating the matter as we speak."

I turned towards her, she was just sitting beside me. "Foundation is investigating this case too?"

"Let's just say there's a matter in this case that become… personal to Vongola."

I didn't miss how she refer to her side as 'Vongola' before it was always 'family' or 'Neo-V.G' so this time it was different to her? Neo-VG obviously refer to their business empire, family was the inner circle that consist of Hayato and the rest of extended family of hers, but then…

What was Vongola then?

"Thank you for the meal." Mai had finished her meal and so did I. "I am going back to the base."

I stood up, "Right, we need to check on measurement data."

Beep Beep

Mai stood up and checked her phone, "It seems Foundation will take a while but we got around half of list of missing persons around this region from the first generation head."

I also frowned at that, "A while? There must be a lot then."

"Considering it's era before the WW, the record is not kept so well and not in form of data." Mai told me. "I am surprised we can find anything."

I scoffed as we left the dining room, and inwardly noted Hara-san was glaring at us. It seemed she was still delusional to think she was in love with me. And here I hoped she had forgotten with Fujiwara around, then again the onmyouji was in the middle of meeting with Ohashi-san. Apparently being an onmyouji tied to royal family like him meant a lot of restriction, then again someone with his skill was so rare it was no wonder he was kept so carefully.

"Still… the amount of data we have to gather is insane, we spend a lot of time just to measure this place." Mai gestured wildly to the maze like mansion.

I sighed at that, "Shouichi makes data gathering looks so easy with his hacking skill, I wonder if he even know how to gather them on foot?"

"Don't you know we have to set ground rules just for him and Spanner because he forget there's more in this world than his lab?" Obviously not, and didn't we meet in that convention because…

' _Both of you got kicked out of your lab.'_ Gene snickered, _'Which is why I am so glad while Hayato is also a genius at least he didn't make his lab his dwelling.'_

' _Be quiet, Gene.'_

Mai chuckled softly, it seemed she overheard us. "Maa, it seems my worry for you being upset with getting dragged to an unwanted case, and to check on your imposter of all things… is unfounded."

She was worried about that? "I don't really care, although the case is more dangerous than expected…"

"Un."

"Mai… Suzuki-san is already…" I trailed off.

She just nodded, "Hai… to be honest, I have my doubt she is still alive. That… entity I saw in my dream." Her eyes narrowed, amber shimmering in the dimly lighted hallway. "Thirst for more prey, Suzuki-san won't be the last I'd say…"

' _Gene?'_

' _Shall we try again tonight?'_ My twin suggested. _'Astral walking I mean.'_

"Let's hold that back off after we have more information."

Mai frowned at me, a hand in door knob to our base. "If that's your plan… the same goes for you."

' _Mai is right, no psychometry unless it's our last resort.'_

' _Go figures.'_

* * *

 ** _SPR's BASE_**

She opened the door and surprise, Fujiwara was with Lin. It seemed he finished his business with Ohashi-san. Then Mai perked up, opening the window just enough for a bird to fly in. I belatedly realize it was not a bird but a paper folded so meticulously to resemble a bird. It flew towards Fujiwara and unfolded itself on his hands.

He sighed, "I have been given a time limit, three days… if by then this case is not solved the order is to pull out of this."

Mai hummed as she closed the window, "I see… you don't have freedom to continue as you please."

Fujiwara's frown deepened before his lips pulled to a tight smile, "Coming from you Sawada-san, I believe this is what we call as sleep laughing at the snot..." Mai scoffed at that, "I shall take my leave." He waved a paper list of victim. "Thank you for this list, I will try my hand to divine what become of these victims." Most likely list of recent ones.

I watched the onmyouji left, not bothering to mention no going alone. Unlike Takigawa I count shiki as not being alone. "Eye wax laughing at the snot?" I repeated to Mai. "A Japanese idiom I guessed, equivalent of pot calling kettle black perhaps?"

Mai's amber eyes lighted up, it was fascinating to see how the change of her mood was so apparent in her eyes. _'Only to us who stares at her eyes more than what's considered healthy.'_

' _Gene… not a word, not in the middle of investigation.'_ I was still trying to accept I was apparently could fall to death trap - _as Hayato eloquently put it-_ called romance.

' _You're not serious to agree with Hayato that dating makes people stupid, are you?'_ Gene's asked in threatening tone. _'Seriously, accepting you do in fact… could fall in love won't drop your IQ as Hayato said, why would he know? He never dated either! He think girls are troublesome.'_ Though Mai was obviously an exception even to Hayato. _'So what he said is nonsense!'_ Gene declared proudly.

I rolled my eyes, _'I'm more inclined to believe Hayato's nonsense because since yesterday I am feeling idiocy I have never felt because_ **everyone** _seems to know but me!'_ It was really a slight to my pride.

' _To be fair, lack of experience in romance means you wouldn't know how to be subtle about it.'_ Seriously, I couldn't win against Gene when it comes about feeling and emotion.

I sighed inwardly, _'Am I that obvious?'_

' _Not to strangers perhaps but from what I see Lin and the others are looking for the sign in the first place, I mean you looks inflatable most of the time so they can't help but looking for your soft side…'_

"Yes, it is." I almost missed Mai's response, distracted by my argument with Gene. "If I am not mistaken in Chinese it would be a chicken that couldn't see it's back?" She asked to Lin.

"Ah yes… there's The crow mocks the blackness of the pig, ignoring its own blackness." Lin replied evenly.

"Hypocrisy is a subject everyone in the world like to pick on, I suppose." Mai giggled, "So how about the measurement data, have we got everything right already?"

"Ah yes." Lin turned back to his PC. "However…"

And just like that Mai also close my chance to ask what Fujiwara meant by Mai was hypocrite to call him trapped by obligation and duty. Did that mean her position as COO of Neo-VG or something else? That discernible talk about being a guardian?

' _Noll, drop it.'_

' _Fine.'_ If she won't talk there was no point pressing the matter anyway.

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

"There are still blank spaces." Naru commented and by then the rest of our group had returned to the base for our nightly meeting.

Naru pointed at the blue colored blanks on the diagram. Large and small, they totaled 18. The small ones were about 1 tatami's size; the large ones could be the size of a few rooms. "Ignoring the small spaces, I'm very concerned about this large empty space."

That large blank space was at the heart of this mansion. Jutting in and out it formed an 'L' shape. Although it's size couldn't be accurately determined, from the look of the surrounding rooms it was clearly the size of a few rooms.

I took the floor plan for the second floor and made a comparison with the one Naru was holding. "The second floor hasn't been accurately measured, so it's better not to say anything now… it looks like there is that blank space on the second floor too." What could be in this blank space?

"… Isn't it a hidden room? If it isn't then it's a little too large to imagine." Bou-san said.

Indeed, if we were to think that the blank space was created as a result of it being convenient for construction, it would be overly large. The question was how to enter it.

"Isn't the third floor very suspicious? There's also entry from the second floor, I think there's the possibility of gaining access from above." Yasuhara spoke. "What do you think Sawada-san? You're the one who have a mansion or rather a palace… you would know better."

I scoffed at that, "I wouldn't know, my ancestor didn't build our mansion with making people lost in mind. Beside… from what I see this mansion is build based on victorian style one in England. In the other hand our mansion is a Italian renaissance building, I assure you… it's very different."

Yasuhara groaned at that, "Is that so?"

"Not to mention…" I trailed off, showing them the floor plan. "See how the surrounding this blank space? There are a lot of strange and weird rooms, furthermore aren't they obviously more complicated than at other places? Or rather the area surrounding the blank areas are obviously strange..."

Naru frowned at me, "It is strange… I suppose, does it bother you so much?"

I nodded at him, "Judging from the floor plan obviously the one who build this mansion have no planning whatsoever, he just add more and more… however if this is a hidden room Hiroyuki-shi, the second head build on purpose… he should have hid it better."

"Huh?" Bou-san blinked at that. "Why?"

"If from walking around this area we can feel something is amiss…" I trailed off and Naru continued for me.

"Which mean Hiroyuki-shi didn't care it looks suspicious." Naru concluded, "Perhaps to some extent he did what to hide something but creating a maze is even more-" I raised my hand to my lips in hushing gesture and point at the window, Naru frowned. "Another shikigami messenger for Fujiwara?"

"Ah, no." I skipped towards the window as a hand appeared in the darkness, poised to knock the window. Behind me Ayako let out a yelp, and before the figure plastered to the glass could knock, I opened the window, revealing a very shocked Mori Madoka.

Naru stood up. "Madoka."

Mori-san climbed through to enter. What an energetic person she was, though she was also a tad subdued with me around. "How's it going?" She was smiling to mask her wariness. How cute she thought it could hide her emotion I could feel coming in waves from her.

"Did you find something?" Naru asked.

"Yeah. I wanted to tell you all about the results of the investigation. It's freezing…"

"How did you come?" How caring of Naru to ask, apparently he was still quite an English gentleman even with his teacher who had tendency to exasperate him.

Not even I ask _how did Reborn come_ or rather appear out of nowhere, then again Reborn was such an infallible figure in my mind I can't bring myself to worry about him. It would be taken as an insult by my mentor anyway.

Naru's mentor answered, "I rented a car to get nearby, and then I walked over. It's very cold outside."

It should be. Because this mansion was built in high ground. I couldn't help but chuckle when I saw some of our members looked shocked when Naru handed Mori-san a jacket, how gentlemanly he could be with woman. With Masako-chan it seemed forced, then again everyone already knew she had something over his head. With me, I didn't exactly give Naru any chance to be a gentleman, or Gene for that matter but I knew the twins were both quite a pair of English gentlemen.

Wearing the jacket Naru handed her, Mori-san sat down on a chair. Rubbing her hands together for warmth, she looked like a squirrel, and appeared very cute especially with how subtle she tried to avoid my eyes. Maa, nothing unusual with people who was wary of my Hyper Intuition and charisma that was part of being the sky of Vongola.

"… Why would you do something so dangerous? What would you do if something happened?"

"Araa, Naru will come to rescue me right?"

Yep, he would come running for sure. Taking pity on him, I walked towards him and asked Mori-san who tensed involuntarily. "So what did you find Mori-san."

"Madoka." She corrected instantly.

I smiled at her, and I could feel amusement coming in waves from Naru because even though she was quite a pro at masking her emotion Naru and I could tell Madoka was trying her best to not avert her eyes from me at the sight of my smile.

In the end Mori-san took out a large notebook from beneath her jacket, successfully dodging my eyes and looked natural at it. "First is this morning's incident concerning Suzuki."

He~, so she investigated that too?

"Buses pass regularly along the road beneath this place. And then, I tried asking the bus and car rental companies if a girl matching her description took them this morning before six. Which I thought that when she left this building, not many people would take them at that hour so she would be obvious... Although it's not impossible to hitchhike." Mori-san spoke while she flipped open her notebook.

"The result of my questioning was that there didn't appear to be any drivers who had seen or met such a person. As expected, Suzuki-san probably never left this building."

Naru turned towards me, and I pulled out a stack of paper, printed from Foundation's email. "From your end?"

"Etto…" I browsed through them, "As Madoka-san said, hitching a ride is possible… but according to Foundation from last night to this morning it appeared no one have left the premise of this mansion."

"How did you know that?" Mori-san asked curiously.

"Satellite."

Silence…

What was so surprising? Of course we had satellite. "Not to mention… this place is too far from Suzuki-san's house to reach with hitch hike, but from our investigation there's no girl matching her description purchasing any ticket of public transportation to her home or university… Not to mention according to Igarashi-san, she also left her wallet…"

Even if she ran away in fear as that con-man Minami said this morning, there was no way she wouldn't at least bring her wallet and phone with her. So obviously, Suzuki Nao had not left this house, she was missing.

"And the missing persons?" Naru pressed on.

Mori-san continued, "Regarding this issue, this is all I know. Then about the 2 people who disappeared in this house."

"The first to disappear was Matsunuma Eiki, 18 years old, unemployed. That happened on the 13th of February. He and 7 friends, 8 in total, came here at night; no news of him has been heard since. Although they came here frequently, it was the first time they did so at night. They planned a test of courage by exploring the mansion, then when they had a feast within one of the rooms, Matsunuma Eiki left the room, apparently to look for a toilet. Following that he never came back."

Mori-san flipped over a page. "The missing person report was made a week later. The police who heard of this incident also get firefighters to search for Matsunuma Eiki because this place is so big. Although they separately searched the building and its surrounds, they did not find Matsunuma-kun. Furthermore when they prepared to leave and did a head count, they realized they were missing one person. The missing one was Yoshikawa Masaya, 21 years old, a firefighter. Everyone frantically searched the house again; not only did they not find him, because some of the people saw spirits floating through the corridors and created a ruckus, they gave up the search and went back."

While she spoke, Mori-san retrieved a few mini tapes from her pocket, and scattered them on the tabletop. "These are recordings from witnesses. The fact is, not a hint was found in here."

"… so that's what happened." Naru glanced at me, "Anything new from Foundation Madoka didn't mention?"

"There is… but we should talk about the previous owner of this house first… so Mori- I mean Madoka-san can go ahead."

She seemed pleased I call her Madoka now, "Regarding the owners of this house. The one who built this house was Miyama Kaneyuki. For generations, the Miyama family was rich and powerful in Suwa (the region). Kaneyuki was the eldest son; at 16 he became the head of the Miyama family. At that time income was practically limited to that from farmers. This place is apparently the location of the Miyama family's mountain villa. When Kaneyuki was 18, he went to Europe for a tour. He returned at age 20. Apparently, after he came back he immediately changed this place into a western villa. That happened in 1877."

Mori-san flipped over a page.

"From that time onwards, up until his death from kidney disease in 1910 he always lived here. It should be said that he wasn't good with getting along with other people, because besides leaving a few times on trips, he was always closed in here. He let his wife live in the city residence, but he himself hardly ever went back. And despite his dabbling in charity, overall he has never appeared to be a social man."

Obviously the charity was for PR. "Speaking of his charity work… we found strangest record."

Mori-san perked up at that, "Wow! I can't find the hospital record myself! Neo-V.G is amazing!"

I just smiled at her, "We are, huh?"

"What's wrong with the 'Miyama Charity Hospital'?" Bou-san asked.

I cleared my throat, "Starting about the hospital itself… It's located at the edge of the city, and apparently it's a very large hospital… and from here it's suspicious already because why such a large facility in such a rural place?" Kaneyuki-shi had a lot of money, he should have gotten a better location.

"What about a secured facility in the vicinity of the hospital?" Naru asked.

Mori-san took over, "There was one... Patient's family members, or recovering patients who do not stay in the hospital, and people who have recovered but have difficulty in their daily living – it was a relatively large facility which accepted these types of people." While she said that, a complicated expression showed on Mori-san's face.

"There were quite a number of assistants there. Apparently it was a place with excellent service. Admission into the facility was free of charge. Meals were also free. Apparently they also distributed necessities to those they did not admit. As long as one lived in that facility, one need not worry about clothing, food or lodging."

I nodded, the information she had matched mine. "How gracious of him… but definitely an overkill for PR charity."

Ayako sweat-dropped, "You're so sure it's for PR."

Of course, I had seen through men who worshipped by media for their charity and saw rotten nature beneath their fake smile in daily basis. "Sure do… people who are sincere about their charity won't be avoided by society like Kaneyuki-shi, and his charity reek of suspicious activity to me."

Naru frowned at me, "What make you think so?"

"Well… aside from how half of Miyama Kaneyuki-shi's fortune was lost due to the Panic of 1907." I read out from my report, "Before that, this facility had already consumed a significant portion of his fortune… and there were also hospices and orphanages, a center for tuberculosis sufferers etc… from how generous he was with people in need he is giving me impression it's not that he is being generous but he _needs_ them."

"…Why?" John asked, all of them looked confused by my conclusion.

Because the same trick had been done by Estraneo of all organization to lure unsuspecting victim to be their lab rat, I couldn't say this of course. "He is a businessman, no matter how generous it doesn't make sense he has to invest on his charity to the point he makes his business suffer. Not to mention extremely dumb because in the end… in Meiji 41 (1908), Kaneyuki-shi started giving up of various industries one by one. When Kaneyuki-shi died, besides farmland and forests, there was practically nothing left."

So it was either he was extremely foolish or there was something else.

"Hu, this should be what they call charitable poverty." Ayako commented.

Mori-san continued, "There's the next family head which is Kaneyuki's eldest son, Miyama Hiroyuki-shi. Besides giving this building various strange renovations, Hiroyuki's history is comparatively normal. I've brought the detailed histories of his and Kaneyuki's along."

Mori-san handed the notes sandwiched in her notebook to Naru, and I added. "That's right… Hiroyuki-shi is aside from building so many additions are mostly normal in his business plan, though he avoided charity like a plague." Which was understandable considering how his father lost the fortune of their family.

"Tomorrow it's regarding the characters of this father and son. I feel that this needs in-depth investigation." She was right about that. "I'll be right back!"

Naru looked clearly unpleased. "Madoka, this is very dangerous. It will do to make a call, don't come near this place."

Mori-san tilted her head. "But isn't meeting face to face better?"

"In any case do not come here."

Mori-san nodded. "Yes, yes."

Somehow it was a tone used to humor a child, and judging from the look Naru shot me he thought the same. Mori-san would come back next time in person to this place in spite of Naru's warning. As he watched Mori-san and Lin-san left, Naru's frown got deeper. "She is so…"

"Complain again about your teacher is so willful I dare you."

He sighed, "What did your mentor did?"

"Nothing aside you know… hold a competition to celebrate our birthday without our consent and promising reward from us, in which the competition involves Hayato, Kyou-san, Ryou-nii and the rest of our family."

Naru's left eye twitched, knowing how competitive his friend could be. _'That's definitely an explosive birthday.'_ Gene commented.

I nodded sagely, replying mentally. _'I was surprised we still have a roof and enough wall by the end of the day.'_

I had thought we won't have a home after our birthday, best present ever.

* * *

 **Gene's POV**

It was another dream and for once Mai was not around with me, and I didn't wish she was either. Considering I was watching a hunched figure of dripping wet and _naked_ old men prowling the hallway of this mansion. I couldn't see him clearly in the darkened hallway, and debated whether I should tune the dream to have better lighting.

The guy was naked and smelt awful for God's sake!

Then he stopped in front of a room, Gene's eyes widened in shock and cursed the hallway all looked the same so he couldn't tell whose it belonged to.

" **I don't want to die…"**

But you already are, monster!

Much to Gene's shock, the monster turned towards him with its milky white bulging eyes and snarled. **"Young man…"**

This was bad, and the next thing I knew I had to dodge some sort of black flame the monster threw at me. My eyes narrowed at the burning flame, it didn't burn anything but I knew if it hit me I would be dead for real. Since when a ghost or a monster could throw hitodama?!

I have to retreat, and was about to move when I noticed a figure behind the monster. A feminine figure wrapped in soft golden glow in the darkness, and as she approached closer I recognized her as Daniella, Mai's familiar.

"Daniella-san?"

" **Ciao!"** She greeted me cheerfully, **"My! My… such an awful looking monster."** Daniella held her crossbow up and aimed at the monster, **"Are you bothering FIammetta's friend?"**

The monster only let out an animal like growl, **"Old… soul… woman."**

Silence… did that monster just called a woman old to her face?!

Daniella was twitching now, a smile was firmly in her beautiful face but there was no mistaken the bulging vein in her temple. **"Pente e morire ❤ "**

I was not sure why even though her bow was aimed right at the monster temple my instinct tell me I should duct, and I followed it and planted myself firmly on the ground when something was blazing and hot passed through a few inches above my back but I couldn't see anything with my face planted on the carpeted floor.

" **Che! That coward run away."**

I lifted my face, to see Daniella tapping his chin with the edge of her bow. "Uhm, Daniella-san?"

Daniella beamed at me, **"Don't worry, I scare the meanie old man away bambino~"** She was patting my head now, like I was some sort of kitten or dog to her.

"Thank you for saving me, Daniella-san."

Daniella returned my smile, **"Nessun problema! Bambino!"** She winked at me before stopped, a thoughtful expression crossed her face. **"Bambino, how old am I look?"** She asked, striking a pose.

At that very moment I was sure if I said the wrong thing I'd be dead, so I dig out the most suave line I learned from my mother's romance novel. "Daniella-san, do you know woman are ageless being? Especially a spirit like you is eternally young!"

She gave me a thumb up and a kiss on the cheek for that, **"I approve of you! Bambino!"** I was dumbfounded, holding the cheek she kissed. **"You likes Fiammetta right?"** I nodded frantically, blushing furiously. **"So did… your twin?"** I nodded again.

She cupped her chin thoughtfully, **"Hm… our family allows polygamy for obvious reason."** They _allow_ what?! **"But do you mind marrying to our family?"**

I blinked owlishly at that, "Uhm…" Considering her family was a prestigious one I supposed that make sense, "I don't mind?" Wait! Why we were talking about marriage already?! "But, aren't we too young to talk about it? I mean… I am seventeen going eighteen!"

Daniella placed her hand in her hips, sighing. **"Aah… Fiammetta didn't notice you handsome twins likes her, did she?"** I nodded again, I had been nodding a lot to Daniella-san. **"Of course not, that girl is so obsessed with our family so she has screwed view in romance! Oh well, if you're serious about FIammetta… I will tell you this. Starting a relationship with her means more than just… dating kids nowadays do. The whole family got involved… so I am sure by now some of family members are already checking you two out."**

My jaw dropped at the revelation, _'They did! So that's why Shouichi cringe all the time when talking to us! Because idiotic Noll didn't realize his feeling by then Shouichi couldn't give us a head up on this!'_

" **Well? Still interested in my cute descendant?"**

I blurted out, "I do! I mean… giving up because of family pressure is absurd!"

" **Aha ha! You have guts! You will fit well in our family!"** Daniella was grinning now. **"You even faced that monster bravely."**

Actually I was trying to retreat but I'd rather not correct her that I couldn't fight without Noll. "Descendant?"

" **Ah, Fiammetta didn't say I am technically her great grandmother? Tim is my son!"** She pointed at herself, " **But never mind, about the cowardly monster from just now... It run away, and I'm afraid someone would fall prey to it."**

I groaned, "And here I thought I caught him on the act." Then an image flashed on my mind, of a male figure walked with hunched back like a lamb led to slaughter. "Crap, it caught someone! How did it get from here to another place so quickly?"

" **You better return and inform Fiammetta."**

"Yes." I saluted, " Thank you, Daniella-san."

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

My eyes snapped open and I sat up blearily, woken up by both Mai's knocking and Gene's frantic telepathy. _'Noll! That con-man's assistant was abducted!'_

It took a moment for me to compute who he was talking about, "Oh, Atsugi Hideo-san." And opened the door revealing frantic Mai in the same gi like sleep wear. "Is that the one who was taken tonight?" I asked as I let Mai inside, as Lin walked out to check on our cameras.

"I will inform you if we see anything amiss." Judging from the direction he took, Lin was going to wake up his fellow onmyouji. It seemed the two had some sort of agreement considering both were in charge of warding.

As soon as Lin was out of our sight, I asked again. "Atsugi-san, right?"

"Ah yes! That somber looking young man from Minami Psychic Research group!" Mai told me, clenching her fist. "I can't believe this entity got pass us again!" She grunted as she flopped down to one of the beds, mine to be exact.

She was right, he bypassed both Gene and Mai _again._ _'Should we inform Minami-san?'_ Gene asked.

"No." I told them firmly, "I'd rather not telling that man who brought my impostor that we do have genuine psychic in our midst."

"Or worse." Mai interjected, "He would accuse us as the one who kidnap Atsugi-san to eliminate competition."

Gene seemed torn, we could feel his discomfort. _'But Atsugi-san is…'_

"I know." Mai's voice was grim, "But it's not like informing that man now can help…" She closed her eyes briefly, "Daniella is still looking for that monster… in our vision he drag his feet and yet why he could move this quickly from one place to another?"

I frowned at that, "Daniella-san can't keep up?"

"More like she lost him…" Mai opened her watch. "Daniella had found some interesting rooms though. I still can keep her up if she just wonder… around. Still… this is the first case we really get victims. Two days in a row…"

I nodded at that, "Not to mention… in spite of the large amount of spirits here, the harmless ones are very quiet. The last knocking is incited because of seance…"

Mai closed her eyes, "This mansion… the emotion I could feel strongest from spirits around here is… fear."

"Nothing unusual…"

"Unusual actually." Mai corrected, "These spirits… they're scared of _death_ when they're already dead, Naru…"

' _I agree with Mai, I have felt them fearing loneliness, pain, and so on… but for spirits to fear death to this extent after they passed away usually that means…'_ Gene trailed off, _'They died in the most horrific way, so the pain and fear linger strongly and they're trapped by that feeling even after their death.'_

"That explain what I felt when I saw them in our vision." Mai told Gene, "Don't go there, please come back if you do… something terrible is going to happen."

I asked her, "What terrible thing?"

"I don't know aside from _obviously_ the person who goes won't survive it." Mai fidgeted, "I don't like this… even if I stretched my senses, my Hyper Intuition just couldn't get very far…" She ran her fingers through her hair in frustration.

She likened it to cellphone without reception but from what I see her frustration was not mere trivial need for signal for phone. More like she felt like she had become blind or rather short sighted. For me whose ability had nothing to do with my senses won't be able to comprehend what she felt now.

' _By the way, I ran to Daniella… and she saved me from that monster.'_

In instance both Mai and I snapped at him, "IDIOT! Why didn't you say that first?!"

"Why are you out there, Gene?! We told you it's dangerous!"

Gene flinched, _'I didn't mean too! I was drawn away, you know that happen sometimes!'_ Oh right, as medium Gene sometimes pulled away by spirits against his will at random. ' _It's not like I made it a habit to spy on naked old man who throw black flame at me!'_

Mai had become very pale at that and before I knew it she had ran up to me and reach out to my face. Her amber eyes flickered as if there was flame within, as she inspected me or rather us as close as she could. "Gene, Naru… are you alright? The flame… it didn't touch you, right?"

Against my free will my head shook, and the next thing I knew I took the back seat on my mind. "No, Mai… it didn't."

Mai blinked owlishly, "Gene? You're the one in control of Naru's body now?"

' _Eh?'_

' _Idiot medium! Since when you can possess me?'_

' _It's an accident.'_ Gene looked at my body which was just like his in confusion. _'I didn't even know I can, Mukuro-sensei say I could but I never tried! And not interested in this!'_

' _What?'_ I groaned at him, _'Mai! Call Mukuro, and tell him his idiot disciple mess up!'_

Mai crossed her arms, frowning. "Calm down you two… it's not the end of the world. I can help you to switch."

"You can?"

Mai nodded, "Yes, I just have to-"

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

We looked at the door exasperatedly and when we heard Minami-san's panicked voice from the other side we just sighed and put the switching business for later. As expected, he was looking for his missing assistant.

* * *

 **3rd POV (Dining Hall)**

Ohashi-san had informed them _again_ that the front gate was locked and no one saw Atsugi, the missing medium from Minami's group. "We have checked our camera which we station on each end of the hallway where everyone's rooms are located but there's no sign of Atsugi-san." Lin reported in monotone.

Fujiwara who stood beside him sighed, "To be frank I'm surprised Minami's group didn't get attacked first considering their room is not warded whatsoever." Which mean the entity didn't care whether their would-be victim was protected or not.

"And the one we set up in corridor?"

The younger onmyouji lifted up a simple floor plan with spell formula in circle formation, there was small burn here and there. "We detect it come but it's just appear and disappear…"

The SPR group sweat-dropped at the sight of two frustrated onmyouji, apparently the two felt really slighted their art was bypassed _again_ by the entity haunting this mansion.

On the other side of the room the adults, or rather participants of the investigation with age above thirties were arguing. "Really, what exactly is going on in this house?" Imura-san, the older monk said in a disdainful tone.

Igarashi-sensei looked towards Minami-san. "Can't Professor Davis do anything for us?"

"Oh yes… if it's the Professor…"

Minami-san looked obviously unhappy. "The Professor's clairvoyance has limited scope. I asked just now, the Professor said he couldn't feel a thing."

"In that case, could you please call other people here." Igarashi-sensei said forcefully.

"Don't you have other friends? Won't it do to call anyone who could help?"

"Even if you suddenly tell me so, I can't do anything: because everyone lives overseas."

"This is an urgent situation. If it's you then won't there always be a way? Or are you saying that on the first day, the things that you said about being able to get the help of Geller or Taunus was all hot air?" Obviously the kind woman was losing patience with Minami.

"Alright. In conclusion let me make an appointment first. However, as they are all busy people, it would be very troubling to organize a time for them to come here."

"Are you making excuses and shirking responsibility?" It was Imura-san who spoke, it seemed like it was time for everyone to pour out their frustration to the arrogant man. .

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"

The real Oliver Davis who stood in the corner of the room, watching the night sky looked unperturbed. Or rather he was occupied by another problem, and ignore the people arguing over his impostor. "Why are they arguing over Noll again?"

' _Like I ask them to argue over my impostor.'_ Naru was still vexed Mai didn't get a chance to fix Gene's mishap yet.

Mai who stood beside him, pointedly ignoring the commotion and shrugged, "Didn't you come to check this out? That's what Mori-san asked, ne?" She shrugged, "If you ask me, sooner or later that pretender will crack, what's the point of getting bothered by them?"

' _Madoka is the one who thinks we should bother.'_

Mai fished out her phone, "If you told me before we come I could have asked Foundation to investigate and clean up this Minami mess and save us from trouble dealing with him in person." Peacefully too, it was just a hoax anyway.

Gene sighed, "An oversight in our part I'd admit." To be fair they didn't want to trouble Mai, but hindsight was fifty-fifty considering this case got harder and more annoying with Minami group around. Seriously a group of amateur in the middle of dangerous case like this?

Mai glanced at the commotion behind them and said, "No one would notice it seems, come here… I will switch you guys now."

"How."

"Come closer."

Gene obeyed her instruction, and Mai pulled him down so their forehead touched. Then there was familiar warmth spreading from the contact to their whole body. The next thing Gene knew he was on the back seat of their shared mind, and his twin was back on driver seat.

"Alright already?" Mai asked, she looked amused by Naru's wide eyed reaction.

Naru nodded. "Thanks." They couldn't imagine how horrible it would be if Gene had to pretend to be him, twins or not they were terrible at pretending to be each other. Naru was not used to say gratitude verbally but with Mai, she deserved it for fixing Gene's mishap.

His voice was almost drowned by Minami who had enough, "You're dishonoring me. This is an extreme insult. If you all are still suspicious then so be it. Regardless, I refuse to allow my busy friends to be worried over this. I think that this issue is one I can solve on my own."

And then Minami stormed out of the room, followed by his two remaining assistant and fake Oliver Davis. That was the end of meeting, which was pretty pointless and not productive in Naru's opinion.

"Alright, let's go back to our bed… it's 3AM but I suppose we should catch some rest for tomor- I mean today." Bou-san announced.

Masako fumed, as no outsiders were in the room she asked. "What are you two doing over there? Kazuya-san?'

Ayako snickered, "Such PDA… never know you had it in you."

Naru sighed, and noted that Fujiwara had left the room so he was not around to distract Hara-san. He already came up with an excuse, "Mai is feeling unwell, she is a bit warm." Which was not a lie considering she had higher temperature than normal human. "She also has a dream of Atsugi-san… but I'd rather not drawing unwanted attention to us. Or worse we would get accused for kidnapping members from other group."

Understanding dawned in their group members, Bou-san then asked. "The same dream of the missing person walking away, hunched… and even if you call them out they didn't listen."

Mai nodded, "Yes." She glanced at Naru, "There's another… I think I saw the entity too in my vision." Which Gene shared with her when the older folks were arguing. "It's an old man, naked, and… so thin he looks like hungry ghost in Buddhism."

Bou-san cringed, "Alright… that's creepy." He paused, "Why is he naked though?"

Ayako huffed, "That's your question?!"

That was the end of their discussion, and they walked back to their respective room. Ayako and Masako paused when they saw Naru dragged Mai away by hand pass their room.

"Oi! Naru! Where are you going to bring Mai?"

Naru turned to face them, "Oh, I forget to inform you that Mai will be sleeping in my and Lin's from tonight. She is very groggy about her dream and forgetting them so it's better if she is close when her memory is still fresh."

"Oi, Naru…" Mai sighed, "Give me more credit for memory."

Masako looked scandalized, "It's improper for man and woman to share room!"

"We're sleeping on separate bed." Naru told her, "And I believe I'm gentleman enough to keep my hand to myself."

Mai rolled her eyes, noticing the subtle jab to her. "Right…" Then she turned to Masako. "It's fine with me, I am used to share room with my brothers…"

"But-" Masako protested.

Ayako wondered if Mai realized the guy who was sharing the room this time saw her as a woman not a sister. Although Ayako didn't think Naru would give in to his base urge or anything, considering his personality. Not to mention Lin would be in the same room "Are you sure, it's alright?"

Mai just smiled and said. "Are you guys have so little faith in me and Naru? Beside… I am taught by my mentor very well how to voice my disagreement with unwanted advance, and I know ways to make a man feel it for weeks." She raised her knuckles in emphasize.

Silence…

' _Noll, I think this mean next time we want a kiss we have to ask first.'_

' _You're one to talk.'_

* * *

 **One Hour later…**

Lin had heard about Gene's little mishap and it amused him to know now the twins could swap places. It was also to his horror to notice that Gene was also in love with Mai, as even if they talked on dinner or other times where reflective surface was conveniently nearby, only now Lin saw how Gene looked at Mai in Noll's body.

He was not too concerned when he saw Mai was sleeping on unoccupied bed in their room, in fact it was funny to see mature and unflappable Sawada-san to curl up on her blanket like a cocoon. Then when he was about to sleep he heard a soft whimper from the girl and when he sat up he saw the girl curl up tighter with a deep frown on her forehead.

That was when his charge sat up and grunted, "Did Mai have a nightmare… poor Mai."

It was Gene not Noll, and before Lin could say a word, the half-awake medium had closed the small gap between his bed and Mai's. He bent down, kissing the frown on her face and the girl just relaxed. Lin thought that was it until Gene walked around the bed and made himself comfortable as hugging the girl from behind.

"Good night." And he was back to sleep again.

Lin wondered if he should drag Gene back to his bed, when they were young it was not rare to see Gene sneaked in to Noll's bed all the time. Especially when Noll just had one of his horrible visions. This time was no different, inappropriate or not Sawada-san was very tolerant with both twins when intimacy was concerned.

* * *

 **Gene's POV**

It was Mai's past again and Noll was livid as if it was _our_ intention to invade her memory of the past. We were about to just get out of here when we laid our eyes on young Mai and stopped in our track. She was sitting on the edge of a beautiful fountain of angel carrying an urn. She looked the same as young Mai we saw in previous vision but this time she was wearing orange-white formal suits, which was strange on her young body like a child trying to be an adult.

However what caught our attention was she had bandage all over her body, though on her face only a couple of band aid. She had her suit jacket tucked on her elbow so the short sleeved undershirt she wore exposed her injured states. She was inspecting her hands, wrapped all the way to the tip of her fingers. She tried to flex her fingers, wincing slightly before her breath evened as she got used to the pain.

"What happened to her?" Noll wondered.

I had to agree with my little brother, she looked like she had been through hell and back.

Mai took a deep breath, "Stupid young lion, harebrained blond who should burn to hell!" She cursed under her breath. "This will take days to heal!" Mai grunted.

Days, she said?! "Didn't she mean months?" I corrected.

Mai twisted her body so she could dip her bandaged arms on the water, not the right thing to do since she got her injury wet. The bandaged arm didn't get wet for long, it was strange but it seemed the heat from the sun was strong enough to dry it off in a moment. Mai let out a mirthless laugh, and said.

" **I will never feel clean ever again."**

She looked so broken when she said it, staring at her hands with disgust. That was also when I realized this was the same Mai we knew when she was in solemn mood, looking so sad and broken. It was then Noll and I realized this was Mai after that _trial_ they spoke of in last vision.

"I wondered before…" Noll said in dazed voice, "How did she stay sane after that… that trial, no… of course she was not fine then..."

I shook my head, "Mai…" She didn't cry, but from how glazed her eyes looking at her shaking hands she was still shaken.

A heavy footsteps could be heard and Mai shot up from her seat instantly, all traces of pain were gone from her expression. Her amber eyes dimmed as a teenager around the our current age appeared from the corner nearby. He was tall with dark hair, light brown eyes and healthy tanned skin. Wearing furred jacket suits, white undershirt and studded pants. A earring on one ear with tail like ornament, but the most prominent feature of his was the scar all over his exposed skin.

"Trash." The man grunted as he stopped in parallel from Mai, eyeing her appraisingly. "You looks pathetic."

Mai narrowed her eyes, her lips curled to a scowl. "Watch your mouth Xanxus, remember who you're talking to."

The man didn't seem chastised by the reprimand. "Ah yes… our dear princess." He eyed the bandaged state of her body with a frown. "Shouldn't you take care of your body better, if you want to be a better bargaining chip? Oh, I forgot… because of the blood there's no way we could even use you for political marriage."

Mai opened her mouth to retort but someone was quicker, "Xanxus, what did you just say to my sister?"

Noll and I almost jumped when Tsunayoshi-san walked through me, smiling serenely as he got to his sister's side. He too, we noted, were injured and bandaged all over his body. He was dressed even more elaborately, with white pinstripped suit and orange tie. He also had a white mantle with golden rim tucked on his elbow.

"Trash."

"I am your boss now, I won't ask you to _respect_ us but do address us like you should a human being Xanxus… unless you intend to drag our family name through the mud if people know the leader of Varia disrespect me and my sister." Tsunayoshi told him evenly, still smiling but we could see the depth of his amber eyes were cold.

Somehow the fear I felt when I saw this smile made me feel I have felt it before but when? Noll was thinking the same but we couldn't recall it.

Xanxus, the older Italian scowled at them. "What do you know about respect half-breed?"

"He is so rude!" I couldn't help but say since we also got that one thrown to our face before. Sometimes I wondered why some people had problem with biracial children like this jerk over here.

Mai scowled, "This half-breed unfortunately inherit the blood you wish you had." She spat to Xanxus.

It was so fast, neither I nor Noll could see anything but blur when Xanxus moved but what we saw next was Tsunayoshi-san who caught Xanxus' hand and threw him towards the fountain.

SPLASH!

"Blub, blub, blub!" And held the man's head down underwater.

"Cool your head a bit, please." He was still smiling pleasantly and Mai just scoffed. "And Mai, please don't provoke him."

Mai smiled sheepishly at her brother, "He started it first… unlike Onii-chan I'm not in the mood to be pleasant." She held up a watch made of gold, one she always brought with her. "After the ordeal we just go through especially…"

Tsuna sighed, he couldn't blame his sister for feeling short with Xanxus. "Now then… Xanxus." Tsuna pulled his head up, and the man coughed before fixing a glare on the brown haired boy.

Xanxus looked itching to retaliate before smiling, and nodding before Tsuna let him go. "You're strong… as ever… good."

Noll and I exchanged look, "He provoked them on purpose?" The violence was a shocking sight but we always expected Tsunayoshi-san was capable considering Mai's own skill.

"Obviously…" Noll scoffed, craning his neck towards the scarred man. "This person is Xanxus… Mai told me once he is an adopted son of their grandfather, considering their Hyper Intuition is hereditary it's no wonder their succession is strictly on their bloodline."

No wonder he would feel bitter, but it seemed the man approved of Tsunayoshi-san to an extent.

The boss sighed again, "You don't have to get on our nerve just to check whether we're getting weaker after what happened."

"It's nothing…" Mai added, "For you of all people to get worried about us…"

"Mai." Tsunayoshi chided her.

Xanxus snorted, "Of course… to the two of you, almost getting killed by your own father is nothing noteworthy."

My eyes widened in shock, "What did he just say?"

Even Noll now looked shocked by the revelation, wasn't the man Madoka mentioned was Mai's father was suspected killing Xanxus' brothers to make way for his own children? Then now these three revealed Mai and Tsunayoshi almost got killed by their father?!

"Did Mai say anything about her father?"I couldn't help but ask to Noll.

He shook his head, "No… Mai is very tight lipped about her biological family aside from Tsunayoshi-san." And at first she didn't even tell Noll about her brother at all, misleading both of us to think he was dead. His father mentioned around twice, as the man who was never around and an idiot who named his children with the same first name, which might as well the same as next to nothing. As for her mother, it was nonexistent.

Mai was smirking coldly at Xanxus now and it made me shudder to see Mai who was so young could make such expression, "Are you sympathizing with us now, Xanxus?"

He shrugged, "As if… I have to say in comparison to you my issue with the Nonno seems trivial, such a cold father you have there… I saw him this morning… going back to CEDEF office with the same stupid grin as if nothing happened."

"It will stay that way to the world…" Tsunayoshi closed his eyes, "We can't appear divided."

They brushed that off so easily?! As if it was nothing.

"True." Xanxus agreed. "We can't make Vongola appear weak at all cost… that's why I will acknowledge both of you for now, Seravino… Fiammetta… or was it Tsunayoshi and Mai?" The twins shrugged, they didn't care how Xanxus addressed them as long as it's respectful. "And so swear in that accursed blood, you shall never show weakness to us… Decimo, be a saint or whatever you want… but never a weak trash! If you do…" He held his gun up and aimed at Tsuna and Mai.

I gasped but neither Mai nor Tsunayoshi looked worried with a gun pointed at them threateningly.

"I will take you two out of your throne myself… Decimo, Principessa…"

The twins just smiled at him, a genuine smile. "Thank you… Xanxus."

I couldn't help it and yell, "You two shouldn't thank him for promising such thing!"

"Gene…" Noll sighed, "What do you expect?"

"But!"

"So… about Iemitsu." Xanxus began with a smirk, "Would you like me to get rid of your father?"

The twins were about to leave when the leader of Varia voiced his offer and turned around. Noll and I held our breath, because we were shocked to hear the man who threatened Mai and Tsunayoshi was offering to get rid of their father.

Mai just sighed, and Tsunayoshi was shaking his head exasperatedly. "I don't feel starting my reign with more blood Xanxus."

The Varia leader just grunted, "Suit yourself." And left the twins.

The scene faded and I regretted ever seeing that, "Just now… can't be unseen."

"Idiot." Noll grunted at me.

"To be fair, every time we want to look away could we?" I asked him, feeling the familiar hum of our power severing the link. "The first time seems to be an innocent memory, and second one… how could we when Mai looked like that?"

Noll became quiet before he broke the silence. "Now I understand why Mai didn't want us to know."

"Eh?"

"There's our safety she is so concerned with… especially with the bandaged men with top hat, but…" Noll trailed off unsurely, "From this dream I can't help but think if we find out everything about her, how we look at her will change… at least she think so."

How we looked at her would change? "What do you mean?"

"Sometimes… I saw it in her eyes when looking at us, at SPR and the others… we're within her reach and yet there's something that separate her from us." Noll murmured softly, "There's no such thing when she interact with her _family_ like Hayato… every time they came to see her, she feels more at ease.. As if she has released the breath she didn't know she has been holding all the time."

Noll…

"Your world and mine is different…" Noll recited, "She told us that once… and from Shouichi warning we know one day she would return to that world." He looked up to me, "I don't know yet what I want with her… Takigawa-san told me that much, but you Gene… you already know. As always you're better at this emotional and feeling matters, so I ask you…"

You must be kidding me…

"Do you know what to do then?"

I shook my head, "I don't know what to do Noll, but don't forget… we _both_ told Shouchi that for sure it's up to us what to do." I pointed at him, "And you my genius brother, for once is an idiot to think this vision will change that."

Noll smiled at me and said, "Well, Shouichi did say they may needs idiots to help Mai, whatever he meant by help."

Obviously my twin was still terrible when it comes about the matter of heart but it was fine since I was with him to help, but still I couldn't help but feel how strange for me and Noll to be closer we had to fall in love with the same girl.

* * *

 **I decide to omit Lin's problem with Japanese, beside in the first place he has no such problem anymore in canon because of Gene. Beside knowing Mai in this story she would be pretty flippant about getting hated for being a Japanese, considering her status as mixed blood mafia princess.**

 **BTW in case you're wondering why Daniella is so open with Gene... obviously there's hidden intention in her part.**

 **Review Please!**


	37. Case 07, Part 05

**This chapter is LONG, and let's say… this arc is getting longer and LONGER because of extra scenes... AND I wonder if I can finish this as in how many chapter it will take? Seven?**

 **BTW did anyone notice the cover for Sky Ghost Hunt is up ^^ for a full version please go to my deviantart page. Just google my user name and you will find it** ❤

* * *

 **Case 07, Part 05**

 **Vendicare Prison, Romania**

Bermuda was annoyed, which was a rare occurrence nowadays with how content he was with life or afterlife, he was not sure how to categorize what to call it. With the three great skies basically telling Checker Face to sod his crazy off, Bermuda was content to work _with_ them. He had made it clear he was going to continue being their police force, as in holding up their law, catch the convicts and judge them fairly.

They were good at what they were doing, he as the leader of Vindice even more so.

"So why am I subjected to this?" He wondered out loud as he tuned out the gopher Arcobalo's rant aka Skull of Carcassa famiglia. Well, he understood why the three Great Skies sent this idiot because Skull won't refuse and he could survive whatever Bermuda would throw at him.

"And so this great Skull-sama has come to-"

His lack of diplomacy skill aside, Bermuda thought sending Fon would be a better option. At least by now he would have heard what the heck the messenger was coming for.

"You dare to ignore…"

He picked up the word 'ignore' 'call' and 'skies' and realization dawned on him, he did ignore the call from Byakuran and Yuni, didn't he? At last after the whole day listening to Skull, the gopher got to the point. Seriously, not answering for a few days and the three Great Skies freaked out? He supposed he was at fault too considering they never ignored him, and the panic episode was a testament of how much those skies holder acknowledged their power.

Pointedly ignoring the messenger he inclined his head to the two kneeling subordinates, "Oi… that's a mishap in my part, I 'd admit… but there's no reason to fret just because I'm late to return my call. If you ask why… no we're not on a strike or _anything_ , but I am still pretty pissed with that Mare-brat for the latest fiasco Millefiore almost failed to contain in time from last week."

Iris Haepburn winced at that.

In which there was a terrorist, involving second class mafia family in US and Millefiore almost blew the whole matter up because their late interference. His Vindice had a helluva fun time arresting the scattered criminals while Millefiore dealt with the clean up.

"So of course I am not impressed when he go to cry to Yuni-hime…" Which led to him ignoring the shaman in fear he would get swayed by the princess to forgive the Mare-brat. "Apparently that's not the case."

"So this great Skull…"

"So I can't help but wonder if that means I deserve." He pointed at still ranting Skull. " _That_ to come just to talk my ears off."

Iris and Tazaru exchanged look, "Well, it's… _her_ idea."

Bermuda sighed, out of all Three Great Skies there was one girl he didn't want to piss off for a good reason. Her brother had patience of a saint so long as Bermuda raised a white flag the boy would forgive him, his sister in the other hand…

"Alright, what did I do this time to piss off the princess of Vongola?" Hopefully not enough to make that girl swore revenge on him. Bermuda might be the strongest Arcobaleno in history but as he had learned before being the strongest meant nothing when a Vongola was determined to get you.

"We're not sure…" The man called Tazaru said hesitantly, "We don't have enough clearance to be informed of the matter the Three Great Skies want to discuss with you."

Iris's purple eyes quivered as she spoke, "And… as you know, there's no way our bosses would divulge it to-" She craned her neck towards Skull.

Sometimes he wondered how the heck with that sly vengeful mind Mai-hime had not developed flame of night yet. Even he Arcobaleno of the night was impressed with that girl's vengeful streak. "So the real messenger is just meat shield for you two." In case he got violent these two must had been given instruction to ditch Skull or using him as shield.

They nodded numbly, "Oh well… you may go and tell your Skies, whatever they're fretting over is a false alarm and I will contact Vongola's princess in person myself." That was as much as humility he would deign to show to the Three Great Skies.

He was getting too fond of peace, especially since the bastard Checker Face was not part of it. He was so absorbed by his musing he only noticed few hours later that the two subordinates forgot to bring Skull with them and the idiot was still talking. So Bermuda called Jager and told him to toss the gopher somewhere appropriate through their night flame portal, he never specified where to Jager but he did specified to kick the brat on the butt just to make certain princess appeased.

* * *

 **Miyama's Mansion, Japan (Mai's POV)**

It was another fine day of measuring and today we didn't just measure the room but stairs, each steps to determine whether there was a hidden level in this mansion. Added by recent discovery from rolling flashlight John dropped, which meant the corridor's floor was slanting, we also had to measure the inclination of the floor with spirit meter. As if we didn't have enough problem measuring this place, at the time like this I really missed Hayato and Haru who had calculator brain.

For me whose ancestral mansion was three times the size of this one, I couldn't help but think if measuring one this big was already so troublesome that meant Vongola mansion was really a waste of space.

"What you said just now really hurts the ears of common folks like us." Yasuhara-kun commented with a sigh.

"And like I said, the tax really hurts our eyes." I returned promptly.

Seriously, we didn't even use all the available room aside from when we were holding a large Mafia gathering held in our mansion. Which had not been held again since our coronation ceremony.

"Why didn't you just sell the mansion then? If it's historical government would love to have it." Bou-san pointed out. "Twenty centimeters point three." He told me the measurement.

I snorted as I jotted it down. "That's going to wait until previous generation of our family to be six feet under, especially Hayato-kun's grandfather." And perhaps Xanxus too considering that bastard was fanatics about family inheritance, his blood aside. "And our ancestral mansion is also sign of status so we can't just let it go."

Bou-san looked at me pitifully, "Your large mansion really break the dreams of common people like me…"

"Welcome to twenty first century." I told him, spreading my hands in grandiose manner, "Where a private palace that's not inside Disneyland is a tax nightmare." We could afford it but didn't mean looking at the numbers was any less painful for us who had went through frugal lifestyle before we inherited Vongola's wealth.

John laughed at me, "God did say riches in the world matters not in the-" He paused when his shin touched something that blocked his path, it was a knob that protruded from the side of the stairs we were measuring. "I found a door."

"What a bad place to put a hidden door." I couldn't help but commented. "Especially since the knob is protruding, but the location below eye level is-" I stopped when I noticed the odd look I was given for criticizing how Miyama family hid their secret room. "Aha ha ha ha." I laughed nervously.

This was all Reborn's fault to teach us 101 ways ow to hide secrets in a mafia mansion, hopefully if we found the missing victim I could keep my mouth shut about hiding bodies. Why we were taught how to hide them in the first place I had no idea since considering _if_ we killed someone we would have charred the body beyond recognition, or nothing left.

I will leave hiding body to Kyou-san anyway, considering he was pretty enthusiastic the first time around and had offered a number of times to help us with certain idiot's dead body. Fortunately John and I didn't find any corpse just a painting of a middle-aged man, which made me frown.

"Why a portrait like this is stored in such a secluded place like a trash?" I wondered out loud as inspecting the painting. A male was drawn on it: a frail, shrewd looking man in his forties. His hair was neatly combed, and he wore a black overcoat over his black kimono.

We brought the painting back to the base, as in the whole mansion this was the first and only portrait we found so we suppose it was worth investigating. Naru was in bad mood, because by the time hen we returned to base, the sun had long set; hence we were severely scolded by Naru.

He said, "Didn't I tell you to return before dusk?"

I sighed at him, "We tried, we really did." Then I added, "So we have not found the entry to the hidden level yet, be patient… worse comes to worst we could always ask Ohashi-san if we can knock one of two walls."

He gave me a exasperated look, "I am not Hayato, so no walls would be knocked off here."

Excuse me to think some property destruction is necessary, being a Vongola and all. "We did find something though." Bou-san showed him the portrait and handed it to him.

"So, whose portrait is this? ," Naru asked as he examined our find, eyeing the thin middle aged man on the portrait searchingly.

"It says 'Meiji 32, March, Self-Portrait, Urado'," Bou-san said. "On the back."

"I see," Naru said as he examined the back of the portrait.

I sweat-dropped, wondering if he could read the kanji at all.

"So who's Urado?" Ayako asked as she handed poor John a wet tower to wipe the dust off of him. He was the only one who could fit in there other than me, and since he was a gentleman and I was wearing white as usual… when on case. I really had to start to pack casual clothes with me on case, though that would mean breaking a routine.

"Since his self-portrait was hanging in there, I would guess it was likely someone close to MIyama-san." John gave his input.

I disagreed, "Isn't it Kaneyuki-shi himself?" All eyes were on me in instance. "The frame is simple but if you looks closely the carving is really delicate and it's made of a good quality cherry wood." I took the portrait from Naru so I could inspect them again. "I also didn't think after the whole mansion is investigated for days we would find a stranger's portrait in here… and especially not in such a high quality frame."

Ayako snorted, "You really don't believe Kaneyuki-shi is a philanthropist, do you?"

"It's nothing more than my intuition said so and the circumstances of his falling business."

Bou-san frowned, "By the way Mai, you can appraise antiques too?"

I nodded, "It's part of my education." As befitting for Vongola family members, we were no expert but I could tell high quality stuff at least. I loathe to admit it but appraising things was more of Xanxus' expertise, which was surprising such an uncouth man could be so good in this delicate business.

"Should we ask Mr. Ohashi if he knows anything about it?" Yasuhara asked Naru.

Naru's eyes lighted up in realization and he searched for envelop where we put the evidence, the 5 yen notes. "Urado… Urado." He chanted the name like a mantra until he found the bill and pointed at the character for 'Ura' and Do on the bill.

"Usually we will read it as Toura but." My eyes met Yasuhara and realization dawned on us, "We're idiots! This is meiji era so of course!"

Yasuhara continued, "The character is written backwards! From right to left unlike now." Yasuhara pulled out a pen and an empty paper, "So… now this read, "来(come) 这(this) 都(all) 死(die) 听(hear) 被(by) 浦户(Urado) 了(already) 走(walk) 吧(ba)"

"Still doesn't make sense but…" Bou-san trailed off, "More or less the first part say, everyone who came here is dead."

"If that's the case then the rest of the sentence should be simple." Ayako said with extreme displeasure. "This is a message left for someone or whoever comes next. 'The people who came to this place have all died. … run away'…"

Such an ominous message but considering two people were already missing and most likely already dead I was not sure if this message changed anything other than now we had the name of our monster. "Urado…" I frowned thoughtfully, that name sounded like something I had heard before from Reborn's lecture. A name of famous mafia boss? Or was it one of historical figures Reborn ordered us to take notes from?

Hannibal? Ricardo? Julius Caesar?

"I think I have heard a similar name to that before." I murmured softly, only loud enough for Naru who was standing close to hear me.

He frowned at me, "Where?"

"Hm… from Reborn's lecture, but I am sure it's some historical magnificent bastard." I concluded.

"...Why?"

"Learning from history lesson?" I offered timidly, I'd rather Naru never learned about Reborn's lesson plan in how to be a Mafia boss. "Anyway…" I trailed off as I made my way towards the window and opened it. "Good evening Madoka-san? Would you like some tea to warm you up?" I asked to rose haired woman who had one fish raised to knock the window.

She stared at me before her lips curled to a smile to mask her wariness of me. "I would love some of your delicious tea ❤ of course, Mai-chan!"

Wasn't this person so cute to still thinking her smile could fool me? "Let me help you." I pulled her up and her eyes narrowed at my hands in hers, no doubt as a researched he found it odd my temperature was higher than normal human and yet I didn't seem to be on fever.

Naru frowned at her, "I told you to not come."

"Ah la, of course it's because there's no danger on the front yard I dare to come on my own. I'm not as stupid as Naru."

She called Naru stupid on his face and judging from Naru's glare he was unhappy for sure. It was just 'stupid' Naru, seriously her insult was very mild. Reborn's insult could pierce your heart and leave you on the floor writhing with broken heart.

"Why is there no danger?" Naru asked as I handed Madoka her cup of tea. "In the front yard of this mansion."

Mori-san took a whiff of chamomile scent from her tea, " Hm… it is used as a child's playground… Apparently the neighborhood children often come here to practice baseball or soccer because it's so large." The she added, "Of course because of the disappearance incident around February they stopped using this place." She took a sip of her tea before continuing, "Of course, there hasn't been any incident of a child disappearing. That's why I said that there's no danger up to the gardens."

I frowned at that, "Children are curious by nature, did any of them come inside?"

Mori-san shook her head, "Apparently they've always forbidden children from entering the house. This place is also a famous haunted house, so although incidents of children secretly entering the house out of curiosity have happened before, no one had gone into the depths of the house. At the most they took a turn around the room by the window, and then stopped their activities just like that."

"I see." I cupped my chin.

"That's why I said, the dangerous part is the inside of this house. The outside of the house is safe." Mori-san concluded smugly.

"That's only for the day time right?" Naru pointed out.

"Ah la, one will inevitably tangle with a little danger in the work of a ghost hunter. I haven't done anything more dangerous than living in a house with a bad record." She retorted back expertly.

She raised a good point I had to admit. "Well, then… I will test something." I announced before skipping towards the window Mori-san used to sneak in and jumped off.

"Mai!" Naru called me out, he too jumped off of the window to catch up with me. "What are you testing?"

I was just a few meters away from the mansion but I could feel the scent of blood clinging to us like second skin had lessened. "No wonder when we was coming I didn't sense anything until we got in, outside is really a safe zone."

He frowned at me, "It's cold out here and you dress too thinly." He pointed out, eyeing my unbuttoned orange shirt, turtleneck shirt I wore underneath it and skirt disapprovingly. Before dragging me back inside.

It was just the beginning of spring and pretty cold outside it seemed, "I hardly notice the cold." I told him.

"It's no excuse." He told me, as for once I let him had his gentleman way, even helping me to get back in even though I could climb it myself. Was it just me or Naru and Gene since this case began were more attentive to me? Maybe it was just a phase since this mansion was messing with my senses, and I would get angry if they thought I was crippled or something.

Mori-san clapped her hands and retrieved a notebook from her sweater pocket. "Anyway about the latest missing person, Atsugi-san hasn't been sighted nearby too. He hasn't taken a bus or rented a car either." Mori-san said that while she turned a page. "And about the Miyama father and son situation. First up is Mr Kaneyuki."

We leaned in curiously, "He was apparently a very meticulous person, a man who worked in his silk factory embezzled some money and got fired. His eldest son was also working in the same factory and was also sacked. His third son was a staff member of the hospital, and was also sacked. And the owner of the house they lived in was Kaneyuki, so they were all evicted. – it doesn't stop here."

"There's more?"

Bou-san was shocked speechless. Mori-san nodded, smiling. "There is. His married daughter and her husband also rented their house from Kaneyuki, so they were also evicted. The convict's parents were also Kaneyuki's tenant farmers, and were also evicted."

Kaneyuki-shi was meticulous alright, Reborn would be impressed at how thoroughly he unrooted a family from his premise over one crime against him. Someone like this was a philanthropist? Obviously just a PR stunt.

"Therefore, Mr Kaneyuki really disliked interacting with people, and completely did not allow anyone to come near this mountain villa. Apparently even if there was an urgent matter he would also be unreachable. Unless Mr Kaneyuki contacted the outside, there would be practically no way otherwise."

He was also a hikkikomori then? Or just too closed off?"

Bou-san sighed, "You're right on the dot that Kaneyuki-shi is not a good person, Jou-chan."

Ayako nodded sagely, "When Mai is ever wrong when it comes to judging people?" She wondered out loud.

I shrugged and Shima stealthily slipped some papers to my hand. "Ah, sorry for interrupting… about the missing person list since Kaneyuki-shi's reign in this region. We get the complete list here… and wow, I am sure Madoka-san got this too."

"Eh?"

"There's a lot of girls who works as maid went missing around that time, around twenty or so? All of them were not native from Suwa region to boot… that's why it's so hard to get their information."

Mori-san nodded, "There's that many? And yes! Apparently he had employed a maid, but it's said that she wasn't employed from Suwa but from somewhere else as you said… I haven't confirm all of them were missing though."

I glaced at my list, frowning before I gave my orders to Shima. "Check the time period between their employment and report of disappearance…"

"Hai, Hime!"

Naru sighed before he pressed on, "And the son?"

"He was also a famous eccentric, and whenever anyone ask his reason for renovating the house continuously... He had said some words that made others concerned…"

"Words that made others concerned?" About his insanity perhaps?

"Yeah. When he was asked about the reason for the renovations, apparently he said: 'Because there are spirits in this house; this is to make sure they don't escape!' with a very scared look on his face."

He said, this is to make sure they don't escape… Suddenly on my mind an image of a tired man with eyes wide in fear entered my mind, he was sitting on a chair as holding his head, repeating what Mori-san just quoted. I winced as the image vanished, and my focus was back to reality.

"That's all I've found out." With a clap, Mori-san closed the notebook. She tilted her head with a very troubled expression on her face.

"It happens long time ago so there's not many people I can ask, so I think it is already very good that I've found out this much." She turned towards me, still not meeting my eyes. "So thanks Mai-chan! You're a life-saver!"

I beamed at her, "You're welcome." Her own student didn't say anything.

Naru did not speak. A 'thank you' would have been good at least.

Bou-san cut in. "Do you know this man? According to the date on the back as to when this portrait was painted, this should be somebody Kaneyuji-shi knew…" He asked as he held up the mentioned painting.

Mori-san glanced at the painting and answered promptly, " That's Kaneyuki-shi himself."

All SPR members glanced at me, "You guessed that correct again… your assessment of his personality is so spot on, you even guess he won't put anyone's portrait but his here." Ayako couldn't help but commented with a sigh.

Mori-san perked up, "Speaking of friends, Mai-chan… then what your intuition said about Kanayuki-shi's social life?"

It was not all my intuition at work, though it was part of ten generation experience dealing with various kind of people and a bit of psychology analysis in work. "Hm… he has reputation as philanthropist, but as I said before… it's just a cover, either for PR or some other reason. However… from his throughout way of firing the whole family from his business he is not a people person. It's either he has bad history with betrayal or he just…" Didn't see them as human in the first place, or he didn't care about human. "Don't like people in general… especially since it's said he didn't even live with his family. So for friends… business partner perhaps but no more than that?"

"Bingo." Mori-san beamed at me, "I've investigated it a little… But I've heard he practically has no one he would call a friend. And as for not liking people..." She trailed off, "The feeling is mutual, I haven't investigated further but Hiroyuki-shi, the son… it's said he _really_ hates his father to the point he don't mind the man was never born even if that means he isn't either."

And with that last bit of information, Mori-san left accompanied by Lin-san again.

"So Urado was a pseudonym?" Bou-san looked repeatedly through the photocopies of the photos Mori-san had left behind.

It was a photo of a person standing beside a door post hung with a plaque, 'Miyama Silk Factory'. Regardless of how one looked at it, one could see the model for the self-portrait was definitely Kaneyuki-shi himself as I guessed.

Naru's expression turned a little severe.

"He's only an eccentric. 'The people who came to this place have all died'. 'This place' would definitely have to be this mountain villa, right? What happened here? 'Heard they were ? by Urado' – If we don't know the meaning of that sentence we can't figure it out."

Somehow Naru's tone of voice was strangely unsettling.

"But one thing is clear for sure." Masako trailed off. "What the spirits said during the séance."

'Save me' 'I don't want to die'

"It started to make sense." Why did they say that.

I glanced at the closed window and took a deep breath, this night would be cloaked in uneasiness. "Hm… Daniella just found something it seems, I will summon her back." I announced, letting my pocket watch to dangle from my hand. " **Vi esorto, Ottavo."**

In a brilliant burst of flame Daniella appeared, flame shedding away from her ghostly form as she smiled at us. " **Buon Giorno, Fiammetta!"**

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

She was definitely as Hara-san said, so unlike ghost in fact she reminded me a lot of Gene in a sense he was a soul yet so life like. _'To be fair I'm not dead yet.'_

' _So she is also the same Daniella from Vongola family tree Madoka show me before?'_ If I was not mistaken she was the eighth family head, right above Mai's grandfather.

Gene hummed, _'She also said Timotheo is her son…'_

Does that mean… Mai had eight spirits under her command, that fit the number of ancestors since the first head. Since she and Tsunayoshi were the tenth, and the ninth was still alive. _'Whoa! Wait a moment Noll! While the number made sense… don't you think it's a little morbid to trap your ancestor's souls and put them under your control?'_

' _Yes, I just made a wild guess… but even I can see Daniella have some degree of free will and she doesn't seem to be bitter with her situation.'_ More like downright cheery about it.

Which was if she was just happen to be one of the ancestors and the rest of spirits dwelling in Mai's pocket watch were from somewhere else was not a stretch of imagination either. Still what Gene and Hara-san said about Mai's spirits was still odd, especially the part where according to them Daniella was neither good nor evil. Gene never describe a spirit that way, and judging from Hara-san's reaction she never did either before.

" **So I found two bodies in some sort of incinerator, males in unspecified age but I am sure pretty young..."**

Gasp echoed in our base at Daniella's report, "You found the bodies?"

Daniella nodded, " **From how much they already decompose I'd say… around two months or so?"** Everyone in the room except me and Mai turned green, I was more curious with Daniella's report or how she even know how long a body had decomposed.

' _Noll, your scientific curiosity scare even me sometimes.'_ Gene commented.

"I see, so the two bodies most likely belong to the missing teenager and firefighter." I cleared my throat, drawing her attention to me. "Is there any wound visible in their body?"

The spirit clad in red suit made a line over her neck with her index finger. **"Yes,** **there's a huge cut on their neck… a very neat one made by a cleaver I think? It's a little rough to be made by scalpel or other delicate equipment. The two men died messily, there would be a lot of blood spilled because the culprit cut the largest arteries in human body."** Daniella reported, still smiling as she tapped the side of her neck.

She could even identify the murder weapon, "A messy and bloody death…"

The rest of the group was clutching their neck now instinctively. "Ugh…"

"Where did you find the incinerator?" Mai asked Daniella. "This place bewilder our senses but I believe you know the general area, at least…"

She nodded, **"Hm… right on the center of this house I believe? It's a really closed off room… a lot of walls blocking the way, unless you can walk through wall like me you won't be able to reach it."**

Mai turned to me, "You heard that? We have to knock the wall off in the end."

"Why are you so enthusiastic to damage client's property?"

"I am sure we can convince Ohashi-san."

"That's not the point." I sighed, "Since you found them in incinerator, is there any sign of burn in their body to hide the evidence?"

Mai winced when Daniella answered, **"I would know that like the back of my hand! Ha ha ha… nope! If not I will not find a rotten corpse but piles of ash and bones! But I did find some too… some human bones, little ones like calcaneus and metacarpals that I am sure doesn't belong to them!"**

Matsuzaki-san couldn't help herself, as a doctor herself she knew about those bones but common people wouldn't know those small ones usually. "How did you know about human remains that well?"

Daniella pointedly ignored that question, **"Is there anything else you need Fiammetta?"**

Mai cupped her chin, "No, thank you Daniella… you may return now."

The spirit smiled in return, turned towards me and… _winked_ ? Then her form was shrouded in flame again before turning to a small tongue of flame that vanished before our eyes.

* * *

 **Naru's and Lin's Room**

' _Gene, why did she wink at us?'_ I assume it was not just to me but also Gene.

My twin stuttered, _'Uhm, she may have seen through our feeling and… I forgot to mention it to you that somehow she also mention about marriage.'_

What the heck did Gene talk about with her? I thought they were just run to the monster? I had not eve decide anything about this relationship business and her great grandmother talked about marriage with Gene?!

' _On positive notes we get her approval and apparently Vongola family take in laws to their family, we have been forewarned.'_

Seriously?

' _And apparently Vongola family… uh, allow polygamy and polyandry too…'_

My brain thinking process took an abrupt halt at Gene's latest information before rebooting, _'I am sure that's illegal in Italy…'_

' _Do you think a family that took in Shouichi who think it's okay to waltz in anywhere including Pentagon in his online escapade would care about that?'_

No, they wouldn't care for sure. In fact I had a feeling considering how our three friends from Vongola acted, they were taught nothing was illegal as long as authorities didn't know about it. _'Forget it…'_ Thinking about train wreck like family of Mai's that put SPR ragtag bunch to normal spectrum in comparison was headache inducing.

"Hm?"

' _What is it Noll?'_ Gene asked.

"There's something here." On the bottom drawer of cupboard in the room there was something pale pink and lacy stuck out a little from the gap. I pulled the drawer and found a very old handkerchief, obviously belonged to a woman with initials T.S with delicate hand embroidered sakura petals. Considering neither family heads lived with their wives here I would be right to assume this was something a maid or female employer left behind. Considering two dead bodies were found and two investigators were most likely dead, I'd say this count as last resort.

' _Noll, at least wait until Lin get out of the bath and sit on the bed please?'_

' _Gene.'_

' _Bed, so in case you collapse at least we don't have to worry about concussion, right?'_

He had a point for once.

 **3rd POV**

Mai had chosen to stay in the base with Tojo and Shima until it was Lin's turn to switch with her, as it was established the front yard was safe, Tojo and Shima continued camping there for sleeping. Though as long as Mai was around it would be fine for them to use the base. Naru had been annoyed with her decision to stay back, but then she could be as stubborn and pointed out the base was no more dangerous or safer than their bedroom. At least the escape route was closer, she reasoned.

Though in her case first or second floor didn't matter much, she and her brother had jumped from fifth floor unharmed before. Vongola and height were best friends so to speak, in loosest sense of words. Speaking of best friends, she was never sure what to call the relationship between the Three Families and Vindice, friends would make majority of mafia population choke at the thought, allies was not right either so perhaps two sides with mutual benefits could describe it.

"And so… You're just avoiding Byakuran because of that mess in Chicago?" She remembered scolding Byakuran for being slow and threatened to throw something a few weeks ago. "Bermuda?"

Fortunately the Arcobaleno had enough sense to call in person, **"Yes… you can't fault me for feeling cross with the Mare Sky, can you? Mai-hime…"**

"I suppose not, but do explain yourself first to Yuni at least… I am glad this is just a false alarm but please _please_ be professional next time in voicing your displeasure with our conduct at least." Mai pleaded, she almost had a heart attack.

" **...You're not swearing revenge on me, are you princess of Vongola?"**

Mai blinked, she swore Bermuda almost sounded fearful, "Why did I do to get that question all the time? No… I won't, I am pretty upset I admit. But it would require pissing me off to disastrous proportion and involved my brother for me to swear revenge on you." She told him blithely.

" **...Thank you for the warning, so now I have expressed my** _ **sincerest**_ **apology for my mishap… for what purpose do you need to contact me Princess?"**

Considering Bermuda was really sorry, what a feat for him to feel so in the first place. Mai supposed there was no harm to ask, "It's about the flame of the night." Mai began, "Is there any possibility Vindice members could stray from your organization?"

Bermuda raised an eyebrow at the question, **"Well, I would be offended if you're questioning my subordinates' allegiance with that question… but as I have revealed to you Princess, alas such thing is not possible, and while loathe I admit our weakness… no, my subordinates can't betray me and live to tell the tale because my flame is their life support."**

That was expected, "As so far we have known… you and certain _pest_ of a ghost who had capability to produce it, so is there a possibility for another user?"

The arcobaleno became quiet before he answered, **"Hm… with the right situation and condition I suppose, I had made a mistake to assume I am the only one before but after being proven wrong once…"**

"I see…" Mai inhaled softly, "And the law pertaining its use is still on effect?"

" **Yes, why did you ask?"** Bermuda asked back impatiently. **"Vongola Princess… please get to your point, we know we're both busy people…"**

Mai scoffed, that was how Bermuda wanted to play? "Well, then I'd like to inform you that I found a night flame user and it have violate around dozens or so rules of yours." Mai finished in one breathe before pulling the brand new satellite phone away from her ears.

" **WHAT?! HOW COULD THAT BE?! EXPLAIN!"**

Great, Bermuda freaked out as expected. There was a good reason why they happily submit to Vindice's law on flame that violate the fabric of dimension. Bermuda could be a dictator but he could be fair and as long as certain bastard with mask was not involved he was very logical when it comes to maintaining his law.

"There's a haunted mansion in Japan…" Mai gave him the simplified version of the case and what they had found so far, there was a ghost with flame of the night that so far had abducted two civilians in her stay here. Before there had been another disappearance and all of the victims confirmed dead. In short the rule of using portal only when one had physical body had been violated, as well as the rule about attacking civilian and around a dozen or so laws.

Bermuda was livid, **"I am really sorry for our oversight Vongola Princess but rest assure I** _ **will**_ **come personally to correct it if I must."**

"No, you can't." Mai told him off promptly, "This place is full of civilians and your presence would send alarm all over Japan, especially since an onmyouji with ties to royal family is here too… that's too much even for us Vongola to take care of…"

" **Are you expecting me to keep quiet? Vongola Princess?"** Bermuda was unhappy with the situation. **"This is a disaster because of our carelessness… another Daemon Spade! At least that wraith limit himself to our world but the one you found…"**

Mai sighed, "I know… I understand Bermuda." Mai was pacing now restlessly, "I don't like this situation better than you do, but at this point just stay still… I will think of something. Worse comes to worst… I will contact the owner of this mansion as a Vongola myself."

" **...Very well, but I'll drag this monster to hell myself if needed."**

That was as good as an agreement she could get, "I will contact you again, Bermuda… jaa…" Mai ended the line as she flopped down on the couch, sighing tiredly as drowsiness began to claim her.

"...I'll just sleep here." With one eye open, she was no stranger to sleeping in dangerous place.

Then she began to dream.

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

I woke up suddenly in the middle of the night. Just as I thought, 'Oh dear', I realized my arms and legs were stiff and could not move. Naru told me that being physically unable to move is not a psychic phenomenon but a physiological occurrence. When the body is very tired but the mind very excited, such things would happen. A successful separation of body and mind, so to speak.

What an experience, perhaps similar to Reborn's sleep with both eyes open. It had been a while since I did that, but I wasn't going to scare civilian with that talent Reborn _oh, so graciously_ had imparted to us. So it's only that my body cannot move, I thought; I was actually very calm. I looked to the side at the door, and my mind came to a halt.

I could turn my head? Then this was not paralysis phenomenon then!

My back rapidly turned cold and I could not make a sound. At the very least it'd have been good to have been able to make some vague or muffled call; as that thought passed through my head even breathing started becoming difficult. Cold sweat covered me from head to toe; I felt dizzy and disorientated. Why was I feeling this way now?

I closed my eyes and did breathing exercise Reborn taught us to calm ourselves, we had been calmer in the last few years so it was hard to recall what to do when we were still prone to panic. My body became lighter and relax, but a soft sound came from the outside; the room's door opened.

My body still could not move as I wished. Only my head turned towards the door. Black figures entered the room. Due to the abruptness of the situation I was slightly stunned. Because they were unquestionably human figures. Who was it? Just as I thought that, I recalled that I had locked the door of the base and each group of SPR had one spare key with them.

Then it dawned on me that this was a post-cognition dream, and in freaking first person. I would have noticed them if my Hyper intuition was working and these two would have apparated to the room instead of opening the door like human.

The figures stood on my two sides. In the darkness, I could vaguely see their faces. I sighed mentally as the two bend down, grabbing both my arms, and I was pulled into sitting position and then to standing position. My body could move. However, it wouldn't move according to my wishes. I wanted to resist but could not. I couldn't even move a finger as I pleased. It was clearly my body but it was controlled by whoever this memory belonged to.

It seemed in the past when they abducted someone they drugged him or her beforehand, perhaps the dinner. I supposed I should just enjoy the show for now, and I was dragged out of the room.

It was pitch-black outside the room and I was dragged down the corridor where I could not tell left from right due to the darkness. After walking a long distance, the men opened a door. I didn't know which room this was but I was sure from the base this path didn't lead to this place. So it was the old layout before the addition. The place was a relatively spacious room, with the furniture in the room was arranged neatly and the fireplace was in use. It really made one feel that there was someone living here. However, there was no one in the room.

The men dragged me into the room. They silently brought me in front of a closet on the right. After opening the closet, there was a corridor inside. The long, dark, narrow corridor extended endlessly inwards. Its narrowness and darkness was somehow nauseating. Still, while I had decided to enjoy the ride this was still a frustrating position to be.

My arms were grabbed and pulled inwards. Gradually, the corridor became a long narrow gravel path sandwiched by hedgerows. A maze garden?! As if this mansion was not labyrinth like enough already. It seemed whoever this memory belonged to regained their consciousness somewhat, but still feeling very groggy and unable to put up a fight so they could only let themselves helplessly dragged over the gravel path. Head lifted but unable to see the face of their captor, or rather I should be able to see but unable to understand what they actually looked like.

Typical of this dream, back in Vongola trial I could see faces clearly so this was more merciful because at least I couldn't see the face of my would be torturer.

Following the hedgerows twisting and turning as if to confuse whoever walked upon this path, at last we reached a corridor. A faint and familiar scent of blood wafted through the air. That wasn't all. The stench of something rotting also permeated the air. No wonder my Hyper intuition said this place was a slaughter house, there would be a lot of victims butchered in this place for this scent to cling to the whole place like second skin.

There was a door in a jutting out portion of the corridor. I cringed silently. I didn't want to go inside. I could feel there was the damned smell of blood inside. I felt it diffused from the door, they opened the door to another spacious room that should be the main hall, and then I was pulled upstairs to innermost room. Which was a bathroom or sorts like it. It was a small room laid with white tiles. On the wooden planked floor, the 2 men let go of my arms, then suddenly started taking off my clothes.

This was not my body and for who knows since when the clothes I was wearing had somehow turned into a kimono. It was a dark blue kimono. Yes, another confirmation I was dreaming of the past but it was still uncomfortable to be stripped naked by strangers. I tried to ignore the discomfort, and swore if these two were the underlings spirits Fujiwara said was trying to sneak behind Masako-chan, that meant these two were still here in ghost form.

I'd exorcise them painfully with my flame later, I decided with sadistic pleasure.

I was feeling comforted by my revenge plan and belatedly noticed they had dragged me deeper to the room which was covered with white tiles. So this was the room where the bloody jacuzzi was located, and indeed In the middle of the room, there was a bathtub that was as white as the walls. An antique bathtub, which I presumed was from… Wait! Stupid brain, don't appraise an antique bathtub now especially since it was misused one if the red colored substance flowed on the floor was anything to go by.

An overwhelming smell of blood and a sharp stench of decomposition made my breath hitched. I forcefully held back my nausea. My feet stepped on a lukewarm fluid. Stepping on that sticky substance was really sickening, it didn't help the whole room was like a painting out of worst horror movie. Was that a chunk of human flesh I saw floating on the bloody puddle?

There was a small bed or rather a pedestal covered in white tiles with metal loop on each corner. Both the metal and the tiles had turned mushy because of the red substance. The men forcefully dragged me onto the pedestal, like a sacrificial lamb. The victim's lips opened, letting out a scream and started to resist. She even desperately bit the two hands grabbing her , but her body whose consciousness I felt was still forcefully pulled onto those tiles.

After being pulled onto those tiles, my back felt the cold, slippery sensation of the tiles. The disgusting sensation of slippery, lukewarm blood and the soft fragment of something unknown – it was almost like slabs of meat or something – against my back caused a sensation of horror.

Alright, I had to admit even with memory of Vongola trials on the back of my mind this ranked pretty high on horror scale. It was even more terrifying and frustrating, how this body struggle futilely, sending the scent of blood to get stronger and nauseating even for me with her trashing.

"No! Let me go!" A voice that was not mine cried out and I cursed inwardly since I was feeling my limbs again now, which meant the drug used to sedate this girl had worn off. "No! Save me!" She cried again as the men started to tied her whole body down, with her head dangling off the end of the bed. This position was exposing my neck and what Daniella said came to mind.

" **There's a huge cut on their neck…  
A very neat one made by a cleaver I think?"**

Thank you very much Daniella, now I knew the manner of how I would die here. The men left when I had the recollection, and had returned with… bingo! They did have a cleaver with them, they really saw their victim as nothing more than livestock to butcher. The cleaver gleamed under the light as the man who was standing on the side of pedestal grabbed the girl's hair. He pushed down forcefully; as though convulsing, my neck bent backwards.

Ice cold fingers touched the exposed throat. "I don't want to die! Save me!"

The man lifted his hands. An ice-cold blade pressed against the throat. It was a thin, sharp item. He inhaled deeply, creating a suspense I hated so much before the knife was sliding on my throat. A biting pain washed through my entire body.

At once a warm wet substance rushed forth from my throat and down my neck. My vision was stained bright red. Finally I sensed the pain of my neck being cut in immense wave in my whole body.

Damn, experience of your throat being slit before didn't make it any less painful. Or I'd have complete control of myself just because I knew this was a dream, my Hyper Intuition snapped awake and my flame went out of control. I should cut the link off when I could.

" **HIME!"**

My eyes snapped open and I realized where I was, on the base! Damn! How much damage did I do to this place? Then I belatedly realized my flame was not spreading but contained, it seemed Tojo and Shima noticed my trashing and activate the flame barrier before I got violent. I called out my flame, thankful it was just a brief outburst, not enough to knock me out.

The sky flame vanished, and I heaved a sigh. I was relieved for one second before I noticed I was on the floor full of soot and the couch was mostly gone. Damn it! Then we heard sound of people running towards the base, no doubt they heard the sound of explosion and screaming. Tojo and Shima quickly hauled whatever left of the couch and threw it out of the window, and I pulled the carpet to cover the floor.

It never ceased to surprise me how good we were in covering our mess, so when the door opened with a bang by Bou-san and co, there was nothing amiss in our base. Mostly, aside from the knocked table with scattered papers and me. I tripped on nothing when I moved to greet them and face planted on the floor.

"Oof!"

" **MAI!"**

That was embarrassing, Reborn would kill me if he knew I regained my second left feet after years of his teaching.

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

"Naru?" Lin called me, checking my condition after the psychometric vision wore off.

I inhaled slowly, as usual this kind of vision was never easy. It was nauseating, so even though I hated to look weak I didn't move because from experience that meant stumbling, vertigo and vomiting. It didn't take long until I regain my composure and sat up, a thermos of warm tea was ready by the bedside table. Lin had reheated the one Mai brew for me with electric kettle it seemed.

' _That's must be an intense one and you didn't even let me-'_

' _You'd rather not seeing it.'_ I told my twin. "Where should I start…" I pondered before taking a sip of the my calming draught.

BANG!

My eyes snapped open in surprise, so did Lin a sound of something like small bomb exploding followed by panicked yell of the rest of our team and stampede in the hallway. Somehow Gene and I knew Mai was the source of commotion, what happened to her?

' _Shit, did you close your connection with Mai?'_

I didn't, I didn't even know _how_ in the first place. _'Damn it!'_ I cursed under my breath as I grabbed my black jacket and thermos of tea, knowing someone else would need it. It didn't take long for us to reach the base, where our co-workers who had arrived first were fussing over Mai.

She was sitting on the wooden chair Lin used, blushing furiously as Matsuzaki-san treated the bruise on her nose. While Bou-san who was standing beside her asked if she was alright and what she just dreamed. Mai was quiet before she opened her mouth, her eyes caught mine before tears started to flow uncontrollably.

"Eh? Eh?" She looked at the soaked fingers that touched the corner of her eyes. "Why am I crying?" She asked in wonder.

Matsuzaki-san pulled her to a hug, "Look what you did! Can't you see the poor girl is shaken?!"

"I am so sorry Jou-chan! You don't have to tell us!"

I sighed as I walked towards her and offered a cup of tea, she looked up at me in puzzlement. Her amber eyes shimmered briefly, and I swore for a moment there was something like fire flickered in the depth. "Thank you, Naru." She accepted the offered cup and began to drink the beverage.

I took my eyes off of her and surveyed the room, there were some things amiss. I was sure underneath the table there was a carpet but it was moved towards the center of the room where something else was missing. The ever present couch Tojo and Shima never failed to bring with us was gone. Though at this situation I was sure asking about a furniture would rile up some people like Bou-san and Matsuzaki-san.

"So about the dream I had…" Mai's eyes were tear free now.

Matsuzaki-san frowned at her, "That can wait for tomorrow, you broke down just now, Mai." It must be surprising for them since Mai rarely cried.

Mai blinked at them, "The tears aren't mine… it's just the emotion from the vision I had really got to me, I am fine now." She glanced at me, "I am afraid I will forget if I go to sleep again."

I sighed, why did she always want to be accommodating like this? _'Because she is Mai… seriously Noll, I think this mean no more recklessly delving to vision for us. Not if Mai would get the brunt like this.'_

"There were two men coming in…" It had occurred to me before that the way of her storytelling was Gene like but now with Gene on my side I picked more difference. "Dragging their victim from bed… the body felt numb, it's still up to question whether it's the spirit's power or drug is involved…"

It was especially apparent as the vision was like a silent movie because no dialogue was exchanged.

"In previous visions there's always a tiled room with antique bathtub, the porcelain surface is stained with blood. Whoever used it ever bothered to clean the room, most likely it's in use too often so it would be a moot point to do so."

The atmosphere around us was tense as we listened to Mai's story, it was a captivating storytelling. Though obviously from their look Matsuzaki-san and Bou-san disagreed, they didn't like how Mai spoke of the experience as if she was watching a movie while it was obvious she was experiencing it.

"There was a pedestal covered in white tiles in deeper part of the room, the surface had became sticky with blood. The two men forcefully dragged the victim onto the pedestal, like a sacrificial lamb."

Her expression however didn't change, her voice was detached. However there was a drama she weaved, depicting the very real vision like a horror story she shared with friends instead of…

"At this point she regained control of her limbs… screaming and resisting, but her would be torturer were stronger. Her head was not touching the surface of pedestal so she can't help but exposed her neck." Mai craned her neck in the same fashion.

"They left her for a moment and came back with a cleaver, like one used in butcher… and then." Mai held her neck, "They slit her throat." Mai traced a line over her jugular. "And-"

Matsuzaki-san cut her off, muffling whatever Mai was about to say with pulling Mai to her chest. "THAT'S ENOUGH! NO MORE!"

That was when I noticed John and Yasuhara looked grim, Bou-sa was shaking with anger. Hara-san covered her mouth, her free hand clutching on Fujiwara-san -who knows since when was in our base again- the Onmyouji didn't seem to notice the proximity, staring at Mai with barely veiled shock. Lin's eyes caught mine, it seemed my guardian was unsettled that I had accidentally gave Mai a nightmare.

Mai pushed Matsuzaki-san away gently, "I can't breathe Ayako-san! I am fine… and alive."

I sighed, it seemed the whole team was going to fuss over her again and after she had taken the role of telling our vision to the rest of the group I supposed I had to spare her from further smothering. "Go back to your room… we have to rest to be in prime condition in the morning."

Then I turned to Mai who had stood up and sneakily scooted away from the group before anyone could grab her. "You too Mai, let's go back to our room." And swiftly pulled her by the waist to my side before stirring her to the exit door of the base, leaving our slackjawed co-workers behind.

Mai was silent halfway to our room before she broke it, "Naru?"

I swallowed, "I am sorry…. I was careless, I didn't mean it for you to see it."

She just smiled at me wanly, "It's alright."

"It's not." I hissed at her.

Mai chuckled softly, "If it's anyone else, perhaps…" She murmured softly, "But in my case…" She trailed off with a somber smile on her lips. "It's nothing less than poetic justice."

What did she mean by that? _'Why Mai gave us that kind of face, as if…'_ As if she hated herself, that she deserved the pain my vision inflicted on her. As if… that trial, she deserved to suffer it. _'No one deserve it, much less Mai…'_

"Well… and even then it would never be enough."

 **Mai… stop it!  
** I didn't know who did it, and perhaps it didn't matter who pulled Mai close so her whole body stuck close to mine. "Stop that..." my lips murmured softly to her ears.

"Stop what?" She asked in puzzlement.

"Thinking that you deserve to suffer... as if you have wronged the world."

Mai pushed away from us slightly with her hands, smiling sadly. "You're getting too close to truth, it's almost scary..."

"Mai?"

She closed her eyes, sighing. "It's nothing, let's go to sleep. We both need it some, no matter how not tempting a bed is to us tonight."

We couldn't argue with that.

* * *

 **Back on the base (3rd POV)**

The other spiritualists were all too distracted by Mai to notice but not Lin, when he came in he noticed the air in their base were humming with energy. He even took measurement of temperature and it said, 26 degrees, that was temperature at night in spring. Obviously something paranormal took place here. Tojo and Shima were silent on their seat as Lin inspected the carpet that had been moved, his hand reached out to flip it over.

Fujiwara stopped him, "You're a spiritualist but also a researcher so I couldn't blame you for getting curious, Lin-san. However I will warn you, you lift that you will have more question than answers. You would be tempted to dig deeper, and that's something akin to suicide."

Lin glanced at the other onmyouji before lifting the carpet, there was burn mark on the floor in whirlpool like pattern as if there was a storm of flame on the center. There was no smell of gunpowder or anything that suggest a bomb just exploded here. His shiki were restless, they had stayed right outside of the room as if anything that just happened here scared them. Fujiwara's shiki was in the same state and he swore he heard one of them was crying like a little girl.

"Did Sawada-san do this?"

Fujiwara didn't answer that question, "You'd better hope you never find answer to any question you have in mind now, Lin-san."

"Why?"

The boy hesitated before answering, "Those who belong to that side likes their secret, and they guard it jealously… and Sawada-san is no different."

And with that he left his fellow Onmyouji to mull over what happened tonight.

 **Somewhere unknown (Naru's POV)**

We had slept, anticipating another dream after what happened tonight. And indeed once again, either because of our turmoil or proximity we were presented by another memories. For once it was not just Mai and her twins plus someone we didn't know, Hayato was in this vision and from his height we knew this was Hayato who was the same age as one we met back in our first meeting.

"And pull it up like this." Hayato was instructing Yamato Takeshi how to put his tie neatly. "Seriously… by now you should learn how to dress neatly."

"Aha ha! Sorry Hayato!"

Hayato scowled at him, "Idiota." Then he turned his attention to someone else, "Oi! Turftop! You too! Your cufflink! Button it up! Damn it!"

"Extreme!"

"Mukuro! Who give you permission to wear leather coat! Put your suit jacket!"

"Kufufufu fu… and dressed like the rest of you? No thanks."

"You do realize your girlfriend dress like us, right?" Then he turned to said girlfriend, "And Chrome, no offense to your taste but do you have other kind of eyepatch?"

"No, I don't."

He groaned, then turned to the child with afro hair clinging to Sasagawa Ryohei. "Is there any point asking Lambo to put on something green to match his position instead of cow print shirt?"

A chuckle softly filled the air and all eyes turned to the boy sitting on ornate chair behind mahogany desk, "Hayato… calm down, it's just a small ceremony."

"Hayato is as uptight as ever." Gene commented with a smile.

"This can't be a harmless vision, we will find something we shouldn't."

The door opened and Mai whose face was as pale as a sheet entered the room. "Onii-chan! Mother… she-" Mai cried out.

"What hap-"

Suddenly the vision was erased away and the world was repainted gradient of sky, from dawn to night. It was a spectacular sight that even took my breathe away, but then I noticed Gene gulping nervously. "Noll, first thing first... don't look down and keep your eyes on pretty skies above."

I raised an eyebrow at him, my eyes drifted down against his warning. I saw deep abyss below and my eyes quickly went up as Gene said. What did we stand on again?

"Second, be quiet and maybe we can left before she-"

The a familiar voice called us, obviously unhappy.

 **"Naru, Gene… what are _you two_ doing here?"**

* * *

 **Cliffhanger is art! To me at least ^^ I hope you ejoy my version of dream scene, and YES it's graphic… as depicted in novel…**

 **An OMAKE after so long... You dear readers deserve one after your patience with me ha ha ha ^^**

OMAKE: Tsu-kun, Mai-chan, I am your father!  
 _Or alternatively how much Vongola suck with their biological family no matter how splendid they were with family.  
_

Vongola famiglia is a family, but let's not talk about the biological family of the boss… it's a messy conversation, very much so. It was one unspoken rule in mafia to not touch this topic with a Vongola. There was a good reason why citizens of Mafia world were surprised Vongola for once had a boss who had a sibling by the time of coronation and their extended -secretly adopted- relative Xanxus was still alive after Sky battle.

Vongola loved their family strongly, but the less said about their own biological family the better. There was a good reason why Vongola history was basked with blood and steeped with cocktail of sin and tragedy. Though in current generation's case it was not so much a tragedy or blood, more like an extreme case of child neglect, idiocy in their father's part and indignation in the Vongola twins' part.

No one ever warned SPR of course, and guardians who had had the pleasure of meeting the ragtag team conveniently forget to do so. It started quite innocently when they had dinner in one of their cases, and went down from there to traumatizing conversation.

As usual Mai volunteered to cook, in fact she insisted because cooking for a lot of people really sate her urge to take care of people around her. Masako was annoyed because the fact Mai was a good mother and wife figure was shoved to their face, as all males -minus Naru- and even Lin admitted she was a good cook

It made Ayako who was also a lady from rich family curious. "Say Mai…" Ayako began, eyeing rolled pickled small radish that immaculately cut to chrysanthemum shape appraisingly. "Why an Ojou like you so good at cooking?" Ayako herself was so-so at it, simply because for her diet she had to cook the meal herself to make sure the salt content was right.

Mai's answer to that was prompt as if it was the most natural thing in the world, "Because my mother was a good cook, and she taught me and my brother."

No one missed the past tense, and silence fell in the room. Nothing could be heard other than soft sipping noise Mai herself made when drinking her miso soup. ""Hh…" She sighed contently, "Taste of miso soup is really heart soothing."

As if she didn't just from a mind breaking revelation that her mother had passed away Ayako being the brave soul she was, and impulsive as well blurted out. "Your mother is… already…"

Mai blinked at her, then answered. "She was no longer around when I was in second year of middle school."

"And your father?" Bou-san, the father of SPR team couldn't help but ask too.

She huffed, "As you know, still kicking and working in Italy but for most of the time he is travelling all over the world for business reason." Mai answered in clipped tone, before chewing on rolled omelette.

"Do you miss him?"

"How to miss someone who has never been around since you were five?" She answered too promptly to be natural. "In fact there's one time Tsuna and I forgot we have a father."

What?!

"Wait, more like… because he told Okaa-san to tell us he has become a star." Which was apparently happened when he was unsure he could come back alive from his mission. Not that he came back until years later, at least if he was dead he had a legitimate reason. "We just assume he was dead until we're twelve…"

Which father told his wife to say that to his children?! Mai's apparently.

"So it's totally not our fault when we met him again, or rather saw him sprawled on our couch in living room… Tsuna and I stuffed him to a sack and call a police because we thought he is a homeless bum sneaking into our house." Exactly what Reborn taught them, minus sending the sack to the police. Though in their defense it was out of consideration that blood was hard to wash off on their carpet.

And he was arrested because his own children forgot who he was?!

"And by the next day he returned, still sleeping in our house and on the floor… we threw the sack to the river next." Which was approved by Reborn, bonus point for no blood involved and death by drowning was very painful.

They attempted to murder him?!

"He is still alive by the next day and as people said, the third time's the charm… when Tsuna found the same idiot sitting in dining table and ate all the food we cooked for breakfast. Then as if he didn't just commit a crime he went to sleep on the couch again. So we…"

What did they do then?

"Like good children we call our mother and said, Okaa-san! There's a bum on our coach and he ate our breakfast! and then finally our mother inform us that the bum apparently donate half of our gene pool much to our shame." She sighed long and hard as if recalling the moment as the most painful time of her life. "We were pretty troubled back then."

Troubled how? By now, everyone but Lin and Naru were leaning forward closely to listen to drama of Sawada family.

"We live so comfortably because he is an awfully well paid bum, so our neighbor assumed our father is an… elite businessman, and yet here he was… dressed only in his tank top and boxer, like a homeless bum… drinking beer first thing in the morning and snoring like a cow. What if he was seen by our neighbors?! Imagine the gossip!"

Definitely not what their neighbor expected, but their reaction to the revelation was a tad too dramatic.

"Beside, we're getting very comfortable, too comfortable with the idea he was already dead." Mai clicked her tongue, as if saying 'a shame he was alive.' and that fact troubled her more than it was healthy even for teenager in her rebellious age.

This was no longer 'I hate you' level most normal teenager went through. Even Bou-san was scared for Mai's father life.

Lin was also perturbed with Mai's behavior, Naru was still seeping his tea serenely, unperturbed. 'Wow, Mai really don't like her Dad.' Then again in Gene's opinion her father sounded like a jerk.

"Onii-chan was in disbelief if that guy is indeed our father and that apparently the pest is not a bum. Could have fooled us, we thought." She shrugged. "He could have been a marriage swindler and our father have really become a star!

And her brother was still concerned whether the man was their father or not?! Even though their mother and the wife of the man said so?! Mai was also still hoping that was real?

Naru at this point noted her hands started to flail around in wild gesture, a testament of her Italian blood taking over. He supposed Mai was lucky out of all of them only he and John understood Italian at some degree and he was the only one who was familiar enough with the hand gesture courtesy of Hayato. Some was quite… improper for a girl to do, especially in regards to her own father.

"Still… there's a drunk in our living room so we got him a glass of water."

This was Mai and Tsuna after all, of course they would be kind in spite of their skepticism. Or so SPR minus Naru thought.

"We're in dilemma for a while."

Over what?

"Whether we should give it to him or empty it on his head."

What?!

"But in the end the decision was easy because he snored and open his mouth wide so… we empty it to his open mouth until he choke." Which was a quasi combination of both, and Reborn had been very pleased with their creativity.

You two were still trying to murder him?!

Mai rubbed the back of her head sheepishly, "We went to school as usual and we forgot again because you know… we got distracted by our friends." Like Hayato blowing something up, and Kyouya biting someone again.

You forgot you had a father, again?!

"Until we went back, helped Okaa-san to cook dinner and saw our father is still very much alive…" She sighed again, this time wistfully as if she was recalling how she had hoped that was all just a dream their father was alive. "And real."

Was she hoping it was a dream?

"Sitting across us beside Okaa-san, shoving rice down his throat… and between eating he flirted with Okaa-san with cheesy lines, it's terrifying… when you were torn between your meal and watching traumatizing sight of your parents making eyes at each other…" Her voice became very small and she was mumbling now.

She was traumatized?!

"I wish he has become a star for real."

Did Mai just blatantly wish her father to be dead?

"Then at last he noticed we exist." Mai was gripping her chopstick so hard, it broke in two pieces. "Do you know what the first thing he said to us after seven freaking years?!" She asked, reaching for new chopsticks.

Mai was gritting her teeth, SPR members now leaned away from the girl. Except Naru and Gene who found the vexed Mai was a very enchanting sight for some reason, especially the rapidly rising temperature in the room, her flushed cheeks and how her amber like eyes shone with anger. Like a vengeful goddess.

Mai's frown turned to a full blown smile, as she beamed, "Hello my cute Tweedledee-Tweedledum Cielo…" She cooed, making kissy noise while she was at it. "Otou-chan miss you too! Tuna-fishy, Mai-kitty!"

There goes her second chopstick even before touching any of her food, and now they were really terrified.

"How dare he!" If before her hand gestures was still clear, now she moved her hands so fast they could only see the blurry of movement. Naru gave up following the gesture but he was sure he saw Italian version of 'screw you' a lot.

"Showing up at home as if nothing wrong and hurl insult he thought is endearing to our faces! He is so lucky our birth certificate use our Japanese name! If not we would become a laughing stock for the rest of our life! Would it kill him to make my first name Cielle at least?! When we took our position in the office, it creates so much confusion so we just ban that freaking name!" Mai fumed, her cheeks flushed with anger.

Naru and Gene found the sight so endearing, the younger twin didn't notice he had forgotten his meal like everyone else and staring at the mafia princess with open fascination. If Bou-san and Ayako were not too terrified, they would comment that Naru looked lovestruck.

"Onii-chan was in shock! Fish! He called Onii-chan fish!" Mai was on full blown rant. "And kitty?! How dare he!" The amber eyed girl growled, her temper shot up to its highest thinking about the implication of that supposedly endearing nick to her father's fearsome reputation as Vongola's young lion. "And Tweedledee-tweedledum?! The nerve!"

Only Reborn could call them that and live to tell the tale! Not to mention their mentor called them that as derogatory remark to teach them independence, Iemitsu in the other hand just thought it was adorable.

It was amazing in a sense their father could push all the wrong button in a short time he interact with his children in spite he had not seen them for years.

Then Mai's voice became small again, "And the next thing we knew… the plate of namero was on his face, his hair had a bowl of natto on it."

They threw food at him?! Sashimi bits with miso and smelly fermented beans of all things? They couldn't help but wonder if Tsuna and Mai were really throwing the food on impulse if they deliberately pick the smelliest food on the table.

"Okaa-san was furious, and we had to camp out in Ryou-nii's house until he left."

And you two ran away from home after that?!

Mai sighed dejectedly, "That's the first time in our life we got grounded… a black mark in our life."

The issue you hated your father so much should be a bigger issue, not the being grounded by your mother at the age of twelve. Was what they wanted to tell her but decided not to.

"We regretted it a little when he left though." Mai grumbled, a new chopstick in hand as she pushed the cherry tomato on her salad bowl absentmindedly.

So she had regret treating her father like that? Mai was a good kid after all.

She clenched her fist and the third chopstick in that one dinner met its maker. "We should have punched his face at least once! No, one for each of us!"

Of course not, it was so Mai to be unpredictable. She was terrifying when she got angry, it seemed her father was really a dangerous landmine of hers. In the other hand…

Jii...

"Hmph!" Mai harrumphed, stuffing her cheeks. "He didn't even clean up the mess he left behind!"

Jiii...

Lin glanced to the side where the window at night became as reflective as a mirror, Naru's reflection had different pose as Gene was resting his cheek on his palm while Naru had his chin on his laced fingers. However, the twins were both staring at Mai as if her angry-self was the most beautiful sight in the world, Naru was obviously entranced, Gene was even more so.

Amazingly Mai was so caught up with her temper she didn't notice the look she got from the lovesick Davis twins.

 **Review Please!**


	38. Case 07, Part 06

**I am having doubt on how to end this arc with a BANG! Ha ha!**

* * *

 **Case 07, Part 06**

Usually Naru could avoid eating breakfast with SPR team, and Mai would bring him and Lin something. Today however Naru was told to sit with them by Mai and much to their shock no argument escaped Naru's lips and he promptly sat beside Mai. They supposed it was not so odd Naru indulged Mai's wishes, especially after the ordeal she went through last night with the nightmare.

Though they had to wonder why Naru sometime unconsciously touching his cheek with a wince, and Mai was muttering whenever he did so.

Mai ignored their inquiring look, eyes wandered and noted none of the other groups seemed to be present, Fujiwara had assimilated himself to their group so he didn't count.

"Are you alright, Mai?" Bou-san asked. "I'm sure if you wanted to stay in bed, Naru-bou would be okay with it." He gave Naru a look. "I am sure you didn't get enough sleep last night."

She shook her head, eyes closed. "I am fine..." The Monk didn't look all that convinced. "I have trained to deal with my power since I was young, compartmentalizing my mind so something such as traumatizing vision won't affect my mental health much."

"But Mai."

"I am dealing with it better if no one fussed over me about it." Mai said in clipped tone and that was the cue to not pursue the issue.

Yasuhara changed the topic, "What does everyone think about this theory," Yasuhara said. "We know there's a chance that Suzuki and Atsugi have passed on. Could your dream have been an accurate representation of what they suffered at the hands of this unknown killer?"

"A dream that's… telepathic?" John questioned.

"If that's the case, then they've both been murdered, right?" Ayako said.

"This may sound crazy," Bou-san began, giving side glances to the staffs attending them, "but is there any chance the people working here are up to something?"

Mai and Naru exchanged glances, knowing where their resident monk's line of thought was heading. A cliche mystery plot found in detective fiction.

Bou-san sputtered at the look Mai and Naru gave him, knowing very well what they thought about his unvoiced theory. "Just look at the situation," He hissed in mock whisper. "The employees have been working here for a full week and nothing's happened to them, yet we've been here for three days and two people have already disappeared."

"Now that you mention it, no one directly associated with the house has disappeared," Yasuhara pointed out. "Isn't this scene like those in a movie?"

"Is it?"

"They clearly know there are hidden rooms and hidden passageways but they don't tell us; there's this possibility too."

"Exactly. It's these fellows who hid the 2 people who have disappeared. If it's like this…" Bou-san put his hand on his head.

Yasuhara couldn't stop nodding. "If it's like this then we're all sacrifices. They told us that it'd be troubling to let the media know, and they closed us in here, then one by one they make us vanish. In the end there's not one of us left…"

"The one called Ohashi is actually a homicidal maniac or something."

"Perhaps this place is a secret temple for satanic worship."

Naru and Mai sighed at the idiocy of their theory but neither was in a mood to comment on it so early in the morning. Not after what happened last night. Beside what Satanic worship? Mai would have laughed if she was in the mood to imagine Checker Face was Satan incarnate, Bermuda would have agreed. Though rather than Satan or demon at works, she'd say there was another Bermuda here.

One with no sense of reason left most likely.

However one question remain if something like Bermuda or Daemon was born in this place, what the sacrifices were for? If this monster go to killing spree it was more make sense to Mai but it deliberately took victim one by one, and there must be some sort of rule behind the killing. If she assumed this entity was a serial killer.

"These fellows – didn't they say that they had not encountered anything strange? They were here preparing for a very long time, right? They say nothing had happened; is it even possible?" Bou-san was still on his conspiracy theory.

John and Yasuhara agreed, "True."

"Exactly. None of the staff here have disappeared before. Thinking carefully about it, none of the people directly associated with this house have vanished. But paranormal investigators, the punk who broke into this place, and the fire brigade volunteer who came forth to investigate…"

"So only outsiders are the ones being affected," Mai murmured softly. "True… even if we count victims from Kaneyuki-shi's time, they're all not associated with the mansion." Then she smiled at Bou-san. "Wonderful analysis Bou-san but… I'd be the first to reject the idea the culprit is Ohashi-san's staffs or him."

They blinked owlishly at Mai. "Why?"

"If someone like that is among the staff… I will pick their killing intent up even with a blindfold." The Vongola told them bluntly, at the surprised look she got she elaborated. "I never told you? Intent like bloodlust is really easy to be sensed by my intuition, even normal human could sense it… so I will tell you clearly, none of these gentlemen have such intention to us."

Bou-san groaned, while Ayako huffed. "If such dangerous person is around, Mai would have known."

John agreed. "So true… I don't believe they're the culprit either."

Naru spoke for the first time, "Especially since this mansion is abandoned by the time the teenager and firefighter were missing, so Ohashi-san and the rest of the staff weren't here _yet."_ Bou-san's shoulders fell in disappointment.

Mai nodded in agreement, "But Bou-san is right, it's still strange they're unharmed… they didn't even experience any supernatural disturbance until we got here."

Their resident priest began a list, "Hm… Mr Kaneyuki, who lived here, was fine. Mr Hiroyuki, who frequently stopped at this place, was also fine. Even the various staff members, up till today, have lived safely here..."

"If that's the case, then don't the spirits here have the hobby of picking out sacrifices? The spirits here will not hurt anyone with an association to the Miyama family or something." Ayako pointed out.

Bou-san sank into deep thought. "But the staff here is associated with the former Prime Minister not Miyama family now."

John's blue eyes shone with realization. "What about this," John said. "Is it possible the spirits prefer people of a certain age…? All of the staff are of the older persuasion, yet everyone who's disappeared has been younger."

Light bulbs sparked on their mind at John's conclusion. "I see…" Naru cupped his chin, before glancing at Mai. "We have to check the age of all missing person, compile data of the range of age when they went missing."

"That would be no problem, Fondation sent us the age data under description of each missing person." Mai assured him before turning towards Shima who knows since when was behind them. "Shima, aside from compiling data on the age range of victims… inform Hayato to cancel his trip to Venice, and ask Byakuran to call certain person he had pissed off few weeks ago."

What? They all had this question written plainly on their face.

"And while he was at it, ask where did Skull is left behind… and pick the poor gopher up." Even though it was Skull, he was still part of Trinisette and high ranking member of Carcassa famiglia. They were middle tier famiglia, but when they were up to trouble they had no common sense.

Mai wouldn't want Yuni to deal with them if they got wild over Skull missing.

* * *

 **(Mai's POV) Few hours later…**

"Yes, I'd like you to find out about the market price Hayato…" Because I wouldn't know, as I had never purchased something like this. Even back then when we decided to celebrate the first year of our reign, we just sign the paperwork while cringing at the zeroes on the check needed to build seven private jets.

How I missed the life when we only know yen and the zero was five at most, and not in Euro which with same amount of zero already hurting our commoner's eyes. Reborn lied that we would get used to the numbers, because we never did and never would.

Hayato gave me the number in cheery tone, and I suppress my urge to cringe. Even if he told me the price in yen, it was still lots of zeroes. "I see… then I will leave it to you. Bye, Hayato."

"Mai." Naru who just returned from whatever he did outside of the base with Lin-san called me.

I harrumphed, I had ceased ignoring him him on breakfast because we were having an important discussion.

* * *

 _ **(Flashback (Astral World)**_

" _Naru, Gene… what are you two doing here?"_

 _It was a valid question to ask when you had an intruders in your astral world, even if they were your friends, waltzing to the world that embody your soul was still a serious issue. I couldn't even feel amusement at the twin look of shock on Gene's and Naru's. This was like caught butt naked, explained Mukuro in his crude attempt to drill it to my innocent thirteen years old mind to be more guarded in astral world._

 _I was not angry at the Davis twins to be honest, after all obviously these two were here by accident and it was not like I had anything Gene didn't see yet. Wait, that sounded so wrong even in my mind._

 _Gene moved first, as in bowing and apologizing profusely. "I am so sorry! I don't know how we got here! Honest! It's all accidental!"_

 _Naru opened his mouth to retort to that statement before clamped it shut, crossing his arms over his chest._

" _Did you see anything?" Before I would just let them off of the hook but after I knew about their psychic ability, the complete list, I just had to ask first._

 _Gene gulped audibly, while Naru looked away as if ashamed. They obviously had seen something they didn't want me to know._ _ **"Spill."**_

 _Before Naru could stop him Gene had launched a rant, telling me about vision of the past they had seen and one I interrupted midway. I paled when they had apparently overheard about the trial, and saw the aftermath. Miraculously what they saw were both extremely vague on darker side of her past I hid, they didn't see the trial or what happened few days later that erased our mother from our life._

" _I know we shouldn't! But the first vision looks so innocent! And… in the second you're bandaged from head to toe! And believe me, it's getting harder to break out of it!"_

 _I could believe that, because of this mansion our link were getting stronger and the two weren't experienced enough to deal with psychic link connected to someone like me, a sky. There was a good reason why certain pest of a ghost was still rolling over after death when Primo was concerned. Which was also why Mukuro and Kyou-san were so peeved with their link the first time around, because it was like a leash to those two. It would have if Tsuna and I were dictators with our guardians, but we liked the idea of free will, family and democracy too much to let the link to be a shackle._

" _So please don't hate us and say you won't see us ever again."_

 _Wait- what?! I blinked at them and realized when I was so distracted by my line of thought I missed most Gene's long winded apology. Where did he get the idea I would be that cruel, what kind of impression he had on me?!_

" _I won't say such thing…" On second thought, considering on our first meeting I threatened to burn him I supposed while Gene had forgotten the fear was still ingrained in him. "And I understand how did it happen." I raised her hands placatingly. "I am upset, but it's not something I will cut ties with you over..." I assured them because with how quiet Naru was and not criticizing his twin's idiocy said a lot about his discomfort and remorse for what happened._

 _I had kept more secrets than they did and by now they almost had none, but it was a product of circumstance. I however never pried on their past with my power like they did, even if it was by accident. Still…_

" _I like you two too much…" I was closing her eyes as I confessed this, it was my honest thought. I really liked Naru and Gene. They were too good to me, and I felt this way all the time. I wished I could've met them in different circumstances and maybe I won't feel guilty for binding them to me even if it was temporarily. If there was anyone who should feel scared to be erased from their heart, to be cut off, it should be me._

" _So I won't." When the time came I would brace myself to be hated, and their blue eyes won't gaze at me so kindly ever aga- Wait, since when Gene was so close?_

" _I like you too Mai!" Gene pulled me to his embrace before I felt his lips on mine, kissing me soundly on the lips. My eyes went wide in shock at the contact, and a jolt ran through my body when Gene nibbled on my lower lip playfully before releasing me, or rather Naru pulled his twin off of me with a growl._

 _I looked at the two glaring at each other in shock and disbelief, "He… He…" My lips stuttered._

" _ **He?"**_ _The twin echoed._

" _ **HENTAI!"**_ _My hand flew on reflex and two resounding slap echoed through my astral world, and when I regained composure, the two identical face spotted red handprint on their cheeks._

 _I realized I had made a mistake, "Ah." I didn't mean to slap Naru too but he was so close with Gene, and I got him by impulse._

 _Naru touched his stinging cheek tentatively, "I don't think I deserve that."_

" _Aha ha… sorry?" I said timidly, blinking at the glint that entered his eyes. He was smiling now, a real cocky smile with mischievous glint on his eyes. I saw that before, but where?_

 _The younger twin stepped in and closed his distance with me when I was distracted, hand reached out to the back of my neck and pulled my lips flush against his, swallowing my gasp. I almost choked when I felt intrusion on my mouth licking the sensitive cavern before withdrawing, sending electric like tingle through me. Naru looked smug when he withdrew, and stepped away from my reach._

" _Ah, Noll! That's sly!" Gene's comment snapped me back to my senses._

 _I began to tremble when I realized these two had made fun of me, this was a sexual harassment! English gentlemen? These two were just… just... "Oliver Davis…. Eugene Davis." I called out their full name threateningly. "WHAT MAKE YOU THINK TWO WRONGS MAKE IT RIGHT?!"_

 _And so second slapping sound echoed through the sky, and the Davis twins were kicked out of my astral world not so gently._

 _End of flashback_

* * *

 **3rd POV**

Naru was still rubbing his cheek, "And I'm still feeling the phantom pain the whole day." It was noon but Naru had been feeling the sting on his left cheek since he woke up, his cheek was not even swollen or red but the pain was so vivid like it was real. Maybe because the one Mai slapped was his spirit, interesting.

Mai rolled her eyes, "I believe you find your pain interesting somehow, idiot scientist."

Naru fought his urge to blush, because at the time like this in which Mai saw through him and he couldn't deny he was indeed as his twin nicknamed him was an idiot scientist. _'Indeed you are…'_ Gene added in deadpan tone. _'Getting slapped by our lady love and you find a silver lining in your scientific mind.'_

' _Gene, not another word.'_

' _Idiot scientist in love.'_

' _Stupid medium.'_ Naru caught himself before he could add anything else, because getting on name calling argument with Gene would be degrading his intelligence. Hayato was so right.

Gene snickered, _'You're agreeing with Hayato often lately, are you going to give up the next debate then?'_ Their score was still even by now.

' _Never… speaking of idiocy…'_ Naru trailed off, eyes glancing at Mai who was on phone call, a business call he was not going to begrudge her for considering the colossal company she manage was BSPR's collaborator and sponsor now. It would be self-defeating reprimanding Mai for running her own business. She was speaking in Italian rapidly as groaning.

[Verde, I swear… do us all a favor and just- oh of course I can call Talbot, do you think? I don't even know if the old man is still alive! He only come running if Onii-chan ask for him! No! I am not going to be your lab rat in return! I will not give you my mist either! It's your job! I will pay you!]

Mai was tapping her feet impatiently now, [Fine! I will even get Shouichi and Spanner to work with you for your next project! But! If you dare to try anything with them, I swear Varia will come knocking in your door!]

Verde had the gall to retort wittily at her, [No, the manner of your death is not up to your suggestion. Regardless of Varia's policy, I'm still their boss. Regardless of what they write under their flag.] Squadra killer autonoma di Vongola IX, which means: Autonomous Assassination Team of Vongola IX. Seriously she had to tell them to change that line to just Vongola, or she would take it as they would disband the moment grandfather died. [The one who sign their paycheck is still me! So no creative death for you!]

It was a good thing Naru only knew a little of Italian so Mai was relieved even if Naru and Gene were in the same room, they didn't know she had just threatened a mad scientist with a group of assassin.

"Your business is not doing well?" Naru asked, pouring himself a cup of tea.

Mai laughed sheepishly, "Erm, sorta…" Before dialing another number. [Hello, Byakuran… have you apologize yet?]

She still had to make another call? Never mind… but still for someone who was so good in running business, which meant she was no idiot… not to mention there was her hyper intuition. So… Naru's mind trailed off in bewilderment.

Why didn't Mai notice their feeling for her yet? _'You have a point there, Noll.'_ After all they were not subtle, what happened last night might as well a blatant confession of their feelings, or at least a hint that they were interested in her romantically so why did Mai show no reaction whatsoever? Not that they wanted to be confronted by Mai about their feeling, not yet… but-

She was not ignoring their feeling right? At least they were sure she was not the type who would pretend not to see what was obviously there, especially if her blunt rejection to suitors in Italy they heard about was anything to go by. So she was indeed clueless they were in love with her. She really didn't even see them as a man, more like family? Perhaps they were no different than Hayato to Mai? Part of extended family not related by blood? Which was why the idea they could be in love with her didn't even cross her mind?

' _Nevermind.'_

' _Noll! This is serious.'_

' _We're in still in the middle of work.'_

' _Fine, but I tell you… you're not fine with the idea Mai don't think it's possible we have that kind of feelings for her. So don't run from that, idiot scientist.'_

* * *

 **Naru's pOV**

I was about to retort Gene's statement mentally when Bou-san group entered the base. "We're so beat." Bou-san announced. "So how about the young people is targeted talk again?" They had delayed it in favor of taking advantage of daylight to work and agreed to return early before dusk to discuss their next move.

I was about to reply him when Matsuzaki-san came in with Hara-san and Fujiwara in tow, "Another one went missing! Just now, Minami's medium… the young girl Fukuda disappeared!"

We glanced at the window, the sun had went down. "When?" I asked.

"Just ten minutes ago Minami who was exploring the mansion in the same area went to panic about one of their medium went off on her own." Fujiwara answered me, "And at that time I felt the presence of negative energy… as did my shiki."

"So did I." Hara-san joined in. "And if Father John is right… Fukuda-san is in her twenties I think."

As soon as sun went down someone went missing, the monster wasted no time to hunt for more prey and it went after weaker group it seemed. I doubted it very much in Minami's group there was any genuine spiritualist like in ours. Sometimes I wonder about our luck, from the case in Mai's school all spiritualist the client gathered are genuine ones even if I had my doubt about Matsuzaki-san at first.

"I suppose this means we should spare no expense for our safety." I concluded in grim tone, "So all of us as I told you all before aren't allowed to be alone and always in company of others." I turned to our resident miko. "Matsuzaki-san, obviously without the tree spirits your power is compromised so, to what extent I can expect you to perform?"

The miko sighed, "Well… I have my warding technique, nine cuts and so on. You can rely on me to defend myself and whoever you think I should protect."

"I suppose you have no problem either Fujiwara-san?"

He nodded, "No worries… I can protect a lot of people if I want but the problem is because of the situation of this mansion that bewilder sense of direction of spirits, I can't control my shiki remotely well here. However I think I can lend Matsuzaki-san my shiki, considering her shamanic skill she could control mine to a degree."

Matsuzaki-san nodded at that, "If you give me Keito it would be perfect, she is compatible with my element.

Of course that was the problem with shiki, especially considering his was not as autonomous as Lin's because they had more sense of self. Good for Matsuzaki-san if Fujiwara could lend her his shiki. "Well then, I will ask your cooperation to accompany Matsuzaki-san and Hara-san. But they too must never act separately. Can the two of you cooperate with each other?"

"I think so…" Matsuzaki-san nodded

While Hara-san asserted, "If it's Matsuzaki-san, I don't feel comfortable."

"What is the meaning of that statement?!"

I raised a hand towards the miko, as I didn't need her to start an argument with Hara-san. "Hara-san. Basically I don't trust anyone besides the members here. Reliable people are few and far between. However one puts it you are also a psychic; if this is the case then you should at least be able to protect yourself." Why did she had to put up an attitude at the time like this?

Gene nudged me mentally and I turned my attention to Fujiwara who frowned disapprovingly at Hara-san. Oh… at the time like this, why this girl let personal feeling got on the way? _'Noll, not all of us can set their feeling aside for later like you.'_

"… Yes." Hara-san answered, "As a medium I could protect myself at least."

Mai was frowning, it seemed she judged that Hara-san couldn't protect herself. Then again per my instruction I had stated Matsuzaki-san would be with her all the time.

"Yasuhara-san completely does not have any ability to protect himself. To protect him we need an extremely reliable person." He was the most vulnerable in our group. "Then Bou-san and John cannot leave Yasuhara-kun's side. You must never let him out of your sight."

Hara-san paused, "Then who will watch Mai-san? Could it be?"

"I will have Lin to protect Mai."

" **WHAT?!"** That came from both Lin and Mai, looking scandalized by the idea and here I thought they got alone quite well. In common ground of keeping me in line at least.

' _I think you just touched a nerve on both.'_ Gene pointed out to me.

"Please wait a moment." Lin spoke loudly, while Mai glared at me indignantly. "Why are you saying I am to protect Sawada-san?"

"Exactly." Had Lin went deaf?

"Just let me put this clearly. You aren't even able to do any warding technique, are you?" That was true but I was not completely defenseless, not with Gene.

' _I don't think that excuse is going to fly.'_ Gene gave me his input.

"Then your position is practically identical to that of Yasuhara-kun. You need protection."

"Lin, I'll find a way." I insisted.

"You're out of your mind," Lin said. "You need to have some protection. Takigawa-san will cover Yasu and Father Brown will be protecting Sawada-san, alright?"

"Bou-san can't handle it alone," I said sharply.

"Hey, man, I'm not an amateur!" The monk protested.

"I don't think you understand the danger here." I was getting more irritated now.

"Then send one of them away, we have sent Shima and Tojo out to operate from our van in front yeard… anyway." Lin said. "I cannot allow you to be alone in this house. If you were to come to harm while on a job, how would you expect me to explain that to the professor?"

' _Noll, give Lin a break… after what happened to me…'_

"Think about how your parents would feel if that happened," Lin continued scolding Naru.

' _Definitely not fun, Noll… making how our parents…'_ Guilt-tripping us now? Lin, you were not above blackmailing apparently. _  
_

I ignored Gene, "Lin, if you don't like how I conduct my investigation then leave," I said firmly.

"How quickly you seem to forget," Lin halfway scoffed. "My main objective here is to protect you at all costs."

Someone cleared her throat, Mai had her arms crossed while tapping her foot impatiently. "Excuse me for interrupting… but may I remind you that I am not someone helpless who need to be protected?"

"Mai!" She was angry now of all time? "You need it! Your astral walk is unstable! What if you pass out like that time in Ryokuryo's corridor?"

Everyone minus few who knew gasped, "Astral walker? Mai was?" Matsuzaki-san looked shocked.

"That's why she passed out back then?"

She looked incensed, "I don't need protection!" She yelled at me, "Where did you get the idea I even need it? Even if I laid out cold in this mansion that monster won't even touch me even with ten feet pole!"

"There's occasion where the spirits were bolt enough to attack you!" I reminded her, how confident she could get after repeated attack to her person?

' _You're right about that, but-"_

Mai whipped her head to my side, obviously she heard Gene's comment. "I can manage protecting myself, thank you! Lin-san is right he should protect you, Naru can't cast any warding spell himself."

"Neither can you." I shot back at her.

"I have my own way to protect myself, thank you." She looked frustrated, and her next words froze all of us on our track. **"I don't need protection! No more!"** There was power in her voice and it stunned me and the rest within hearing range.

Fujiwara quickly covered his ears, hissing. "Sawada-san! Your voice! Your voice!"

" **AH."** Mai clamped her mouth shut, covering her lips with her hands in horror.

Just now… her voice was… it didn't change but I could hear it resound in my head and-what was that?! The power Madoka spoke of?

Someone knocked our window furiously before prying it open from outside, it was Tojo. "Hime! You get a call! From…" He paused when he noticed Mai was not alone, swallowing heavily before he made a triangle with his index finger in the air. "He called… and it seems he is losing his patience."

Mai groaned, "He has patience of a baby when it comes to this kind of matter!" She scowled before grabbing the satellite phone Tojo offered like some sort of tribute to her.

Fujiwara I noticed was paling rapidly, whoever Mai and Tojo were talking about he knew this person and it was a bad news. Mai looked like she was about to leave the room for privacy but Fujiwara stood firmly by the door. "I'd think I have right to listen to this."

Mai gave him a searching look before picking up the call that had been put on hold. "Hello… Bermuda."

Bermuda, that was why Tojo made a circle in reference to that name? Glancing at Lin I could tell there was no recognition in his face at the name, so it was not someone prominent in onmyouji circle most likely.

"Yes, there's already three victims went missing if you have to know." Mai reported in saccharine tone. "We're still investigating so I'd rather you to stay put." Mai frowned, "No, you're _**not** _ coming here."

Fujiwara was shaking his head frantically at this, a rare open display of panic that was strange in him. This boy had been completely calm throughout his stay in this haunted mansion, and one unknown call from this person send him to panic?

"I am not giving you permission to come personally to this country and that's final, be patient… I am giving you my word. I am well aware of what at stake…. If needed I will even call my guardians if you're so restless about it." Mai was looking at Fujiwara who sighed in relief. "Deadline? Alright… we will resolve this within reasonable deadline… I will allow passage for your subordinates by then."

Fujiwara lost his calm again, "Guardian, you! What are you promising to those..."

"If that's all… I will end this call, as we all know we're both busy… Bermuda." Mai finished in even voice, dripping with sarcasm as she ended the line.

Fujiwara was on her in instance, "You can't do that! Allowing those… those…" He seemed to be at a lost of what to call them. "Walking corpse in this country! This place!"

Mai sighed at him, "That's the last resort… in case you have forgotten Onmyouji, they're _outside_ my sphere of influence. I have no absolute authority over them, they work _with_ us not under. I have to compromise to keep our alliance."

"You should have gotten rid of them in the first place." Fujiwara argued heatedly, "Creatures like them shouldn't be allowed to continue existing in this world! They're as you said isn't yours to control! So why you leave them be?! You didn't need them to keep your people in check!"

Mai pointed one finger at him and Fujiwara recoiled, "In case you have forgotten the decision rest not solely on me… there's three of us and we're all agreed on the system to ensure a lost lasting peace."

Peace?

"If Japan disagree…" Mai trailed off, her voice was low now so only Fujiwara who was close could hear her. "Don't take it just on me but the rest of Three Great Skies, we will listen but whether you can change our mind is still up to question… especially if… we have to fight a war with Vindice, putting our world and yours in danger just because you can't allow the dead to walk in living world."

Fujiwara swallowed heavily, looking shaken and ashamed in the same time. "Very well… but my people would hear of this."

"If that's what you want." Mai allowed.

The air was tense as the onmyouji inched away from Mai in defeated fashion, then Mai turned to me. "So about this nonsense about protecting me."

' _Noll, this is Mai's landmine…'_ Gene told me. _'Seriously… don't you think with a teacher like Reborn, Mai would be hard pressed to think she is in any way qualified as a damsel in distress?"_

Yasuhara chirped in before either of us could continue. "Erm, how about I go instead? I am more of a researcher so I'd be more useful with Mori-san than in this place. We'll just say I had other business to attend to and that I left the case in the hands of my wonderfully attractive team of investigators, should anyone notice and ask where I've gone."

Mai interjected, "No… we would get mocked if you say that… and getting underestimated by other spiritualist is the last thing we need aside from more missing person. So let's just say honestly you're researching about this mansion in town… more credibility and less hassle rather than giving some vague excuse."

* * *

 **(The next day) Mai's POV**

Substitute Head Yasuhara left this mansion on the car with a staff member running errands in the city. The other psychics purposely loudly made cutting remarks that he was running away, but since he was researching and would periodically came to check his team at least no one made fun of SPR too much. Not with me pointing out we're conducting the search for Fukuda-san and the only team with no missing member so far so unless they wanted us to not go looking for them if they went missing…

Bou-san and John were impressed because since then everyone including the irritable monk, Imura-san gave us a wide berth.

Success vending off irate psychics aside, despite our thorough searching, as expected, we couldn't find a trace of Fukuda-san. According to her team, she said she wanted to go out for a stroll then she left the base used by Minami-san and his team. After that she never returned.

Coincidentally there was a member of the staff cleaning the hall at that time; _" I was cleaning the front entrance at the time, but I didn't see her."_ he didn't even see her leave the hall. She only disappeared; that's the only explanation.

Minami-san was thus in an extremely awkward situation. The other psychics derided Minami-san with, 'haven't you summoned you helpers', 'Regardless of the others, when your own assistant has disappeared, you should let us see the abilities of the Professor right?', 'Your other helpers should have arrived already, right?' and the likes.

Why didn't he and the imposter crack yet was anyone's guess. Though I had a feeling that was for the same reason everyone else was still here, pride as spiritualist.

We didn't care of their titterings anyway and returned to work. We carefully completed the remaining measurements. At dusk, after we wound up the measurements, we discovered an unexpected truth.

"The structure of this house is elevated in the middle." Lin-san said while generating the sectional diagram of the house.

We understood that the ground of the first floor of the house sloped gently towards the center; the area around the center was about 2 meters higher than the periphery.

Bou-san tilted his head. "Why in the world would they build this type of house. Repeatedly renovating, hence producing things like level X?"

Naru coolly shot back. "…I feel it wasn't intentionally done like this. This type of house is definitely constructed like this for some purpose."

"Purpose…" John tilted his head too.

"What was this house like right at the beginning?"

Naru inclined his head and retrieved a printed out diagram. "From the finish of the windows, the rooms are all built around the small structure in the middle. Extending further outwards, the rooms become gradually larger; up to this point it is clear-cut…"

Bou-san sighed a huge sigh. "That, as expected it's still the huge empty center portion that is suspicious. At first, there is clearly no courtyard; it's also too strange that the ventilation is good up to the second floor. The question is where exactly is there a path to go in…"

Naru flicked at the diagram. "But as Daniella found out there's a completely sealed room so… perhaps there isn't any path to begin with?"

"So that piece of empty space isn't actually a hidden room, but a sealed room?" I asked him.

"But, what exactly is hidden? Could it be… the execution room?" Bou-san glanced at me. "The one you saw in your dream."

I nodded, "Most likely…"

Naru sighed, "What it is actually like, whether something like this exists or otherwise – after we investigate the other side of the wall we will find out."

"Are we really doing this? Knocking through the wall?"

"Of course. I've already obtained Ohashi-san's permission because someone keep mentioning it so before she did it herself..."

I glared at him, I had not completely forgiven him for previous fiasco nor I appreciate how subtly Bou-san and John following his order to protect me. "Excuse me?"

I was distracted so for once someone succeed knocked on the window without my interference.

"Good evening!" Mori-san beamed, "No welcome from Mai-chan today?" She asked with a pout.

Yasuhara looked very much at home by her side, "We come to give you information~" He said in sing-song voice.

Then they paused when they realized the state in the room in which Naru and I were about to start an argument. "Erm? Would you like us to come back later?" Mori-san asked.

"Stop talking nonsense and deliver the information if you must." Naru told them impatiently and the two came in. I offered both of them tea and coffee with accepted gratefully, as I refused to let them talk before some warming beverage after hard work.

"Let's see I noticed something strange about the house from outside," Yasuhara began, reaching over and grabbing a large folder, taking its contents out while talking. "It's the number of chimneys. When we were investigating the place earlier, I believe we found either ten or eleven fireplaces."

"There are eleven," Lin-san spoke up without turning even the slightest. It seemed like me, he was still peeved with Naru too, served the narcist right!

"But if you look here," Yasuhara continued, "there are twelve chimneys."

"You're right, there's an extra one," John said as he leaned over to look.

"And as you might be able to see, the extra chimney is round, much thicker, and made of brick instead of plaster," Yasuhara described.

"That's right above the part of the house with the hidden space," Bou-san realized.

"There is definitely something there," Naru said before glancing at me. "The incinerator _she_ found I suppose?" Naru of course meant Daniella by 'she' and I agreed with that assessment.

"We also have more info about Kaneyuki," Mori-san reported. "We interviewed a lot of the neighbors, the older ones… Apparently his health condition had been quite fragile ever since childhood."

Yasuhara picked up, "When he was young, he was told he won't live for long," He added. "He then traveled extensively abroad and had foreign doctors examine him for second opinions."

"Also," Madoka continued. "Soon after Kaneyuki moved into the house, he kept two employees with him at all times."

The two from that dream.

At some point, Yasu pulled out a small pocket notebook. "At the time, there was room detached from the main house. The two were connected via a complicated maze of hedges…" My heart thudded in my ears. "The gardeners that maintained the grounds said the maze was so creepy they avoided working there as often as possible."

"They also said the detached room had a putrid smell and that the staff was constantly changing."

"No wonder…" I murmured softly, "Considering what they were doing inside the house, no amount of cleaning could clear the air."

Naru frowned at that, "Did you find out anything about the relationship between Kaneyuki and Urado?" He asked.

"As a matter of fact, I did," Yasu said, setting his notebook down into his lap as he looked over to the side, where the portrait was. "'Urado' was an assumed name he often went by."

I had predicted that, someone with his reputation would have pen name or sort. "And Hiroyu-shi?"

"I found someone who claimed to be Hiroyuki-shi's friend. It was an old lady; her husband was a friend of Mr Hiroyuki in his later days. According to her, Hiroyuki-shi hated his own father a lot. Apparently he practically never listened to his father's words and he would get extremely angry if anyone were to speak of his father."

That sounded like me.

"And as mentioned previously Kaneyuki-shi apparently had very frail health since his youth and he was frequently bedridden when he was young and he died at fifty. However, according to Hiroyuki-shi, it would have been better if Mr Kaneyuki had died earlier in his youth..."

Alright even I wouldn't wish my idiot father to die young if it meant my brother and I would never exist. "If Kaneyuki-shi were to die in his youth, then wouldn't his son have not been born?"

"Exactly, that's a very shocking statement." Hiroyuki-shi must have really hated his father a lot.

"Ah, the gardener from before or rather… their kids said said one more thing. About the helper Kaneyuki-shi hired from another region we talked about previously every time his father went here the maid was always a different person. That was what the gardener said."

"You said the maid was always a different person…?" I concluded, "So we can say… they're all went missing. No… the girl in my dream is obviously one of them and so…"

"So the spirits of those murdered in the same way are still wondering the house," Naru added in his own conclusion.

I heard a loud click of a houseful of electricity shutting off. That's when the screaming began. Horrified, terrified screams, all at once, all one voice. Sobbing, crying, _screaming_ for help that never came. It surrounded us, muffling everything. It reminded me of trial, all those blood and life taken throughout our sinful history. No good… don't remember! Don't let it got to you!

A pair of warm arms surrounded me and I went still. "Don't move," Naru instructed calmly, his voice relatively quiet as he pulled me to his chest. "It's only a dream… it's a past, you said it yourself… you have the present and the future." That was what I said back in Morishita house to him, he remembered.

The sound of the electricity coming back on echoed, and the voices stopped. Something _had_ to have happened, Naru's hold on me loosened so I could inspect the room. Writing… on the wall… it was _everywhere_ …. And it was red.

"Is… that blood?" Ayako said as everyone assessed the room.

It was… unsettling, to say the least. _Help, I'm scared, It hurts, I don't want to die…_ the words covered the walls and ceiling.

"What a terrible sight…" Fujiwara spoke for the first time since I talked him down. "The spirits are really trapped by their fear of pain and death in this place.

Then I spotted two characters written in blood. "Naru." He turned. "Urado's name is there…" I said, pointing it out on the wall.

"Look, it's over here too," Ayako called from another wall. Urado's name was actually written quite a few times all around the room…

I perked up, "Someone's coming, Ohashi-san I think."

Naru turned to the door. "Madoka, Yasuhara-san you better leave now."

"Come on Yasu, let's move," Mori-san whispered as she got up.

"Right," Yasuhara followed right after her.

"Be careful guys," Our monk whispered to them, and Mori-san waved as both slipped out the window and gone in seconds.

Right as the window closed, the door burst open to reveal Ohashi-san who looked like he was in panic, but he didn't seem surprised by the state of our base. "Everyone okay? It looks like this room has got it as well," Ohashi-san said in a hurried breath. At the questioning looks, he explained further. "I don't know how it happened, but this strange writing just appeared on the walls… It looks like blood…"

"Just how many spirits are in this house?" Ayako wondered as she looked around at the new paint job on the hallway the spirit just did.

Naru knocked three times on the wall next to the name Urado, one of the many throughout the room. Why the heck he was knocking, I'd never know. "The name 'Urado' appears to be more important than I originally thought. I doubt it's a simple alias." I could sense Naru's gaze on the wall narrow into a glare. "If only we knew what it meant." He paused for a moment before turning to Masako who was next to Fujiwara. "Hara-san, do you feel up to performing a séance tonight?"

"Yes, of course," Masako immediately answered.

"Wait a minute," I protested. "You're talking about allowing a spirit to possess Hara-san aren't you? Do we have to go that far? These spirits are traumatized to a great deal and there's so many of them

"She is a professional." Naru replied coolly.

"I'm sorry, but compromising someone whose body is susceptible to possession in duration of investigation is not a good idea in my opinion!" I approached him closer, "Are we going to let her or anyone experience what we saw?"

* * *

 **Naru's pOV**

I tensed for a moment, knowing very well as we both were very familiar with pain brought by vision it would be unfair to subject someone else to the same suffering. Why she always knew what to say to me? "You leave me no other choice. We'll have to try something else." I craned my neck towards the two Onmyouji. "Lin, Fujiwara-san… can you do spirit summoning? Since this method is less precise, it would be good if the two of you do it."

"Yes I do," Lin responded.

Fujiwara nodded, "There would be no problem on my part either… however as I tried before with the list Sawada-san gave me… the date of death is crucial. When I tried to divine their fate, all I could see is they died horrible death… and it's not out of grudge or anything alike, but some twisted desire…" He murmured softly. "There are three victims so far whose date of death is easier to guess but if we guessed it wrong we will compromise the spirit."

No wonder he never said anything about the result of his divination, "Such as?" I asked.

"Losing ability to speak, weakening the spirit to the point we can't summon them anymore… and the time would be more limited." Fujiwara answered promptly. "And also… can we be sure these recent victims knew anything?"

Of course not, "No, we can't be so sure."

Mai raised her hand, "Uhm… if you just want to know about the name, maybe I can ask my teacher."

Silence…

"You know I've heard that name from somewhere? Well… ha must have said that name years ago but I don't remember so rather than troubling anyone why don't I just make a call?" Mai looked nervous as she said this. "If I am wrong we can proceed with the summoning ritual."

I shrugged, "If that's an easier option."

Fujiwara interjected, "Uhm… by teacher you mean… the sun…"

"Right."

"You want to contact him just to ask for a name you have forgotten." Fujiwara said in disbelief as if what Mai was going to do was akin to attempting suicide.

Mai heaved a long sigh, "It won't be so bad…" She grumbled as she dialed a number to her phone, it was on speed dial. "At worst he would just chew me out for being an idiot as he is in another side of the world." Mai had a look that said she was being optimistic.

' _She is calling that teacher who shot her with gun.'_

' _Indeed she is, I am surprised she is still in contact with this Reborn person…'_

Mai swallowed, she was so distracted she didn't even notice me right behind her. [Hello, Reborn.] Mai called cheerfully in Italian. [I miss you so much!]

 _[Hoo… is that so? My cute student?]_

Mai laughed nervously, [Of course after all… sensei is…] Mai launched a volley of praises, [Cool, god-like, considerate sensei… we're so lucky to be blessed with…] Mei ended.

She was sucking up on him, most likely. _'She definitely did.'_ Gene and I agreed. _'Then again, can you blame her? Calling that sadistic guy just to ask for a name she forgot from_ his _lesson?'_

 _[Of course, and don't forget it… for the rest of your life. So… may I know why you call earlier than usual? You're lucky I can pick up your call, Mai… because I am not in the middle of blowing someone's brain up.]_

[Aha ha ha.. Vongola's luck?]

" _Which is crappier than anyone but Skull's?"_ Reborn snorted, _"Now, spill…"_

Mai's eyes shifted restlessly, [Well, you can ask the detail from Kyou-san but it's really emergency honest!] Then Mai launched a short summary of what happened during our investigation. [But I don't remember the name at all…]

 _[Are you telling me you forgot_ my _lesson?! One that become a vital clue now?!_ _Mai… my idiot student you're so… disappointing.]_

Mai jumped, which surprised me at how her hand holding the phone shook. [I am sorry!] She was crying now.

Which shocked the rest of us because Mai rarely cried, and now one phone call and she was in tears. "Jou-chan?"

Mai was sobbing now, [I am so sorry Reborn… I promise I will review the lesson again. Hic hic…]

 _[Wipe your tears, no student of mine may cry like a weakling.]_

Mai nodded frantically as wiping her tears. [Yes!] The she got angry. [I swear this mishap would never be repeated again!" At herself no less. [I am so angry for my lack of attentiveness to your lesson!]

' _Next she would be very happy…'_

' _Mai's cycle of emotion is always cute…'_ Gene commented.

[ _So what name you forgot?]_ Reborn asked with a sigh, his Mai was more adorable than Dino and Tsuna most of the time as the girl admired him more than scared of him like his male students. Sometimes however… being a girl made Reborn felt weak against her. _[I will quiz you on them next time.]_

Mai beamed, this change of mood really drastic. How did she get from point A,B and C? I had no clue.

[It's Urado.] At last she asked after buttering up her teacher.

There was a long pause from the other end of the line, _[Since when your pronunciation gets that bad?]_

[No, it's really the name of the former head of this house… it sounds like a name you have mentioned before.]

Reborn sighed, _[Mai… you idiot, the name you're looking for is **Vlad**. And next time don't forget the review or I will push you to another landmine, this time with your hands tied on your back.] _ Then he ended the line.

Mai blinkedowlishly at the disconnected phone, staring at the device in shock. "The name is… Vlad? I am an idiot?" She echoed in confusion.

"Ah." Her teacher was right, we were idiots… as if everyone bilingual in the room.

John and Lin were the next one who realized the idiocy. "Oh… Urado, Vurado… Vlad."

Great, how did we miss such an obvious case of Engrish, as in wrong use of English by native Asian. Then again perhaps because we were so used speaking Japanese fluently, and while we also had Japanese in our team their pronunciation was quite good it never crossed our mind Urado was deliberate mis-translation from Vlad.

I sighed, "Well… this start to make sense…"

Fujiwara frowned, "How so?"

He must lived a sheltered life, and I could imagine he never read anything foreign. He was even more traditional than Hara-san. "What is this Vlad?" He asked again.

"The Vlad we are talking about is… the vampire Dracula." John must have hoped the young onmyouji knew about the legendary monster.

He frowned, "I have heard it in passing as a fictional character who suck blood."

He knew at least that much so I continue, "The story of the popularly know Dracula originates from the novel called "(Vampire) Dracula" Obviously Fujiwara wouldn't know this so I elaborated for him.

" 'Dracula', published in 1897, is a horror novel written by Bram Stoker. A strange man by the name of Count Dracula arrives in London. He is actually a vampire – it is a story like that. This novel has been adapted into operas, movies etc, and gave birth to the domain of 'Vampire Culture' in literature. Famous enough for this fictional creature to be thought as legitimate legend to some."

"There are youkai known to share similar nature." Fujiwara suplied.

He would know that. "In actual fact, Count Dracula was modeled after a real person. It was a person who was really named Dracula. The Count Dracula in the novel was born in Transylvania. Transylvania has historically been the territory of Hungary, and is currently part of Romania."

Mai had strange look on her face at mention of Romania.

"Dracula was a Duke from Transylvania's neighboring area of Wallachia. His name was Vlad. He was known as Vlad III, and commonly called 'Vlad the Impaler'."

"Impaler?" Fujiwara nodded, "Is it something he did to intimidate enemies like Nobunaga's use of human bone as chawan?"

There was someone who did something that morbid in Japanese history? I nodded, the idea was the same. "At that time Europe was frequently invaded by the Turkish Ottoman Empire. Because the area of Wallachia is very near to Turkey, that area was the frontline of the battle. Furthermore, even if the king of Wallachia was overthrown, that did not stop the power struggle. Vlad was an extremely mysophobic duke, he hated being known as idle; he is well known to be ruthless, especially towards his enemies. Enemies who were captured by him were mostly executed by impalement with a spear, hence his name."

"I see." Fujiwara nodded. "And how his name is relevant to Urado in any way? I mean… the man himself is simply a historical figure with bloody achievements."

I shrugged, " I am getting to that… This Vlad's father was Vald II, known as 'Vlad Dracul'. 'Dracul' in Romania has the meaning of devil or dragon; so VLad Tepes means the son of devil or dragon… like in any history there's always two sides of the same coin. In the Wallachia area, there still remains 'Legends of Dracula' today. In those legends, Vlad was a savior who protected Hungary from the Germans and the Turks. Despite his actual cruelty towards his enemies, he was still the hero who defended Hungary. I don't approve of lumping things together; taking into account the situation in Europe at that time, I think saying that isn't wrong either."

Mai's eyes lighted up all of a sudden, "I remember the story my teacher told me about him." It seemed recalling the name brought up the memory. "There was a rich merchant who moved all his wealth on a carriage and passed by the capital of Wallachia. When he arrived at the capital, the rich merchant entered the castle and asked Vlad to protect his wealth. To him, Vlad said, that there wasn't such a necessity. Then he ordered the rich merchant to leave his fortune wherever he liked then to leave. With no options, the rich merchant could only leave all his wealth in the public square before leaving."

Oh the lesser known story about him, why Mai's teacher brought it up as a lesson for her?

"Then at dawn the second day, the rich merchant went to inspect his carriage, he realized not a cent of his wealth had been taken. Because Vlad was a very mysophobic duke, his own citizens were also not allowed to lie or steal or be lazy. People who did so were all impaled with no exception; hence nobody would steal a thing from the merchant."

' _From how cheery Mai recall it I think it's how Reborn-san taught them how to keep their subordinates in line… it's no wonder with people like her family…'_ As in extremely unmanageable.

' _I think you should stop that line of thought.'_

Mai had finished her story, "Anyway, he was really very similar to Vlad, Kaneyuki was… or more like he is emulating Vlad."

Bou-san tilted his head. "Vlad was the savior of Hungary. If we put it like this, then did Kaneyuki also wanted to call himself a savior with being a philanthropist? But why?"

I drew a conclusion, "Around 1900, Kaneyuki had toured Europe. At that time the book 'Dracula' had long been published. I think, it is more likely that because of the meaning 'Son of the Devil', he called himself 'Vlad'. – Furthermore, "

"Furthermore?"

"Mai has mentioned it before, right? There was a bathtub placed in the bathroom, and there was blood remaining in the bathtub."

This time everyone minus Fujiwara paled with realization. "Ugh…"

"Frequently discussed together with Vlad was a person called Elizabeth Bathory. She is known as the 'Blood Countess'."

Matsuzaki-san spoke up then. "There are countless stories of Elizabeth being so obsessed with her fear of growing old that she would kill young women and drain their blood. She would bathe in it, hoping it would restore her youth."

Mai turned to me, "You're saying… his generous charity work to save Suwa region, his meticulousness to eject the whole family from his property, the blood bath and cruelty… he was emulating two people when he was alive?"

I nodded at her, "Kaneyuki must've grown to hate his frail body and, like Elizabeth Báthory, he may have thought he could reverse his chronic health issues by sacrificing young people and using their blood for nefarious purposes,"

"It would explain why the staff kept changing so often," Mai added in grim tone. "He sacrificed them.

"Now we can decipher what was written on that five-yen bill…" Our resident monk said. "'Everyone who has come here is dead. I heard they were killed by Urado. Run away.'"

"So it was a warning for the next person who came here," Matsuzaki-san said.

Fujiwara glanced at the writing on the wall, "And they're still here, trapped, and giving warning…"

"But wait," John seemed troubled. "The coat that the five-yen bill was found in belonged to the Miyama Charity Hospital. Why was it there…!"

We all seemed to realize the disturbing truth of it, then again after that degree of cruelty of cutting up young people for blood I couldn't imagine the people in his hospital would be spared. What Mai said made sense, to Urado those people are his because they owed him and as their kind he had right to treat them as he wished.

"No way, all those people in the shelter too?!" Bou-san yelled.

"Unbelievable… He killed those people just to keep himself alive…" Mai sounded oddly calm but I could feel she was angry.

"Hold on, isn't it a possibility that Hiroyuki knew what his father was up to in here?" Our resident miko asked, she had a point.

"Sure is," Bou-san said. "And in order to hide his father's dark secrets he kept building onto the mansion to seal them deep inside."

Mai nodded, ?Why do you think he hate his father so much to the point it's alright if he was never born? He must have felt ashamed of his father… a man who cling to his pathetic life so desperately to the point he committed this atrocity, even after his death."

"After his death?" John echoed. "You mean-"

I sighed, Mai was right. "Kaneyuki didn't live a full life which is obviously a major disappointment for him. He killed others in an attempt to stave off death but still died sooner than he wished."I glanced at Mai who had grim look on her face.

"Urado's still here, inside this house. And he's far from being finished with his sacrifices…"

* * *

 **In the other side of Japan, FOundation HQ**

Hibari felt headache just from looking the sleek red private jet landing on their front yard, Irrequito Tempesta, their storm guardian's personal jet. "Why did she has to ask for you too?"

"Because you know shit about business negotiation, Kyouya." Hayato retorted back. "And also because I can't stand Iemitsu back at home hounding me about Hime!"

"...Can't we just kill him."

The storm scoffed, "I wish… but he is still useful so no we won't, never mind we have another business to do." He dragged his suitcase with him. "Mukuro was already here, though… not in body. So please don't hurt whoever he possesed yeah?"

He grunted, "Hn. are you informed that your psychic friends are involved?" Kyouya murmured. "What are we going to do with them actually? Hime only spoke about it to few people…"

Hayato sighed, Hibari was unhappy he was not told. "Nah… you will find out later. Just put your trust in HIme as usual… and by the end of it I hope…"

No one would get hurt.

* * *

 **(Back in Miyama's mansio) Mai's POV**

Fear was imminent in the air, as the threat of Urado became even more real with the revelation. As for me other than real, Urado was more of a pest that could turn to be a catastrophic mess if we didn't handle this properly. We as in Vongola not SPR.

Bermuda's call tonight also included an unsettling information. At first I was really skeptical someone who was unrelated to Trinisette like Urado could develop flame of night no matter how desperate and hateful he was for his short and unfulfilling lives. All user of Night Flame one way or another had access to one of trinisette set, and I was sure even when Urado travelled abroad all three sets were in our possession. Arcobaleno pacifier to each, Vongole to our family and Mare was kept by Cervello.

I even asked Daniella and she was sure during her reign no ring escape their watch. However there was a loophole, which Bermuda pointed out in his call.

"W _hat make you think all used vessel of pacifier are accounted for?"_

Once upon a time according to Bermuda there were some fools from their world selling the clear pacifier they got in black market during her reign as immortality stone, or philosopher's stone. Which was thought as a hoax because of the clear color and Daniella, the head of Vongola famiglia at that time didn't know what it was at the time just punished the one who sold them, without bothering to hunt the sold merchandise to outside world. Bermuda believed most are fakes but who said there was no genuine clear pacifier sold by accident?

I had asked Shima and Tojo to sneak out to ask to Miyama family about stone Kaneyuki-shi might have purchased abroad, and indeed… there was one glass ball the friend of Hiroyuki-shi said as a relic the man held so dear he would fly into rage if HIroyuki-shi was as much as look at it. One story the friend didn't tell Yasuhara because it was just one of dozens oddities of Miyama Kaneyuki, and he had collected other relic related to immortality and long life before.

This case no longer belong to SPR, it was Vongola's. "Hello… Konbanwa, Kidou-sensei." Kidou Keichirou, the former prime minister of Japan and current owner of this mansion. "My apologies for calling so late at night." This couldn't wait anymore. "I am… Sawada Mai of Vongola, COO of Neo-VG corporation… and also vice-boss of Neo-Vongola Famiglia."

There was fear in his voice as he struggled to reply to my introduction. As most upper echelon in political world knew of Vongola and our fearsome reputation.

"I am calling for business, this is about the property of your family in Suwa… yes, I am well aware of its reputation. I am still interested in this property so how much? I will leave a blank check for you if that will convince you to release this property to us."

There was sputtering excuse from the other side.

"Very well if conducting business through phone is insufficient for you, by tomorrow… my right hand man would come to your residence. So please make time for him in the morning, we are in pressing schedule you see… Well then, Kidou-sensei… good night and I am waiting for the good news tomorrow." Then ended the line.

Which mean there was no choice for him keeping this property. "Well then… Urado, let's see how you fare when we Vongola hunt you down."

You wanted immortality? To live? We will show you how much pain our flame could give you to the point you wish for death and regret all the life you had taken for your own...

* * *

 **AND SO this arc is about to close though I don't know… if I can fit the end in one more chapter ha ha ha! Though I did finish 80% from the novel content… so perhaps one and half chapter? So maybe if last chap is around 15K ha ha ha.**

 **Review Please!**


	39. Case 07, Part 07

**I am having doubt on how to end this arc with a BANG! Ha ha!But in the end... let's just let this case to go on until part 8 eh? ha ha ha  
**

 **Case 07, Part 07**

"Well then… Urado,  
let's see how you fare when we Vongola hunt you down."

Was what I heard through our psychic link, Mai's voice sounded like a vengeful goddess who had judged a demon called Urado. It was the side of Mai, Noll and I saw rarely. A side that set her apart from everyone else, in different side of the world like with our friends, Hayato and the rest of her family. They belonged to different world.

That night I expected to see nothing as Mai said she would close our psychic link a little, but it seemed she let us to see harmless memories. For some reason apparently she didn't want to close the link completely. "She permit this." I told Noll, "Perhaps because she has more secrets than we do… Mai have strange sense of fairness, don't you think?"

"Indeed… her strangeness has no bound, no wonder she is Hayato's boss." Noll returned drolly, "Though I wonder she let us watch this is some sort of punishment."

" _Sakura saku hana ochiru!"_

It was Vongola christmas party, and on stage certain illusionist and Qigong user were singing together as a duet. "It's a sight that even more amazing than the world's seven wonders I'd admit." Mai looked surprised like the rest of family member of hers I saw from painting in their mansion, Tsunayoshi-san was smiling benignly as usual but I also could see he was openly smug about something.

"...He made them do this, didn't he?" My twin guessed.

I nodded, "Definitely… Mai have made them cooperate back in Kokuyo case." I caught the glimpse in Noll's memory. "But to make those two proud men to do something humiliating like this…"

"He is a boss alright." Noll commented and dared I imagine it there was awe in his voice because he couldn't make Lin do anything Lin didn't want to the way Tsunayoshi-san could.

Still, speaking of Tsunayoshi-san. "Ne… Noll, is it just me or..." The vision had changed again and this time he and Mai were cooking something in the massive kitchen of their mansion, which as Mai said was three times Miyama's mansion. The servants and chefs were begging the twin to not cook and left the job to them, Mai and Tsunayoshi-san disagreed and told them to get out because they were going to make breakfast today themselves because they were sick of olive oil and cheese.

"Tsunayoshi-san is a little different than one we met in real world?"

Noll glanced at me, and then to Tsunayoshi-san who was moaning at the sight of towering paperwork on his shared desk with Mai. "You think so too? I agree… how to say this…" How rare of Noll to be at a loss of word. "Tsunayoshi-san I saw in the vision… even when his age is close to him now." This Tsunayoshi-san just looked slightly younger, perhaps around fourteen going fifteen. "I can tell he is young just like us, no matter how mature and talented you can't just fool people about your age."

I got what he meant. "Tsunayoshi-san we met however… there was something in his eyes that made me think he is a old soul." I was no Mai but as a psychic my intuition was still stronger than normal human. "Ne… Noll." I glanced at our surrounding we had broken free from the vision and now was in privacy of my own astral world, which took form of our bedroom in England. "The first time we saw the vision, of Mai, her brother and teacher… I saw a glimpse of second vision."

Noll looked surprised, as he sat down on the chair while I sat on my bed. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I… was not sure what I saw, you was facing me and the vision was just a fragment right behind you." I explained to him in solemn tone. "I didn't tell Mai because I am afraid… she was fine with the first and third but not the second one I saw…"

Noll narrowed his eyes at me, "What did you see Gene? You looks so rattled about it."

I swallowed heavily. "...I saw Mai… standing over a coffin."

"A coffin?" Noll echoed me. "You know whose it was?"

My mouth felt dry as I said this, "It's open… the coffin is filled to the brim with white lilies mixed with amaryllis, in midst of it was… Tsunayoshi-san."

His blue eyes that mirrored mine went wide in shock. "He is alive now, are you telling me you saw glimpse of a future?"

I shook my head, "No… Mai looks younger than she was now, and she just cut her hair…. So she looks like our first meeting with her. That was in the past…"

"Tsunayoshi-san is alive Gene." Noll told me in firm tone. "We met him before Ryokuryo case, he made call, he ate and drunk right in front of us! We felt his overwhelming power just by sitting in the same table with him!"

"That's why I didn't believe it either! I don't want to…" I admitted, "But… the sadness I saw in her eyes were so real, she was crying in that vision!"

Noll held up his hand, "Alright… let's say what you saw is real, but then… who is the living Tsunayoshi-san we met in real world then?"

"I…" I trailed off unsurely. "I don't know."

"And how Mai and the rest of her family… they treat this Tsunayoshi-san normal-" Noll caught himself, "No… Mai was a little off when she was around him…"

"Eh?" My eyes widened in realization, "Mai always talked about her brother fondly, fawning even…"

" _My brother's existence is a miracle!  
He is perfect with all his imperfection, the pinnacle of humanity!"_

"One time I saw them together back in Christmas, she didn't seem to be that affectionate with her brother. In fact with how much she gushed about him I'm surprised by the lukewarm interaction." Even though we could totally feel the heat of his love for Mai in both metaphorical and literal sense back then.

Noll sighed, "This is getting even more confusing, especially if Mai and her family…" Namely Hayato and co. "They are hiding this… it still didn't answer who was we met in real world then?"

"A ghost?"

"I don't think even with their technology Shouichi or Spanner could figure out how to raise the dead." Noll told me in deadpan tone.

"A body double?"

Noll frowned at that, "I doubt Mai would allow such thing, the power he emitted is very real… Not to mention… even if we only saw glimpse of what we could assume as real Tsunayoshi-san Mai really fawned on like the idiot sister she is."

I pouted at Nol, "It would be nice if you have even a fraction of Mai's affection to her older twin brother, I feel so unloved in comparison."

Noll rolled his eyes, "Anyway… we almost couldn't tell the difference, the way they behave are so alike… the gentle demeanor, indulging tone when talking to his unmanageable family members…"

"The way he smiles, the seemingly harmless look when threatening someone…" I continued on. "These traits of his are so unique." How could someone copy these traits so seamlessly?

"Whoever is impersonating him did a very good job… almost perfect even." Noll concluded, "I mean… imitating someone like Tsunayoshi-san…" A real living saint as everyone who knew him described him as. "That's quite a difficult feat don't you think?"

"More like almost impossible." I told him bluntly, "I mean… can you imagine anyone but Mai and Tsunayoshi-san survive managing Hayato and the rest of their family? I love Hayato, Shouichi and Spanner as friends, I really do.." I admitted honestly. "Even if everyone say I am a good and kind guy I think I won't live past the first month with Spanner's invention mauling me, Hayato's explosive temper, Shouichi's total disregard to privacy violation with his online escapade… not to mention with Mukuro-sensei and Hibari-san added to the mix…" Not without snapping my sanity.

Noll nodded in agreement, even my seemingly infallible brother had to admit Mai's family was beyond him. We in the end decided to leave things be for now, whatever Mai was hiding I had a feeling we would find out when the time was right. However it still didn't stop us from wondering.

Who was Mai and Tsunayoshi really?

* * *

 **The next day (3rd POV)**

The sun rose right when SPR team started work, at this point Fujiwara had became part of the team and there was safety in number. Naru as the leader deemed at this point there was no use of Masako and Ayako wandering around the dangerous mansion since they had figured out most of the mystery. For today their target was the incinerator Daniella found, which could be easily located because it must be located right under the largest chimney.

"At least we have to get the corpses for proper examination." Naru announced.

Mai glanced at Lin who carried the radar as though it was a treasure. This was equipment used in the poltergeist case to test for degree of movement of poltergeisted object. This time they were going to use it to look for easiest part of the wall to make a hole. They examined all the walls facing that empty space.

"The refractive index of this wall should be the lowest."

Lin pointed at the floor plan. 'Radar' produces electromagnetic waves, and then receives the reflected electromagnetic waves. If the refractive index of the electromagnetic waves was low, it means that this wall was easily broken. The body of the wall was very thin, or even if it was thick, it was very weak.

Mai was navigating with floor plan in hand, "This is where the huge chimney should be so… from this plan there should be one or two walls blocking the way." She closed her eyes briefly. "Yes, Daniella knows this place… it's behind this wall."

"Okay." Naru who also had a floor plan in hand glanced at his assistant. "Lin."

Bou-san sighed, "If we're gonna do it, let's do it. I can't believe we're going to tear down the walls of our client's mansion though."

Mai had unreadable look on her face when looking at the pickaxe. "Ugh…" It reminded her eerily of certain idiot father.

The blond monk grinned at her direction, "You know, feel free any time to help with physical labor." He said jokingly, offering the pickaxe.

Much to his surprise, Mai took the tool from him and stared at the sharp edge longingly. "I'd love to!" She was beaming now.

"I am joking! Jou-chan! My pride won't be able to take it if you did better job than I do!" Everyone knew Mai was strong, and she flaunted it in every case with how unfazed he was with bringing SPR equipments with ease.

"Eeh? I'd like some labor job where I can vent some frustration…"

"Don't vent your frustration on walls!"

"No way! I am sick of signing paperwork on property damage!" Mai wailed, "I want to try to be on the other side, destroying things! For legit reason no less!"

She was serious?! Everyone minus Naru looked at her in disbelief, he understood her feeling somewhat. Considering how much destruction the three genius from Vongola family caused in duration of their short stay in his house, and even then they were behaving themselves. He couldn't imagine what Mai faced with those three in employment, and she had others who might be equally destructive too.

"This is the weakest part." Lin announced, cutting the argument off and the Monk quickly snatched the tool back before a girl could show him up.

"Come on John! We're the men for the job!"

BAM! BAM! BAM!

Mai was ticked, "That sound aside from loud gets on my nerve."

"Huh?" Bou-san who was still in the middle of making hole asked, "Why, Jou-chan?"

Because certain idiot often dug a hole, creating the same irritating noise before popping up with his stupid grin. "Mou! I can't take it anymore! I will help you out."

Lin who just took over John frowned at her, "Sawada-san?"

Mai put her glove covered palm over the wall, and ran over it before stopping in a spot a little further than one they were working on. She rubbed the wall as if experimentally in circle, before announcing. "Can you hit this spot instead? I am sure this part is easier to destroy."

They looked at the tiny hole they had managed to make then to the beaming Mai whose eyes were daring them to defy her. Lately, she was getting plain intimidating even to Lin. Naru just sighed, "Alright… just do what Mai said."

BAM! Crack!

Their eyes bulged in shock when one hit created not small spider web like crack but a small hole they would need a few swings to create. "What are you guys staring at?" Mai asked in saccharine tone. "Would you like to switch with me, Bou-san?"

"No!" The monk swing his pickaxe harder, followed by Lin.

It took less than five minutes to make a hole big enough for an adult to get in, Naru walked forward to inspect the hole, he tensed when he stepped on one of the debris which was the size of an adult fist. It crumbled to pieces when he stepped on it, as if it was a very fragile material. Even if the wall was old, it shouldn't crumble like it was made of chalk!

"Naru?" Lin who was beside him asked.

Naru crouched down and picked a piece half the size he crushed on his fist, it was warm and crumbled as easily on his fist. Everyone else was busy to move their equipments so only him and Lin saw it. Naru glanced at Mai, the girl was pointedly ignoring his questioning glance. Fujiwara stopped too, shaking his head at Naru.

Mai did something just now? Naru glanced at the wall, wondering if what Mai used just now as some sort of PK or… something else completely. _'Noll, save it.'_ In the end Naru swaLlowed his curiosity in favor of work, and stuck the head of the infrared camera into the hole. The image taken by the camera appeared on the monitor.

Bathed in infrared light not visible to the human eye, the inside of the hole was clearly shown. Inside was a haphazard room of about 8 tatami's size. There was a huge item directly facing them. "The incinerator Daniella found, here is the right room which mean inside…"

Bou-san dared himself to stuck his head in, "No need to check, the hideous smell said it all… let's call the police first."

They checked the room anyway, finding boxes of coal and blocked off door and windows. Nothing noteworthy aside from they now had an idea how did Urado got rid of his victim he had drained dry of blood, he burned them like trash.

* * *

 **Dining Hall**

"There are corpses?" Ohashi-san echoed Naru's announcement with pale face.

The others seemed just as shocked as he was about the body SPR found. "I think it should be one of the two who had gone missing in February. I think it'd be better to contact the police."

"Please wait a moment."Ohashi-san was green in the face.

"If that's done I'll be very worried... I can't decide on this by myself." His master was a politician, if three young people he hired found dead in his mansion it would be a scandal. "In any case, let me contact my master first. Before my master gives any instructions, would everyone please refrain from any reckless behavior."

Mai's phone rang at this moment, halting Ohashi-san from moving. She looked at the number on her cell phone. "It's Kidou-sensei… Ohashi-san." She picked up the phone, smiling. "I am glad to hear that Kidou-sensei, it's my pleasure doing business with you." Then she added. "Ohashi-san, your representative wants to talk with you, is it alright if I hand the phone to him?" Mai nodded and handed the phone to Ohashi-san.

"Yes, sensei? What?!" He looked at Mai's direction in disbelief, "Oh, I see… then." He ended the call and warily addressed Mai. "Sawada-sama? What would you like me to do… sensei told me for now we should ask direction from you."

Naru frowned at her, "What did you do?"

Mai just shrugged, "Please be on standby… I will give you further direction later." After Mai said this, Ohashi-san stumbled out of the Dining Room.

Realization dawned on Naru then, "Mai, don't tell me you…"

"Explain about our finding to them first, will you?"

"This corpse, where was it?" Igarashi-sensei asked.

Naru pointed at the floor plan. After the gentle looking woman saw it, she appeared shocked and turned to Minami-san and Professor Davis -the impostor- who were seated at the table. She spoke, pleased, to the two who were still stunned. "This is really too exciting. It's exactly as the Professor had prophesied."

"What is that?"

When Naru asked this, Igarashi-sensei spoke with a delighted smile. "That is, just now the Professor made a prophesy. We asked the Professor about the whereabouts of the missing people; we begged the Professor to see for them. After seeing, the Professor said the missing people were in the west."

"This is really great. No wonder you're a Professor." Naru spoke with an extremely cold voice, not pleased he was associated as some sort of fortune teller.

Mai sighed, "Naru…" This was not the time to jump his impersonator.

The psychic groaned, "Fine…" Naru turned to Igarashi-san and Minami-san. "With the discovery of this body, there's little hope… that we'll find any of the others still alive," Naru said, it was a hard news to share with their superiors who brought those young people with them.

Igarashi-san seemed even more horror-stricken. "Are you saying that… Suzuki is probably dead?"

"Yes," Naru said. "Same goes for Atsugi and Fukuda-san."

"But wait," Igarashi-san said. "You said the body you found in there from two months ago. Couldn't she have just gotten lost?"

"The room was completely sealed off from the outside," Naru explained patiently, knowing very well how much a grieving person wanted to deny this kind of revelation. "Unless human beings have adapted the ability to pass through walls, I can only guess they were taken there, through a rip in the space-time continuum."

Igarashi-san just about started crying, her hands shaking just short of her face.

"Have you any idea how much power it would take to accomplish that?" he continued.

Minami-san stood up then, slamming his hand against the table. "Look! I'm leaving!" He began to walk over to the door, his partner and remaining subordinates following him. "This is too much. My own life is in danger!"

The ensuing drama was simply sad, especially the part where Minami loudly declare he won't risk his life to find his subordinate's dead body. Followed by Igarashi-san pleading the fake professor Davis to find her student. Judging from his face obviously the imposter now knew being Oliver Davis was not the walk in the park. Naru was pretty pleased now the imposter and Minami got their just desserts.

The man tore his hand out of Ms. Igarashi's grasp. "I can't do this!" he said his first words the entire investigation. "I'm not who you think I am! It was all _his_ idea!" he shouted, pointing to Minami-san

Mai smiled in amusement at Naru who seemed to be trying his best not to smirk, "What?" Minami-san said, looking nervous. "That's ridiculous…" He laughed nervously. It was very obvious he was lying.

" _I admit it, I'm not Doctor Davis!"_ the man shouted in English. " _My name is really Raymond Wall. This man is fooling all of you!_ " He again pointed to Minami as he shouted.

Mai sighed, "At last they cracked…." On the background Ayako was slapping depressed Bou-san hard on his back.

" _I'm sorry but I don't want to be a part of this charade any longer!"_ Mr. Wall said, glaring at his former partner in crime as he walked towards the door. " _Now good day!_ "

"Hey wait!"Minami-sani shouted after him. "You have the nerve-"

Suddenly a loud sound of helicopters reached their ears, startling everyone excluding Mai who expected the vehicle that fly low enough to be seen in the distance. Mai cleared her throat. "Please wait Minami-san… too, everyone are free to leave but please remember you're still in contract with the owner of this mansion. So… you may leave after we talk about business."

"What the heck you're talking about?!" Minami exclaimed.

Mai skipped towards the window and opened it, the helicopter flew closer and the cabin door opened to reveal a silver haired boy in black suit and another more familiar figure SPR members knew as Hibari Kyouya. Ohashi-san rushed back inside at the same moment.

"Hayato?" Naru called his friend in disbelief. "What are you doing here?"

The storm guardian craned his neck, pulling a band from his pocket and tied his hair in neat ponytail and put a red framed glasses on his face. "Good morning, I am Gokudera Hayato...Executive Director of Neo-VG. I am sorry for the late introduction." He pulled an official paper with his signature and former prime minister on it. "But we just recently bought the mansion so automatically your contract to investigate the case of supernatural phenomena in this place transferred to us."

"EH?!"

"Jou-chan, you bought this mansion?!"

Ayako added, "Why?!"

Mai just laughed as she put on the black jacket scowling Kyouya passed to her. "Let me do my work as COO first, alright?" Then she turned towards the dumbfounded spiritualist. "Well then, Ladies and gentlemen… let's talk business, shall we?"

It was a serious business meeting, and even Naru was stunned when he had to sit down beside Igarashi-san, Minami, Imura-san and Fujiwara. Lin was also with him, and as bewildered with the sudden turn of event.

"Anyway there's not much change in the contract you signed with Ohashi-san." Hayato laid out several papers with their signature on respective contract. "However I'd like you all to withdrew now… as advised by SPR's head, Shibuya Kazuya."

Naru glared at Hayato, "Oi."

Hayato frowned at him, "What's your problem Kazuya-san?"

"Eh?" Igarashi-san looked confused, "Isn't Shibuya Kazuya the young man with glasses? And you're Narumi Kazuo-san?"

Hayato's left eye twitched, while Mai just giggled. _'How many pseudonym he was going to make in Japan?!'_

Mai took over, "Ah… SPR's sachou dislike media attention so we have a little act going to protect his privacy." She smiled brightly at them. "Please don't concern yourself with how SPR works…"

Naru sighed as Mai averted their attention to her, "And who are you?!" Imura, the monk asked heatedly. "Aren't you one of his investigators?"

Mai was still smiling and at the time like this Naru really thought she was really resembling her brother, all smile while plotting something on her devious mind. The scary part was, their smile was genuine unlike Madoka's. "True, but let me reintroduce myself… I am Sawada Mai, COO of Neo-VG corps and your new client… so in regards to your investigation we'd like _all_ of you to withdraw per suggestion from SPR."

Igarashi-san turned to Naru, who just nodded. "I think it would be best if you left now, Ma'am," Naru said. "We are leaving as well."

"What?!" Bou-san who was sitting on separate sets of sofa nearby asked. "We're gonna leave? How come?"

"Because," Naru said, tapping his finger against his other hand, "Exorcism is impossible."

Imura-san frowned, "Why did you say so, young man?"

Naru repeated the explanation he gave to Igarashi-san, "We, SPR have already searched the house. We can only conclude the missing people are in sealed rooms; and this is also a fact. However, that type of place isn't accessible unless one opens a hole in the wall. I don't know what method Urado used to take his sacrifices to the other side. The human body is unable to pass through walls, so I can only think that Urado manipulated space or time to do that. Do you know how much energy is needed to do this?"

Hayato did a mental calculation. "Well-"

Naru shook his head, "Hayato, that's rhetorical question… don't bother calculating it for my convenience."

Gene snickered in his mind, _'Hayato can't help himself when someone ask about number, can he?'_

"This entity, Urado isn't loitering in this realm to wreck vengeance. Neither did he leave any love or regret in this world. He merely wants to prolong his own life. Hence the need for sacrifices; that's why he goes hunting. This can no longer be called a ghost of a deceased. You can call it a 'demon', 'fiend' or 'monster'. It is such a monster."

Fujiwara nodded in agreement, "He is completely different from ghost we spiritualists usually dealt with…"

"Unfortunately although we know of methods to hunt spirits, we do not know a way to hunt monsters. It's not possible to exorcise it."

With that said, Naru looked around at everyone. "Amongst those seated here, is there anyone who knows of how to hunt this monster?"

SPR members gave their reasons, "To be honest, I'm not able to do it. I don't have the power to subdue this fellow who is able to make humans pass through walls." Bou-san admitted.

Ayako also agreed. "I'm no good either… as miko I need my tree spirit, and I doubt he has interest to move on."

At the same time, John nodded too. "To those who have no fear of god, I'm unable to forcibly seal him."

Fujiwara raised his hand, "I know a few… but considering the fact SPR I have accompanied revealed so far sealing such monster in a container we Onmyouji could do… it's not worth it."

Lin continued, "A very tasking job not to mention dangerous since we have to venture to that hidden room… If he could appear and reappear as he please ignoring our barrier there's no safety measure that could stand against him until we finish the job." If they did it with current member most likely there would be victims to protect the onmyouji until they finished the job, all of them from SPR were under thirties after all.

"There's a way." Fujiwara admitted, "But that involves calling my older relatives who are outside of his hunt criteria… but I don't think even Kidou-sensei could call that many favor from my clan. This monster is confined in this house anyway." In short with that reason they would reject the request, especially since this property was bought by Vongola.

"Confined?" Minami echoed in confusion.

"Which mean because during his life his deed is confined within this house, even in death that stays the same." Naru answered him, "Even the front yard of this house is already a safe zone, out of Urado's reach."

"So if we go outside we're safe?"

Fujiwara glared at them, annoyed. "That's what you fear for? Your life? Rest assured… only young people under thirty is in danger in this mansion. Urado has no interest in elderly… especially a fraud like you."

Minami flushed red, "Brat, you dare-"

Naru was ticked, the one who felt offended the most was him actually.

Hayato cleared his throat, stopping MInami's rage. "Now the case is considered over… the investigation part at least, we trust SPR's judgement… and so we request to remaining spiritualists to withdraw for your safety."

"But my Suzuki…"

Mai smiled at her sadly, "We Vongola will take full responsibility… with our resource we can easily comb the whole mansion. As said by SPR most likely she has passed away but… one way or another we will give her back to you and her family."

Igarashi-san began to cry, "Thank you…"

"It's not much but we will also compensate you for your loss." Hayato added in even tone, craning his neck towards the monk. "And to your temple I suppose."

The monk huffed, "Glad to hear my stay in this dangerous mansion is not for nothing! I am leaving then!"

"Please sign this first…. Confidentiality contract" Hayato pushed a paper and pen to him, and gave the same to the rest. He signed it after skimming through the contract, then he stalked off towards the door, no one stopping him.

Naru narrowed his eyes, _'There's no loophole whatsoever… Neo-VG really takes confidentiality to a new height I'd say.'_

Minami flinched as Imura slammed the door shut, "What about us?" Minami stuttered, "Our Atsugi and Fukuda?"

Hayato glanced at Naru and the dark haired boy raised an eyebrow in return. "Well, you see MInami-san… we Neo-VG just signed partnership contract with BSPR so imagine our surprise when we heard you had Oliver's imposter as your supervisor." Minami paled in shock, "We will compensate their families… you in the other hand..."

"Wait… I didn't-"

"Impersonating someone of Oliver's caliber is a crime you know?" Hayato smirked, "So as a good gesture to our partner, why don't we…" Minami jumped from his seat and run towards the door only to be greeted by Kusakabe and his band of black men with regent hairstyle. His scream echoed in the hallway as he was dragged away.

"Huwaa…" Bou-san swallowed, "I don't have sympathy with the jerk but…"

"They won't hurt him, right?" John wondered, as watching Igarashi-san escorted out by Ohashi-san to her room to pack up.

Ayako sighed, "Maa… nothing he didn't deserve I think."

Masako glanced at Hayato, _'He called Naru… Oliver, not professor Davis… and Naru called him Hayato.'_ She had seen him before but where? The demonstration video! On the introduction there was a silver haired boy with his back facing the camera talking with Oliver Davis, it was a very brief moment but memorable to Masako because he was the only person the young Oliver was talking to. Gokudera Hayato was Oliver's friend! Then that mean… Mai already-

"I will take my leave too." Fujiwara announced, "And thank you for your kind offer to give me a lift to Suwa city Lin-san." His caretaker would pick him up from there.

Masako tensed, "Fu-"

The onmyouji glanced at her, "Do you need something? Hara-san?"

She shook her head, "No, it's nothing…"

He inclined his head slightly before marching out of the room.

SLAM!

Naru pointedly ignored Hara-san's confused glance between him and Fujiwara, he hoped just because Fujiwara was not as easy to meet like him, the girl was not going to decide he was a better pick. He would be pissed, speaking of an annoyance…

"Mai, about Minami…" Why the heck did Foundation deal with that pest?

She sighed and gestured towards Hayato, "It's his idea… saying it would be bad for us too if someone is allowed to use prominent professor's name from BSPR frivolously."

Hayato nodded, his expression was smug. "Don't worry we're just scaring the guy a little, and we will handle any possible leak to media so don't get cranky with me No- Naru…"

' _Aww, Hayato is offended in your behalf!'_ Gene cooed, grinning.

I just sighed, _'It's business related.'_

' _Is it so hard to believe Hayato think you're friend not just his debate-buddy?'_

"Anyway…" Hayato trailed off, "That's one business done." He craned his neck towards the cloud guardian. "Oi, Kyouya…" The cloud harrumphed before opening the window and jumped off. "Never mind, he would know what to do."

"He just jumped off of second storey!" Someone from SPR exclaimed in shock before they saw a dark figure walking towards the gate where several vans had parked. "Never mind." Why did they worry about the guy in the first place?

Mai just laughed sheepishly at that, "Kyou-san sometimes don't know the purpose of a door."

Hayato was putting the papers to his suitcase when Bou-san greeted him. "Yo! So you're another friend of Naru-bou aside from Irie-kun! Nice to meet you!"

The friendly monk offered his hand, assuming Hayato was also a foreigner and Irie had offered his hand when introducing himself to them. Much to his shock Hayato eyed the offered hand like he would a snake, with a snarl.

"I am in no mood for a handshake, and no, it's not nice to meet you!"

Bou-san stared at the rebellious teen in shock, "Huh?!" What did he do to earn this animosity?!

Mai groaned, "Hayato!"

Naru sighed, "Your hatred for adult is as strong as ever."

"Anyone three years older than me are all my enemies!" Hayato declared, actually anyone older than him but Hime and Boss had convinced him to made the range smaller. .

"But then a majority of human population are your enemy!" Bou-san pointed out in shock.

The silver haired boy scowled, "No problem! I have no interest to befriend idiotic adults in the first place!"

Adults in the room, especially Ayako and Bou-san twitched at his remark. "Wow, no wonder he is Naru-bou's friend…" He was even more blatantly honest with his insult.

Glad they got his point, he turned to his princess. "So Hime… about this mansion, can't we just blow it up? I brought dynamites with me too"

Mai smiled at him, totally unfazed by the suggestion. "We have unfinished business to do first, remember? Be patient Hayato."

Bou-san gaped, recalling the two times Naru-boy suggested the _exact_ thing in Yuasa and Ryokuryou case. "You guys even have the same crazy idea with blowing buildings up!"

"Huh?" The boy snarled like a typical Japanese delinquent. "What the heck this corn-head is talking about?"

The monk sputtered indignantly, "Boy! That's a rude thing to say to your elder! I am a monk you know! There would be punishment from heaven for insulting me!"

"Sure, once you shave that head…" Hayato returned smoothly, "Until then, I believe Buddha will hold on from punishing me or whatever." Then he added, "After Mukuro I could hardly pressed to believe in Buddha anyway."

Ayako laughed, "He got that right, Bou-san! I'd say Hayato-kun, your personality is pretty charming!"

Hayato eyed the red haired miko in disdain, "I don't want to be complimented by a hag in thick make-up." Not to mention one who eerily reminded him of his sister.

"This brat!" Bou-san held her back.

"If I can't hit him, neither can you!" He yelled.

Mai shook her head in exasperation, "Less than five minutes and Hayato insulted Bou-san and Ayako-san worse than you ever did."

Naru shrugged, "Of course he did…" He inhaled deeply, "So, what's with purchasing this mansion behind my back? It's your business to but what you want but do you have to do it now? You realize with exorcism either impossible or too tasking, this mansion doesn't worth the money you spend on it?"

"I know, that's my business. Don't pry."

Naru was ticked, "Mai."

"I am still not forgiving you yet for that one." She grunted.

Naru glared at her, rubbing his cheek because the mere mention gave him another shot of phantom pain. "I believe that one end in fair ground. What else do you want?"

"An apology?" She wondered in sarcastic tone.

"Mai… you're so-"

Masako looked at the two sadly, _'They're at it again…'_

Hayato looked back and forth between them in confusion. _'What the heck?'_

Ayako swallowed, interrupting the ping-pong of argument. "Out of curiosity… but how much this mansion is worth?"

Hayato who was in love with number couldn't resist answering, "Considering the drop of yen value, the location and the state of this mansion… 10 oku."

10 oku= 1 billion yen = 10 million US dollar = 9.1 million euro

"If it's located in Tokyo, maintained properly and not haunted it would worth double…" Hayato continued ignoring bulging eyes from the spiritualist team, "The only thing this house worth is the artistic maze like structure and historical value." Hayato finished with relish. "Maa… not that it matters to us."

Naru rubbed his temple, he was so done arguing with Mai. "Hayato… Mai, you guys realize to get rid of Urado there's only one thing to do?"

Bou-san's eyes widened in realization, "We just have to burn it. There's nothing in this world that cannot be cleansed by fire. Urado is restricted by the house and is unable to escape; therefore it's ok to just burn the house but that mean!"

"How is it okay to you to burn a 10 oku house?!" Ayako screeched.

The silver haired boy shrugged, "That much is just pocket change for our family." Mai's forehead slammed to the table at that, "Hime?! Are you okay?!"

"I know it's pocket change in comparison of our wealth, but to me it's still painful to call that much money pocket change…" She whined.

"Hime! I am sorry! I was speaking without thinking again!"

Naru sighed, Mai was not joking that she was used to frugal lifestyle before she inherit the family's wealth. "This is ridiculous… anyway If you followed our advice, called the police, and dismantled the house, the missing people will be found. That isn't SPR's job of course."

Bou-san grinned and said. "Hence we will escape and leave too? This isn't Naru-chan behavior."

Oh, right they had not been informed, "Your job is done though." Mai lifted her head up.

"Eh?"

"It's not running away. Our work is already complete." Naru announced with relish, "I came here not to fulfill Ohashi-san's request. The request itself did not trigger my interest; even now I don't think it is anything that interesting."

"But… if that's the case then why…"

"I did not accept Ohashi-san's request. I accepted Madoka's request."

"This Madoka is… Mori-san?" John asked.

"Correct. She said that Minami Psychic Research has an imposter posing as Oliver Davis around, and asked me to investigate." Naru explained.

Mai sighed, _'Sometimes I wonder if being secretive is not his talent, he just give them a reason to wonder why did Mori-san even care about the fraud? Well… he could leave it as it's just how Mori-sa roll.'_ Seriously, who sent the real one to investigate their imposter while undercover?

Hayato rolled his eyes at this, _'Could he care at least a little about his reputation?'_ He had been telling Noll again and again that it was fine to hate media attention but for the sake of his research he should care about his reputation at least a little.

"Our job here is already complete, and thanks to Foundation for taking care the rest of the mess. There's no reason for us to stay and expose ourselves to this danger. Even if we stayed, I don't think we'll encounter any interesting phenomenon. We are withdrawing."

Mai and Hayato translated this as, He just don't want to put anyone in further danger… and this mansion is not interesting he said? There's a space distorting monster here, and dozens of ghost writing blood graffiti...not interesting indeed.

' _Noll, it won't kill you to omit the last part. You're concerned of everyone's safety.'_

' _Be quiet Gene.'_

' _You two still bicker like this huh…'_

They whipped their head to Hayato in surprise, the silver haired boy just smirked. He heard them?!

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

"So the anchors Gene spoke of are connected to Mai and Tsunayoshi-san are…"

Hayato nodded, leaning against the wall as he watched me packing my belonging to my bag. "Hime's and Boss' link are unique… so they establish psychic link with a select few of people."

"So Gene and I are the newest addition?" It irked me for some reason.

' _That's called jealousy since apparently our link with Mai is not that special.'_

' _Gene be quiet.'_ I and Gene thankfully had better experience with psychic link so it was easy to close it on Hayato though for some reason we couldn't do the same with Mai.

He nodded, "Maa… telepathy is the lesser stuff, most of us aren't psychic so it can only work with our twin bosses, Mukuro and Chrome… and now with you two. Though I suspect it would be only me and Mukuro because we're the only ones familiar with you two."

I zipped my bag shut, "Which mean you can't communicate telepathically with Yamamoto-san for example?"

Hayato shook his head, "Nope… and I don't want to understand even half of things going through that guy's head, or turd top's, and not at all in case of Mukuro and Kyouya."

I suppose that was understandable. "I see… so is you coming here have anything to do with Madoka's careless warning about your family." Hayato tensed, it was not obvious to most but we knew him pretty well by now to read his body language. "I know it… Madoka underestimate Vongola too much if she thinks she is discreet enough."

The other scientist sighed as he sat down on the bed across one I occupied. "It's just about time you found out, you're smart and Gene isn't oblivious either…" He sighed again. "So what did you know from your teacher?"

"Hyper Intuition is a hereditary ESP ability." I told him bluntly, "And there's the case of three sons of previous head that never solved… you can't fault Madoka for being worried, don't you think?"

Hayato groaned loudly at that, "Well… I expect this much, the first especially… if you saw the spirit HIme summon from her pocket watch you will know sooner or later. As for the three sons, why the heck did your teacher dig that one up? Enrico, Federico and Massimo… the three idiots killed each other."

I didn't expect that, "What?"

"You know… old cliche plot of three sons feuding for inheritance?" Hayato shrugged, and began a list in deadpan tone. "You see, Enrico was shot by unknown assassin that may be or maybe not sent by one of his little brothers, Massimo the second son was drowned with his legs buried in concrete… and Federico, the favored son of Nonno was killed by unknown method, but we found the bones… in each incident there are trails that suggest they were involved with each other demise… leaving Shin-shodaime and Hime as legitimate heirs."

I stared at him in disbelief, "So Iemitsu-san, Mai's father is not involved?"

Hayato gaped at me, "Haa? Of course not! There was a good reason in spite of their overflowing talent Iemitsu hid his children and they were originally fifth and sixth in line!"

" _Then why did you hide their death?"_ Gene asked, opening his link to Hayato.

Hayato looked at us as if we were idiots, "Why the heck we would want to air our dirty laundry to the world?" The professor asked back incredulously.

I sighed, _'So Madoka's fear was not legit in the end… '_

In normal circumstances erasing one family member from history was simply cruel but in this circumstances I couldn't say it was uncalled for. A proud family like theirs would be ashamed for sure. Still- wait-

"Hayato."

"Yeah, what next? I promise I will answer as honest as I can but I can't answer everything, you know that." Hayato crossed his index fingers in front of me, an Italian gesture of 'I swear' to me. He was being very indulging with us today, maybe because his family hijacked our case. Then again we had pulled out, so more like we passed it to them.

I asked, "What are you guys going to do in this mansion after purchasing it? Not that I against buying it because I know if it you guys, you will take care the finale of this case properly." If it was the former prime minister that would still be up to question whether they would agree to our suggestion.

Hayato smirked at us, his green eyes glinting with excitement. "Oh, just a little excursion…" At my scandalized look he added, "Don't worry, everyone involved are those who know how to protect themselves, you did ask whether anyone know how to hunt down monster right? Believe me… no one can beat us in hunting monster down."

They were going to hunt Urado?

"That's why…" Hayato was smiling at me now, and it was… freaking me out because Hayato shouldn't smile _not_ at me especially. "Get the hell out of this mansion quick, will ya?"

Huh?

* * *

 **Meanwhile (Girl's Room)**

"If it makes you feel better, Fujiwara-kun is just on the way here and his shiki was already around." Ayako gestured to the door, though she knew Masako noticed because as a miko while she couldn't see shiki some with element earth like Keito and Rikugou could be felt easily by her whose affinity was wood, water and earth "He went ahead to pack up so he could escort us." The miko grinned. "He could be quite a gentleman, don't you think."

Masako closed her bag with a snap, "He did it just out of duty." Naru had asked it of him, and Masako knew better than anyone as she had received the cold words from him years ago because she got in the way of his duty. He took his obligation seriously. " it's not that he particularly cares for me… he at least respect you Matsuzaki-san."

Ayako sighed, "Masako… you didn't fall for him because he return your feeling, and even I know only desperate girls is okay with any guy as long as he loves me…" Masako flushed red. "Beside, aren't Naru the same? How is that any excuse to turn your attention to him?"

"It's just-"

"He hasn't reject you outright the way you assume Fujiwara's cold words to you as one?" Fujiwara never rejected Masako, she assumed his anger towards her back then as one. "Even Naru has decency to not reject a girl who hasn't confessed out loud… but isn't his blatant show of disinterest enough?"

Masako flinched, "Are you making fun of me?!"

"What?!" Ayako groaned, "Of course not! I want to tell you to quit looking for an easy way out from your feeling and don't do anything stupid just because you want to avoid heart break." At Masako's petulant look, Ayako sighed. "I want to take a shower, just stay still alright…" And so the miko went to have her bath and never noticed Masako went out of the room as soon as her back was turned.

* * *

 **Foundation's Van**

Minami was scared beyond words when the men in regent hairstyle dragged him to their large van where he was forced to sit in a leather chair with strap and in front of him a young boy who seemed to be in middle school sat, smiling benignly which stood in contrast of his cold brown eyes. "Who are you?"

"My name is Huzimori Mitsuru from Nebbia Divizione." The boy introduced himself. "Nice to meet you, Minami-san."

"I… I am not a criminal! Release me! This is against the law!"

The boy just laughed at him, "Why would we care about that? Minami-san? You see… we just find it extremely suspicious you found a gullible foreigner willing to pose as Oliver Davis."

"Eh?"

"While Oliver Davis is a celebrity with no published photo whatsoever is an easy target for a fraud like you…" Mitsuru trailed off, "He is a very unique individual with both PK and ESP, a certified genius, it's the height of idiocy to think hiring a middle aged foreigner could pass as him…"

"Ah ha…"

"A very dangerous business." The boy finished, "Especially since, when we try to find a man by the name Raymond Wall… do you know a man by that name died two years ago?"The man looked shocked by that, "So who is the one wearing his skin then?"

Minami stammered, "What do you mean by he is already dead?!" He tensed, "Wait… where did I find him then?"

Mitsuru smiled again, "Who give you the idea of hiring him to impersonate Oliver Davis? And When?"

The man broke down, "I don't know! I can't remember! Why did I do that?! I want fame! Recognition but… I… I… this is not my idea…"

The boy's left eyes shifted to red with kanji six, flame of mist shrouded his body and in his place Rokudo Mukuro appeared. "Oya-oya…"

Kusakabe who watched everything next door from the two sided mirror entered the interrogation room. "Rokudo-san… this man is already…" Minami was holding his head as muttering incoherently.

The mist guardian nodded, "A severe mental breakdown caused by long exposure to mist flame's influence… whoever inflicted it to this idiot is brutal, I don't do charity but if I lift the influence ay latter than say… a week ago, this man's brain would turn to mush by now."

Kusakabe flinched at that, "So about Raymond Wall?" They thought they got him but the guy had faster legs than expected.

"My squad is chasing him, and with Fran I don't worry too much… better mist flame user than us can be counted by one hand." Mukuro boasted with relish, "For my squad's survival that is…"

"Eh?"

The mist guardian sighed, "We're master of deception but my squad is not suited for hunting like Varia or Takeshi's Piggia Divizione… you know."

The right hand man of Hibari sweat-dropped, "That's right…" Mukuro's and Chrome's Nebbia Divizione were meant for subtle cover up job, the clean up was Takeshi's Pioggia Divizione's duty. As befitting of their role as the mist and rain of Vongola Famiglia.

"Still…" Mukuro trailed off, "While we expect that anyone who had stolen Eugene Davis' body would want his twin too." They were one set like their bosses, incomplete without one another. "I can't believe they tried to bait Oliver Davis with his imposter when he is obviously under our protection…" Not even VIndice dared to go after the psychic after their princess laid her claim. "And anyone who oppose us are either extremely foolish or suicidal or…"

"Or." Kusakabe echoed.

They had confidence they could take the strongest famiglia in the world on. "Or they knew what happened to our Tsunayoshi… the culprit who did _that_ to our sky!" The mist guardian gritted his teeth in anger. "It's been awhile since I am this pissed our Hime's intuition is right again!"

Whoever it was, they'd pay!

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

I tapped my chin, deep in thought. "So the Vindice is already on standby?"

Kyou-san shrugged, "What do you expect? You're cutting it close to deadline."

I rolled my eyes at him, "Well, investigating paranormal activities is not a walk in the park…"

"Ah yes, exploring enemy hideout is more like one to you I believe…" Kyou-san retorted with a smirk, earning an amused smile from me. "So this Urado… is he a worthy prey?"

A hum escaped my lips at the thought, "Ara… Kyou-san be patient, I can't say Urado is worthy or anything… but a leech clinging to his pathetic life desperately would be satisfying to burn don't you think?"

His steel like eyes glinted in amusement, "I see…"

"Anyway." I took off my contact lens, a spare Hayato had brought for me. A few days without it had made my eyes felt uncomfortable. "Don't rampage too much, okay? We need to retrieve _that_ back." She stopped, eyes shifted to the side as she heard familiar voice of their mist bearing the news about Minami and his fake Oliver Davis. "I see… it can't be helped"

"Hime." That was Hayato calling me, it seemed he came from Naru's room. "The one your ordered from Verde is here." He lifted his case made of metal.

I beamed at him, "Thank you."

He returned my smile before asking, "How about Mukuro? Did he get anything from that pot belly old man?"

"Ah… not much hope on that front, Minami-san barely avoid becoming a vegetable after overexposure to mist flame." I sighed at that dejectedly. "Maa… civilian didn't last long against prolonged exposure to flame usually." I didn't have much hope in the first place especially since not even I suspect the fake Oliver Davis until much later, whoever was covering him was someone skilled if it can fool me even though just temporarily.

"About Vindice hime…" Hayato called me, "I found Jager's interest in Noll pretty worrying, I mean what come over him to think Vindice could gain anything from Noll? Could it be this unknown enemy and Vindice…" Hayato brought his hands together, pointing both of his index fingers down.

 _Se l'intendono_ , could it be Vindice and the unknown enemy was in some sort of scheme together?

I narrowed my eyes at the possibility, "Maa… I only trust Bermuda and Vindice as much as they could trust me." In which we had faith in each other in executing our respective duty, but that's it. "Let's see as soon as everyone in mansion left-" My head was full of possibilities, this case was not so bad if at last we saw a path to go to.

I was so distracted by my thought my hyper intuition warned me too late and someone collided with me when I stepped from the corner we occupied to the hallway. "Oof!" I caught the hand of person who ran to me before she could hit the floor, it was Masako. "Ah, Masako-chan… be careful!"

She pulled her hand away from mine in not so gentle fashion. "I…I don't want to be addressed so intimately by one such as you."

I blinked at her sudden hostile behavior to me. I was not surprised as most of the time she was pretty civil to me but short tempered and sarcastic if Naru just blew her off. So did Naru rejected her or something for me to be her venting target?

"Oi! Onna, do be careful with your mouth-" I raised my hand to stop Hayato from speaking further. "Hime."

I narrowed my eyes at him, "Hayato, Kyou-san… go prepare. I will catch up later." Hayato looked like he wanted to protest but Kyou-san had walked away and he was never one to be outran in following my order.

After they left I turned my attention back to irate Masako. "Hara-san… do you hate me that much?" Masako violently turned her head away from me, and did not give me a reply.

"Why do you hate me to this extent?" I didn't understand why she saw me as a rival for Naru even.

She pulled a face at me, "Why are you acting so oblivious all the time? Even though he treat you specially…"

Specially?

It seemed my face said what I thought out loud, so she blew up at me. "He calls you by your first name without honorific!"

"Ah." I paused at that, "You do realize we're foreigners right?" At least half of our blood, though in Naru's case he was third generation Japanese and I was just complicated because I simplified myself as one fourth Italian. Though obviously looking at my father's tanned skin and blond hair, he was not just a half. He managed to pass himself as Japanese with his completely Japanese name though.

"For me it's fine, but to be honest to most people raised abroad Japanese honorific are inconvenient. Not to mention misleading since just calling people by first name signifies intimacy…" And I thought so too because once I started living in Italy after coronation it felt so awkward to be called by your first name all the time if not by our title.

"He has no problem using honorific with me and Matsuzaki-san!" She pointed out.

So John didn't count because he was a guy?

"And you two bickered like old married couple!"

We did? "I never saw old married couple bickering." My parents never fight so I wouldn't know. "I wouldn't know." I repeated out loud. "Anyway…" I closed my eyes with a sigh, "There's no reason to be jealous of me, I don't know what 'special' way you saw in how Naru treat me but… it's nothing to be envied."

She stopped at that, "Eh? What do you mean?"

"Again, there's no reason for you to think I will be your rival for him." I repeated firmly. "I don't have interest in something like relationship and I don't think Naru did either at the moment."

She bristled, "That's just an excuse! You know his secret and yet." Masako covered her mouth.

Oh, so she realized I knew Naru's real identity too. "And yet… I didn't hold it over him like you did?" Masako flinched at what I said. "That's why you think he likes me better than you?" At her flinch I knew I got that one right. "I'd tell you he is upset you blackmailed him… obviously, a proud man like him."

"I… I just want a chance! He won't look at me at all so I…"

"Even so… any shred of attention he gave to you because you hold _that_ against him doesn't make you happy." Judging from her look, to an extent she felt guilty and afraid she would be hated. "If it helps, while he is upset I don't think Naru hate you… it's someone like him who is more difficult to feel hate for someone." Or any other intense emotion because he liked being logical and in control all the time.

Masako gripped the edge of her sleeve kimono tightly, "You know him so well and yet… you don't think the way he treats you is in any way special?"

She envied the wrong person. "Even if you say so I disagreed…" For a sky like me, anyone bound to me would see me as someone special. Naru and Gene were especially pliant to my influence from what I see. I knew my guardians were drawn to us and stayed by our side on their own choice but I couldn't say the same with Naru and Gene. "I disagree his feelings." Their feelings. "To me is in any way special as you said." And not in romantic nature like Masako thought.

"What's with that look?!" Masako's voice snapped me out of my reverie. "How dare you making light of his feelings!" She yelled before running down the hallway.

I… what?!

"Wait! Don't go by your-" I paused, sensing two of Fujiwara shiki were right behind the crying girl. "Well, she is relatively safe with those two shiki around…" Beside it was still bright outside.

" _ **Hime."**_

That was Mukuro calling me, _'Coming, Mukuro… wait until all SPR members get out before curtaining this mansion in mist, please.'_

I huffed at the direction Masako disappeared to. I had no time dealing with confused teenage girl, not when we were going to hunt monster.

* * *

 **(1 Hour Later) 3rd POV**

Naru was pretty annoyed because with how rushing Hayato to get him out of the mansion, it felt like he had been ejected from the property. And there's their resident Miko. "Masako is missing!" Ayako announced to the group who had gathered right outside the mansion. "I left to take a bath and she just-"

Bou-san gaped, "What is Masako thinking?! We have been told repeatedly to not go off alone!"

"Fujiwara's shiki are around so I am not worried but… Keito told me Rikugou and Tai'in who followed Masako were panicking since suddenly there's a pair of hand grabbing Masako out of nowhere and she just disappeared!" Ayako told them in one breathe. "She is taken before they could do anything!"

Fujiwara looked as stunned, before conversing with his shiki. "She told you to give him some space? Why did she do something so reckless?!" He frowned. "She ran to the guardian and-" He shook his head, "Never mind…" He turned towards Naru. "Shibuya-san… about Hara-san, my shiki's carelessness is my responsibility… so I will go to look for her."

"You can't go alone." Naru told him firmly. "As proven by Hara-san's disappearance, Urado somehow could bypass your shiki if they let their guard down even at slightest…"

"But-"

Naru gazed at Urado's mansion, in the first place he was uncomfortable leaving it to Mai and her family to finish this case. Not because he didn't believe them, but there was something else, something more in this case that made Vongola think this case was their business.

"First, please found Hara-san's luggage and bring it here. The we will search around the empty space for her."

Fujiwara craned his neck and pointed at one window, "Matsuzaki-san, the room you shared with Hara-san is that one right?"

Ayako nodded, "Yes…"

"Rikugou." It didn't take long for the window to be opened from inside and a number of luggage belonged to Ayako and Masako were dropped gently to waiting arms of Naru and John.

"Amazing." John breathed out.

Naru stealthily grabbed the first thing he could grab from Masako's handbag, a comb. It seemed the object was precious enough to the girl to be imbued with strong enough connection to her. As his team unpacked some equipment for their search, Naru retreated to the more secluded corner of the front yard for a reading with his psychometry. Lin would cover up his disappearance.

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

The vision was not tinted in green which was a relief because that meant Hara-san was still alive, however it seemed I got to the wrong time in the past as Hara-san was in the middle of one-sided argument with Mai.

" _I disagree his feelings to me is in any way special like you said."_

They were talking about me surprisingly, and what in bloody hell Hara-san was trying to do? Confronting my feeling to Mai and as expected Mai brushed it off. The sting in my chest was really annoying, and it doubled because Gene felt the same. I knew Mai didn't feel the same but it infuriate me to feel this way because someone else confronted her about it.

Hara-san was even more surprising because at Mai's retort, she felt offended of my behalf, she was so furious she stalked off from Mai. It was when she was quite far away she was abducted, the air became cold and something grabbed her roughly from behind. I saw a male with long hair dressed in traditional armor calling out for her, and a girl dressed in pink cheongsam beside him, looking equally shocked and frightened. Fujiwara's shiki's. Then the scenery changed to that room full of tiles and soaked in blood.

So this monster really could distort space. This was bad, we really had to find Hara-san soon. I snapped the link to Hara-san's comb, and came face to face with Lin's slack jawed expression. What shocked him so much? Lin was almost unflappable, for my assistant to look like this.

What had happe-

It didn't take long for me to know why Lin along with the rest of my team were in shock, Urado's mansion was gone and in its place was a smooth paved stone surface. As if the massive building was never there. As if it was cut off of the picture from this world.

' _This is…'_

What was going on here?

* * *

 **One more chapter... if you're annoyed with Mai in this chapter... you should be.**

* * *

 **OMAKE:  
**

"Please sign here Hime." Hayato angled the clipboard for Mai's convenience to sign the paper.

The girl herself was on phone, signing the paper as she held the phone between her shoulder and ears. "Ah yes, there's no need to purchase more supply, I'd like you to focus on our next project." Mai said to the phone as signing the paper with flourish. Placing the pen on her desk, Mai began to made hand sign to Hayato with her free hand.

Hayato nodded and pulled his own phone, "Hello, this Gokudera Hayato from Neo-V.G, regarding your proposal from before..."

This time Kyouya came to her side and placed a stack of paper in front of her. "Hn."

Mai sighed, still on the phone as she began sorting through the paper before signing a number of them.

SPR team who watched the whole process couldn't help but wonder, "Mai is really a boss, isn't she?" Bou-san breathed out.

"She really _works_ as COO." Not just being a pretty figure head like Ayako thought, Mai was still _very_ young after all.

"How did she do several things at once?" Masako frowned. "Did she even read them?"

"Maybe Jou-chan is a genius too?"

Naru was not impressed at their skepticism, or exaggeration. "Idiots, that's what people called multi-tasking." Nothing to do with being a genius for sure. Though... he had to admit this level of multi-tasking was pretty... overboard.

 **Review Please!**

When


	40. Case 07, Part 08

**I DID IT! YAY!  
**

 **Interlude: Masako, on subject of Sawada Mai**

To be honest Masako's first impression on Mai was not all that good, plain and normal girl who was somehow roped to investigating supernatural phenomena in her school. She held no particular feeling for the girl, just one of many faces in the crowd. It was in her second glance at the girl, Masako noticed Mai was _different_ and definitely the farthest epitome from normalcy. It was breathtaking but also eerie, the moment Hara Masako noticed those dull brown eyes she perceived as plain turned to color of molten gold, like the twilight sky.

She was no poet but for some reason Masako herself couldn't comprehend, to her, Sawada Mai was a girl who was like the sky. Somehow the vastness personify Sawada Mai, it was always the ceiling of the world but when you looked up you couldn't help but amazed by the vastness, myriad of color and how easily to be lost within. Human was always drawn to the sky that was beyond their reach, and that was why wingless human dream to fly.

Just like that, the outgoing and plain girl turned to be an enigma to Masako.

It didn't take long for her to change her mind again in their second case together. Mai had the gall to laugh at her when the girl saw Masako faked fainting and lean on Naru for support. She was amused by Masako's move to get Naru's attention, ridiculing Masako's effort to catch Naru's attention. It grated her nerves with how effortlessly Mai attracted his attention, as natural as the pull of gravity.

Which was odd, she was the sky and yet like earth people were drawn towards her helplessly, as if they couldn't help their feet were planted on the ground. Masako felt the same like the rest of SPR, their clients. She couldn't help but feel bitter why Naru was not immune to Mai, why with all intelligence and charisma he had, he was no different.

By the third case Masako knew Mai was a capable girl, Masako had begrudgingly acknowledge her Hyper Intuition and sharp mind. After all, she lived up to Naru's high standard for an assistant. However how everyone rely on Mai, even more than to a experienced medium like her was annoying her to no end. Why couldn't Mai settle on being a good assistant? Why she had to be a formidable psychic too?

If her confidence had been shaken before, the fourth case brought by none other than Mai's family had shaken her to the core. She knew she was the one of the best in Japan, and there was someone like Eugene Davis who was in completely different level. However that saying there was always someone better was never felt so real when Chrome Dokuro and Rokudo Mukuro appeared before her.

That was her self-image as a medium, as a girl she suffered different kind of shock.

Mai was a princess, not in look or behavior but the closest thing without being a royalty. Being the COO of Neo-VG, a leading global multi-business empire/ She was definitely treated as one by her family, called Hime and adored by them to sickeningly sweet degree. Even by someone like Hibari Kyouya, who Masako admitted in spite of his dangerous aura for a moment charmed her. How did she get these people's adoration, Masako had no idea.

Much to Masako's relief, Naru didn't seem to care and treated Mai the same as always. Masako herself had learned reputation and status meant nothing in his eyes, you could be the best medium in Japan or queen of the world and Naru won't bat an eye. Then in one of Mai's reckless attempt to solve their case, Naru had to administer a CPR to her. He was the closest to Mai when she collapsed, and by his own choice. The relief in his eyes when Mai started breathing stroke a chord in Masako's heart.

There was something more but Masako refused to see it. She stubbornly hold onto her confidence that she could be something more for Naru, she had it in her to convince him of that. She brought a case for him, and soundly rejected with more irritation than usual. In the end she got her way, but Mai was already in the park first and on a date. Masako was pleased by the turn of event, though she was embarrassed that she couldn't help but blush when she met Mai's date, Ganauche.

Then it became clear why Naru was in bad mood, he was jealous and somehow he managed to wrestle Masako's attempt to take him to another date to crash Mai's date. It turned out the date was just a friendly one, Ganauche was apparently an uncle figure to Mai. The attractive Italian was just pampering the princess of their family.

Just like that Naru's mood picked up. The familiarity they displayed when eating from each other's utensils was enough to make Masako seething with jealousy.

By Christmas it became increasingly clear Mai made Naru feel. As if Masako need more evidence thrown to her face. This time was no different, even though he was hard to read the moment his bad mood hit a new low, everyone in SPR just chalked it up as Mai related. Of all things that could upset him during Christmas eve, like the pointless festivities or the noises. He was upset because Mai had to return to Italy because Christmas was a family holiday there.

It hurts Masako's dignity to think _if_ he was more than just attracted to Mai, even though the brunette didn't even try while Masako who tried so hard to the point she resort to something like blackmail didn't receive even half of what he gave to Mai. The only comfort was the girl would be too blind to see it. And Naru was too proud to act on his feeling when obviously Mai didn't feel the same. Then perhaps his feelings for Mai would just fade, if not because Mai didn't return it, at least because of his pride.

Then again who was Masako trying to fool? While perhaps Mai's feeling didn't match Naru, she was a very loving person. Mai didn't know Naru's special feeling for her, but she saw through him all the same. Masako wanted Naru to treat her in special way, like English gentleman he suppose to be. Mai wanted nothing more than Naru to be himself around her, in fact Mai seemed to be very fond of Naru's narcissistic and moody self.

Looking at assortment of unique personality her extended family was composed of, it was no wonder. Naru's very own brand of personality was a new color Mai just discovered. Mai understood and accepted people, it was just in her sky like nature. How could you fall _out_ of love from someone like that?

Masako herself was not immune to Mai's influence, it was so easy to like the girl but Masako held on. Surprisingly it was easy to find reasons to dislike Mai, and the first had nothing to do with Naru even. Mai was a very distant person, which was laughable for someone who had been called ice queen to use that as a reason. However Mai's distant nature followed her sky like image, you could see and feel its presence but you would never reach it.

That was what Masako felt whenever one of Mai's family member came, the distance became more real as if they didn't even belong in the same world. Funny she feel uncomfortable with someone ghost like as a medium.

Second reason was pretty shallow, she was Masako's opposite and it was natural to not be able to get along right?

Third reason was perhaps the most legitimate, not to dislike but to hate her even.

" _I disagree his feelings to me is in any way special like you said."_

Her hyper intuition be damned! Who was she to deny Naru's feeling for her?! Masako felt anger on Naru's behalf to Mai. Just because she saw through people, that didn't Mai had any right to write off his feelings like this! But that hatred evaporated instantly when Masako saw the look on her face, the sky looked forlorn and dejected by what she said herself.

Why?

"What's with that look?!" Masako yelled at Mai, "How dare you making light of his feelings!"

But Mai's expression turned firm, as if she was infallible, refusing to let Masako's words to get to her. The untouchable sky refused to be defied. Masako felt like a fool to think just for a moment she had reached the sky, and so she ran from Mai in embarrassment to the pair of blood soaked hands that ripped fabric of dimension.

And her vision became tinted in red.

* * *

 **Case 07, Part 08**

It was a good start if Kyouya not protesting walking with them was anything to go by. She even held a faint hope that Kyouya started to compromise or even consider three was not a crowd yet. Then again in this situation even them weren't completely safe from Urado. If the monster could pop up as it pleased it was for the best to have someone watching your back. If there was anything Mai learned in SPR about ghost better than anything, being a flame user didn't mean they were infallible against the incorporeal being.

Mai heaved a sigh, drawing attention from her storm and cloud. "Hime?" Hayato asked worriedly.

"I can feel his dangerous and loathing presence somewhere from the depth of this mansion." Mai admitted, closing her eyes. "But I can't pinpoint the exact location at all…"

Kyouya scoffed, "I guess that means we just have to make a straight line to the center of this mansion's sealed area." He announced, drawing his flame covered tonfa.

Mai yawned, she didn't get enough rest last night. "You will bulldoze our way through whether I know where it is or not." She usually had more stamina than this, why did she feel so tired? No, it had been this way since she entered Urado's mansion and her intuition was still haywire.

Hayato nodded in agreement, "Maa… I didn't expect anything less from our clo-"

WHAM! And just like that Kyouya created a new door, or rather hole on the first wall they ran to.

-ud." Hayato finished. "As impatient as always for destruction." The storm eyed the rampant destruction haughtily. "By the way, Kyouya… you go to the wrong direction, that's north not west." Kyouya paused and rammed through the west wall with new resolution or rather irritation.

Mai sweat-dropped at him, "Hayato, you're one to talk." You dynamite hammerspace.

Hayato deflated, "I am sorry Hime."

"Maa…" She looked at the hole Kyou-san had made, this time in the right direction. "Let's proceed shall we?" Before their cloud got too far and maybe he would get out on the other side of this mansion.

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

When asked what happened no one could quite explain it, as they couldn't provide succinct answer other than the mansion was gone when they were not looking and they couldn't recall the precise time of its disappearance. As Bou-san aptly put it, the mansion was stolen when no one was looking.

I would be amused if the situation was not so serious at the sight of Bou-san and Matsuzaki-san rubbing their eyes repeatedly, Father John gaping, and even Lin was shocked. Fujiwara looked the most unaffected, most likely because he had an idea what was going on here. Still, a building couldn't go missing on its own, much less one the size of Urado's mansion. This was no magic show, no mirror or other trick whatsoever, unless…

' _An illusionist is around, I think it's Mukuro-sensei himself.'_ Gene confirmed my guess.

I frowned, _'Why do you think it's him?'_

' _Because according to him, illusionist of his caliber can be counted in one hand.'_ Gene was sighing, muttering about overconfident genius.

I disagreed, considering how real Mukuro's and Chrome-san's illusion back then, I was sure he was just stating the obvious. Wait, Gene had been calling Mukuro as sensei for a while. _'Did he teach you how to create and break out from illusion?'_

' _Just a theory on the first, and some practice on the latter.'_ Gene told me promptly, _'I am not sure I can break this one though, the practice he gave me is merely to give me a taste. I mean… he never tried putting me under illusion seriously.'_

And if he made the whole building disappear…

' _The theory he taught me is basically boil down to this… "Illusions...or real illusions. Within the illusions hide real illusions, the illusions are created. Within the truth hides the lie... within the lie hides the truth." and so on…'_ Gene quoted him, which to me sounded like something from Shakespeare script. _'It's also the matter of imagination and desire… and a very contradictor disciplinary since in the same time you can't give up your sense of perception.'_

Or you would lost control of your own illusion. Came to think of it… Fran who was perhaps the least experienced illusionist I had met so far, his sense of perception was botched if our short interaction with him was anything to go by. Still, with so little information how could we break through this?

' _ **I can't let you in, Oliver Davis…'**_

That voice in my head, Rokudo Mukuro?!

' _ **Yes, it's me… now run along until we finish our business."**_ I could almost imagine Mukuro waving his hand dismissively as he said this.

I decided having someone else's voice in your head was unpleasant and I really had to learn how to block them. _'Hara-san from our group is missing.'_

' _ **I am aware.'**_ Mukuro said, _**'We will pick her up along the way…**_ **if** _ **she is still alive that is.'**_

That was not assuring at all. _'I will appreciate it if we're allowed to go back in to look for Hara-san.'_

' _ **I have my orders, no can do... Oliver Davis, Shibuya Kazuya or whatever you want call yourself .'**_ He returned blithely.

Gene sighed, _'Is Mai aware of this? That Hara-san is missing?'_

' _ **Of course… if you come you will just get on the way.'**_

I scowled, I won't get on the way. Who did he think I am?

' _ **Psychic who is reliant to his twin to use his massive power, a medium who didn't even have his own body…'**_ Mukuro answered my unvoiced question. _**'You said it yourself you don't know how to hunt monster, leave it to us and just stay still or better.. Go home.'**_

I thought of this too when I met him, Rokudo Mukuro was an infuriating man.

* * *

 **Back with Mai and Co (3rd POV)**

Hayato's deft fingers hovered over the earpiece communicator Giannini invested specifically for guardian's use. "From mechanic group, they have surrounded the sealed space of this mansion with flame barrier. That should be enough to keep Urado's territory smaller."

"..."

"...Hime?"

Mai snapped out of her daze, covering her yawning mouth. "Ah yes! Hopefully this precaution is just me being cautious." Mai admitted as they walked through hole after hole with flashlight in hand.

"Hime, we can rest if you're tired."

Mai shook her head, "I am fine." She coughed, "Anyway… a monster like that shouldn't have any sense of self left so hopefully confronted by us he perceived as preys, he would be too bloodthirsty to flee." Literal thirst for blood, not just metaphorical.

Kyouya stopped smashing, narrowing his eyes at their princess. Since they delved deeper to this mansion, she looked tired for some reason. "Even a hungry predator have enough survival instinct to flee against stronger carnivore."

Mai snorted, "Survival instinct, Urado is already dead… he-" Mai stopped on her track, frowning. "Kyou-san… did we bash the wall in straight line?" She asked, feeling something was off.

The cloud frowned, "I would presume so."

The princess growled, "We had been duped… as soon as we entered this sealed off area, our sense of direction is already compromised."

Hayato pulled his compass, and looked shocked when he saw they had been heading southwest instead of west they aimed for. "How did that happen?"

"Few rooms ago I think there's a room that's not aligned with the rest." Mai imparted her theory. "With our senses compromised, the darkness, and our alertness for ambush… I suppose we didn't pay too much attention to the shift of direction because we assume me made a straight line." What a blunder in their part.

Hayato summarized their predicament aptly. _"Merda!"_

Shitty situation indeed, should they just bash everything then? Nope, even if they could survive having a building falling on them, there were others who couldn't survive that. "We should have known this monster won't let us get to it so easily." How ironic the son who hated him was protecting Urado by accident with this maze he created.

And there was the issue of missing Masako, how did that girl got to this trouble? If she knew this would happen, she wouldn't let that girl out of her sight and drag Masako out of this mansion herself. Hopefully Masako's claim that she was a medium with capability to protect herself was credible in this situation. As much as Mai wanted to rush in to save Masako, she couldn't.

This bloodstained labyrinth was on the way. "How long we have been down here?"

"Three hours, Hime." Hayato answered her promptly.

At the time Suzuki went missing they found out quickly but it didn't matter, the only comfort was Masako was taken when she was awake so there was a chance she could put up a fight. No matter how slim that chance was, Mai refused to give up on her. She never gave up on anyone, and she was not going to start now.

"Hayato, calculate something for me please."

"Huh?" Hayato blinked owlishly.

"Do you think one hundred thousand Fiamma Voltage is enough to make our way in?" This was perhaps not her smartest idea, but hey! When it comes to a Vongola, smartest plan was not always the way to go, sometimes or rather most of the times they just had to follow their guts.

* * *

 **Back with SPR team**

Mukuro at some point of time had showed up, or rather a boy did. It shocked them to see Mukuro's voice coming from the boy, telling them to get lost now or else. "Look!" Their resident monk yelled, "We need to find Masako!"

" **And I don't see how you can do a better job… stop wasting my time and scram."** Obviously Mukuro was losing his patience.

Ayako looked at the boy, "Is he possessed? How could that be? Mukuro is alive, right?"

Fujiwara answered her, "Rokudo Mukuro is a special existence even among medium, he is known to be capable of taking over other body like ghost…"

Never expected after the last impressive display of power Mukuro was still hiding something like this on his repertoire. Whatever experiment this man had went through, for him to be capable of something only spirits could while being alive, he was already violating the law of nature .

' _Strange… usually Mukuro-sensei won't show himself and in his vessel's body no less.'_

' _What do you mean?'_

' _Usually he would shroud the vessel's body in illusion so it looks as if he is using his own body unless…'_ Gene gasped in realization. _'Hiding something from sight is a child's play for him but… it's been hours no matter how skilled his stamina is limited, he is saving as much as he could to hold the barrier and illusion.'_

Naru frowned, _'Does he has to keep the illusion? I mean the barrier alone is enough.'_

' _Because there's something he didn't want us to see?'_

Sound of something exploding followed by minor earthquake shocked them, and they looked around in confusion because there was no destruction whatsoever around them that could signify something just exploded. Unless…

Mukuro in the boy's body scowled, **"I told them to keep it down!"** He was not going to waste his energy to mask noise too! Then again most likely the trip down to Urado's real lair perhaps had snapped their princess' patience, especially with a friend in danger. He didn't care if Hara Masako died but Chrome would be upset.

Then he felt someone passed through, not a body but a spirit. The distraction had disturbed his concentration and Eugene Davis had bypass him through astral plane. **"That idiot disciple!"** Then he felt a sharp pain that resemble getting hit by lightning flame on his back and cursed his moment of weakness, and also because no layer of realistic illusion over the boy's body, even a simple stun gun PK could get him.

Damn, his _family_ would never let him to live this down. He recovered instantly with cloaking the body, rectifying his mistake. Oliver Davis however was already inside and slamming the entrance door to Urado's mansion on his face followed by his assistant and the onmyouji boy. Only those three with quicker feet made it though.

The rest however had to face a very irate mist guardian of Vongola. **"I suggest you guys leave so I could go after those idiots, before I** _ **make**_ **you."**

Sensing his murderous aura, the monk raised his hands. "Uhm, Mukuro...san." He added at the glare Mukuro shot him. "Can you please let us through, Naru-bou has gone in anyway?"

Ayako nodded, "Yeah! We need to look for Masako! You need more people to help!"

Mukuro smiled at them, and announced. **"Our Boss and Hime always insist we ask** _ **first**_ **, and then it's up to us."** While they were fighters on their own right as spiritualists, against human much less a flame user they were just civilian.

They didn't even know what hit them until everything goes dark and the last thing they heard was remark from annoyed Mukuro that he should have done this sooner.

Mukuro looked from the unconscious form of SPR team and then to the flickering mist barrier surrounding the mansion. He fixed the barrier, the Davis twins had unknowingly disturbed with their entrance. Then he called his disciple Fran to get back soon from his errand or there would be literal hell to pay. The brat could take over maintaining the mist barrier. What possessed Hime to bring Kyouya and Hayato with her anyway?* Those two were too destructive to operate indoors, she should have gotten Yamamoto or anyone who could work with less noise.

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

My guardians had vetoed using my sky flame and opted using theirs to bash their way through, and I quickly regretted suggesting the shortcut route, because storm flame was just next to lightning flame at noise level when used. After all its properties was disintegration, it didn't help Hayato combined it with lightning flame to increase its power, which resulted to destructive and _loud_ burst of energy piercing through wall after wall.

Our ears were still ringing after the abuse, and now why my brother insisted wearing headphones all the time made sense so much. "That's…" Hayato admitted, "Not my best idea."

We was still hearing the echo, "Not mine either." We were in hurry but fighting Urado deaf was not a good idea. Being a stealthy ghost and all, if any of my guardians was nabbed by that creep… Kyou-san especially, I was not worried for his safety, more of what would survive the ensuing rampage.

Now I understood why Mukuro looked at me as if I was an idiot when I grabbed Kyou-san and Hayato to accompany me. "Hm?" I looked back, mouth agape at the direction we came from. "How could he let Naru pass?"

"Eh?!" Hayato was as shocked, "Noll is coming?! That idiot!"

"Let's hur-" I suddenly felt very sleepy and I knew what that meant. "Hayato, Kyou-san… I am going to astral project." At least I was better now, because at least I could maintain my consciousness for a while longer.

Hayato and Kyou-san looked at me in shock, "Eh?! Now?!"

Kyou-san was contemplating to just leave me behind judging from his deadpan look, this aloof cloud of mine. The jerk!

"Just carry me…" I growled at him, "I will be back… soon…" And then darkness, I swear one of these days I will master this out of body thing.

Damn it.

* * *

 **Gene's POV**

It was easier to navigate in this place now, with the lost spirits getting used to my presence and they knew what I was here for. So they were willing to help, showing me the way to execution room of Urado, it was easy once I saw the fireplace, the maze of hedge and at last the small building with grim looking wooden door, it looked almost harmless if one didn't know the atrocity committed in the other side.

It didn't took much effort to find Hara-san, the poor girl curled up in the corner of the tiled room, hugging her knees in fear. I knelt down before her, "Hara-san?"

The poor girl looked up in shock, her teary eyes widened with relief before shaking her head. "Am I dead?"

Where did she get the idea? I smiled at her comfortingly, earning shocked look and a blush. It seemed she mistook me for Noll. "It's alright… you would be fine." I told her.

 _ **Gene!**_

That voice was Mai's, it seemed she was calling for me. Hara-san was still rattled but there was nothing more I could do, so perhaps I better go to Mai to tell her about Hara-san. It was easy to feel the pull of Mai's soul to mine, and let it carry me to her. And there she was, her astral form glowed with flame like outline.

Then I saw her frown and crossed arms, uh oh… I did force my way in when she wanted us out of this place. "I am sorry?"

"Why did you have to stick your nose where I didn't want you to?" She wondered out loud. "Go back to Naru."

"I find Hara-san!" I informed her, "And she is alive, but not doing so good."

Mai's frown deepened, "What do you mean?"

"She think she is dead and… I can't convince her otherwise because she thinks I am her figment of imagination." I was not sure how did she get that idea.

She sighed, "I can imagine you're smiling as comforting her, that would be like dream come true for her." Mai was smiling now, it seemed somehow the news Hara-san was alive made her less tense and relieved. "Alright, show me way to the poor girl and I will see what can I do."

I pointed a direction to her and beckoned Mai to follow me and we were back to the tiled room, I was worried Mai would be affected by the horror personified room but her attention was solely on Hara-san. She smiled at me while placing her index finger on her lips in shushing gesture, if the situation was not so serious I would be overcome with urge to kiss her.

She stepped forward while I watched her kneeling down in front of Hara-san much like I did previously, "Masako-chan."

The girl perked up at her name, "Mai-san…"

"Are you OK? Are you injured?" Mai asked her gently.

Hara-san slowly shook her head. "No… Why… are you here…?"

"I am astral projecting here..." Mai told her. "I am glad I did."

The medium smiled wanly at Mai. "Is that so… I thought Mai-san is also dead."

Mai frowned at that, "You're still alive, and so am I…"

Masako smiled tiredly. "… Really."

"Are you in pain? Are you alright?" She asked again.

"There are many terrifying memories made in this place… I am already extremely exhausted." I felt like an idiot forgetting unlike me, Hara-san was a medium with psychometry so of course being here exhaust her mentally.

"You cannot give up. We will definitely come to rescue you."

"… Thank you."

Saying this, Masako smiled gently. "I am fine. Up till just now Naru was here."

"Naru?" She echoed, smiling in amusement.

"Isn't that strange? He stayed here keeping me company, encouraging me. It was really strange. He wore a beautiful smile."

Mai smiled at my direction and my heart skipped a beat. "Did he? How nice." Hara-san replied with a smile. When she smiled, tears unconsciously rolled down.

"Masako-chan?"

"This is a dream. Perhaps you saw my spirit now… I am already dead." And she returned to that depressing line of thought.

Mai shook her head, "You're still alive, I would know."

This is such a strange conversation.

"Perhaps I am already dead, just that I don't know myself…" That was a very real fear for a medium like us.

Mai sighed before her eyes lighted up, suddenly recalling something, she stuck her hand into the collar of her shirt. Pulling out a silver chain with several objects attached to it, a key, a man's ring and an omamori. She contemplated for a moment before taking out a ring.

"This is… a gift, a memento of promise..." Mai said as she placed the slightly bulky ring with small orange gem on Hara-san's palm.

"Promise?" Hara-san echoed.

Mai nodded, "Years ago my brother and I made a promise to someone, and this is a gift he gave us for fulfilling that promise. He gave us a pair of rings… I promise you that I will come to save you. This is the proof of that."

"… For me?"

"Yeah. If you hold on to something then you can believe my words, right? And you can believe in yourself right? Masako-chan, you are still alive. And you are not in a dream either. Can't you really feel the sensation of the ring?"

"… Yeah… it's so warm."

"We will rescue you, believe me. Wait for us."

Hara-san nodded her head, and then she grasped Mai's arm. "This place… is very scary."

"Yeah."

"That man is coming."

"Urado?"

Hara-san nodded. Her doll like face was slightly twisted; transparent tears rolled down. "Besides him there is the spirit of the two men. They are coming to kill me. I desperately prayed that they would not come. But I'm already very tired…"

"You cannot give up. We're nearly there; you must try your best."

"I see a lot of hallucinations… a lot of people were killed… it was extremely terrifying…"

"It's alright. We will definitely save you. That's why, Masako-chan, you must try your best."

Hara-san nodded like a child. "I will wait for you all. You definitely will come?"

"Yeah. Definitely. As fast as we can. Therefore…" Mai took touched the ring briefly, and from the ring a bright flame erupted. That… was not natural flame, something akin to hitodama?

"This is…"

"As long as this flame burn, no spirit will touch you… " Mai assured her, "I will be right back to save you Masako-chan." And then she walked away from the girl who looked much better with Mai's comforting word easing her fear.

"Mai." I called her once she was back to my side.

She sighed, "Tell Naru to turn back… I will save Masako-chan."

"But Mai!"

Mai's expression was unreadable as she said this. "...If you keep chasing me, it might be too late to turn back."

"Even so we-"

I did not even finish my sentence. My vision suddenly blurred, and it was black. The last thing I saw was Mai's forlorn expression.

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

Gene had returned to me, and it seemed he ran to both Mai and Hara-san. The latter was very much alive, a little shaken and exhausted mentally but alive. Mai was far ahead of us, and steadily approaching Urado's lair. I didn't doubt that even a bit, looking at the trail of destruction Mai and her two companions left behind.

"What did Sawada-san do to create a straight path to the center of the house?" Lin wondered as we walked in steady pace, following the trail.

Fujiwara shook his head, "...You wouldn't want to know…"

"You know."

"I am not risking my life to tell you or anyone who is not in the know." He snapped at me and that was the most teenage like response he had given us so far, according to Gene.

I frowned, "Say… rhetorically, what would happen to you if you _tell_ us?"

He slowed down his pace briefly, "I would be lucky if I'm dead." Was his smart retort.

"And the living corpse Vindice will be your executor?"

What he said next made my blood ran cold. "It could be Sawada-san herself." At the look I gave him, Fujiwara just sighed. "I told Lin-san that dangerous is not the exact word I would choose to describe Sawada-san, but harmless is the _farthest_ thing that could attached to her… more like absurd of you to think she is defenseless much less harmless." He stated to me with a tone that suggest me who believed otherwise was insane. "Considering who and what she is."

"How did you know so much?"

"Excuse me?" It seemed I said something wrong again. "It's not so much as being forewarned or informed kindly like you think… my knowledge of Vongola is more like knowing when to get the hell out of their way, and not poking my nose where it didn't belong unlike someone."

This was fun, apparently Fujiwara Hikaru could have a chip in his seemingly stoic armor. _'A Pot just call a kettle black.'_ Gene snorted at me but I ignored him, I was more interested in what Fujiwara just said. "Out of their way?"

"What people with common sense do." He returned to me. "In fact if not for Hara-san and _you two_ rushed in I won't be here."

He was not a coward, I knew that much if he offering to look for Hara-san before Mukuro block the way was anything to go by. Which meant getting on the way as he put it was worse than putting life on the line against a monster like Urado. "And why are you staying here then?"

He shook his head, "Would you let a child touch flame with his curious hand? You can't help yourself but pull his hand away on reflex."

Did he just liken us to a child?

* * *

 **3rd POV**

Masako waited patiently even after she lost track of time, gazing at the burning flame the ring emitted. It was so warm, and the eerie glow of the mysterious flame was somewhat comforting. She didn't even want to worry anymore, lulled by the flickering tongue of flame. What was this flame? But her tired mind couldn't get farther than that idle musing.

Why did she feel that way? This comfort and peacefulness started to feel scary… like a forlorn kite trapped in the sky. What was this feeling?

"Masako-chan?!" That was Mai's voice but Masako was feeling groggy and she couldn't respond. "Oh, she is not fine… did I make a mistake leaving her with active sky ring?"

A grunt was followed by assuring words. "Hime… I think the exposure to sky flame just started to get to her, she is a medium so her resistance is nonexistent." Someone, a young man's voice said.

Who?

"Better than killed by the pest." This voice sounded cold and aloof. "This herbivore is just a little inebriated, like a child that got drunk by sake fumes."

Someone snorted, "You would know, wouldn't you? Lightweight."

"I will bite you to death."

"No fighting." Masako felt an arm on her back and another under her thigh, carrying her bridal style.

She hummed softly, the sweet and delicate scent of amaryllis tickled her nose. "Mai-san you came…" The sky really came fore her. "I feels so weird, but comfortable and warm…" She snuggled closer to the source of warm and scent.

A restrained laugh answered her, the rumbling on the chest she leaned on was strangely comforting. "Uh… glad you think so, Hayato… careful." Now she was dropped to someone's strong and wide back, Masako protested weakly at the change of hand.

"Ecco che arriva il mostro!" The one who was closest to her said.

"Hayato! Go! Get Masako-chan out of here!"

The last thing Masako felt before she fell to deep sleep was overwhelming warmth and scent of blood.

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

"Yes, I have an idea why the hole are perfectly circle shaped, and the next walls looked like something punched through them." Fujiwara said in frustration before I could ask anything. "Or why the air here is very warm."

I had no plan to ask, I was more concerned about what was going on down there rather than the strange phenomena of perfect circle holes on the wall as if someone just shot a railgun through it. "This is…"

The other side of the wall was more than a meter lower than this side. Inside, there was a stone crafted staircase and a veranda. Then there was a double paneled door that faced us straight ahead. One look we identified it as the front porch of a much smaller mansion.

We found a door, one that had been pried open quite violently. I couldn't tell if it was Hayato or Hibari who did it. They didn't just destroyed the look the lock, but the door itself. The door was already fell of of its hinge. No one made a comment about the evidence of violence.

Entering the doorway was the front hall. On the dust covered carpets, the furniture was still placed properly there. Everything was covered with dust like snowdrifts after a storm. The corridor extended straight inwards from the hall. On the right there was a staircase towards the second floor. Using the torch to illuminate it, we could see the second floor landing was blocked off.

"Naru, is this the hall that you saw in your vision?" Lin asked me.

"It's not this one." I told them, using my flashlight to illuminate our surrounding. "Most likely this is the main house which Kaneyuki lived in."

Fujiwara looked around, "So this was how Hiroyuki-shi buried the rotten legacy of his father."

I nodded, "Somewhere in here, there should be a room with a furnace. With closet that lead to outside on the right side of it." We hurriedly searched for the room, it was on the end of the corridor we found the room that matched my description.

"… This room..." I opened the door of the closet. Which was different from the vision I saw: a curtain hung inside. We opened the curtain. There was still a door inside. I opened that door. On the other side of the door was a narrow corridor.

"Found it." I announced in solemn tone."It's unlocked, that's why Mai and the others didn't broke their way in. Whatever they did to make that impressive shortcut, I suppose they wouldn't want to destroy too many things and risk the building to collapse on them.

BOOM!

Lin and I were about to get inside when we heard the deafening sound of explosion, followed by minor earthquake. Fujiwara pulled both of us back to the living room from the secret tunnel not so gently. "We have to go back." He hissed.

"We have come this far," I snapped at him after he let go of my arm. "Why are we retreating?"

"Trust me, no one suicidal would want to interupt this _exorcism…_ and Hara-san by now-" As if on cue someone burst through the secret corridor with Masako on his back, not even a silver strand out of place and his red-black suit stay as immaculate as ever. "Should be in safe hands." Fujiwara finished with a sigh.

Hazel eyes blinked at me, burning with familiar rage. "Noll! Why the heck did you follow us here?!" I raised an eyebrow at him, unimpressed considering one of many reasons was on his back. "Oh, right…" Then unceremoniously Hayato dropped Hara-san on Fujiwara's arms. "Now you got her back, get out of this place…" Hayato straightened his tie that was a bit loose and combed the long strand of his silver hair with a huff.

"Now, I gotta to go back there!"

What's with them telling me to get out, scram, go home, and its varieties of get lost. _'He is asking for it.'_ Gene urged me. I grabbed Hayato by his collar and his enthusiasm he pulled me through something like layer of heat that caressed my skin briefly, and to the front of dead hedge maze.

"Gah! You… you! Since when you-" Hayato stammered, the moment he realized he had brought me along.

I didn't listen to him, how could I when everything in vicinity was set ablaze? It as if the vision I saw previously was seen in amber tinted glass, the small building near on the other end of the maze was missing the roof and half of its wall was knocked over. Strangely even though there were flames, I didn't feel difficult to breathe here. There was no smoke coming from the flame, how could that be?

Hayato grabbed my arm roughly and a chain shrouded in purple flame narrowly missed the spot I occupied before. "Kyouya! Watch out for it! You almost got Noll!"

"Wow." Familiar figure of Hibari Kyouya appeared, holding tonfa with chain end that almost nailed me with no trace of guilt. "He got here in the end? How careless of Rokudo Mukuro. The same goes for you."

"Don't pick a fight with your fellow guardians at the time like this." Hayato growled.

My eyes were locked to the flame on his tonfa. "Flame… Purple flame?" As if the color was not unusual enough, the shape was oblique and somewhat unstable-looking, randomly flickering like smoke.

' _What is that?! Aura? Or chi?'_ No, it looked so vivid, and could be seen by naked eye.

"Don't-" Hayato began but stopped as a pillar of flame rose in the distance.

WHOOSH!

Then I saw her lithe frame in the air right, her back facing the ground, one leg tucked, arms spread out as her body arched gracefully in air salto. Her long chestnut hair was dyed in color of burning ember, a tongue of flame rested on her forehead like a crown. Her amber eyes had changed to even more eerie and beautiful shade, her pupil took darker color and her iris was lighter.

She was flying, her legs wrapped in leather and metal boots with blue crystal on the ankle left trail of flame in the air as she spun, dodging burst of black flame. "This is…"

' _The flame that attacked me before.'_ Gene said.

What the hell was going on here?! For the first time on my life, I totally lost control of my perception and understanding of the world, nothing made sense anymore.

* * *

 **3rd POV**

Noll was obviously in shock but Hayato supposed he was due to some with how unflappable the ice cube was throughout the year. "Oi, Kyouya!" He called to his fellow guardians. "Why it become such a mess over here?"

"Urado put up a fight." The cloud said. "He is dead but his desperation to keep existing is quite something…" Flame and their mysterious power always fascinated Kyouya. "It's no wonder he… a normal human manage to gain this accursed flame." He swung his tonfa, dispersing the black flame that came towards him with his cloud flame.

The monster had no experience in battle but flame of night was feared for a good reason, the energy output was higher than any type of flame and combined with its space warm ability even them had difficulty to subdue the monster that had pulled run and gun tactic on them.

" **I don't want to die…"** The raspy and haunting voice echoed, and they couldn't tell where he was.

Hayato cursed, strapping skull shaped cannon on his arm and fired his storm flame. "You're already dead! Bastard!"

"Ugh!" The Storm guardian yelped when a ghostly hand wrapped around his ankle and pulled, he lost his balance but managed to steady himself, on his knee. Hayato snarled and aimed but a pale hand slapped the armed arm.

"Idiot!" Naru snapped at Hayato, he had seen what Hayato's red flame was capable of. "Are you trying to blow your leg up?"

Hayato flushed, "I can adjust the flame output!"

Naru glared at him, "I doubt you can tone it down to leave your legs unharmed." Sending a wave of energy towards the ghostly hand, and the incorporeal entity vanished. "The manservants Urado kept when he was alive…" Even after death,they still served him?

"Admirable loyalty they have there." Hayato commented before noticing the look Naru shot him, "You aren't going to ask about the flame?"

Naru snorted, "I figured this is not the right time and... I think you owe me so I can ask later."

Hayato groaned, "You're going to be insufferable while you're at it, I just know."

The blue eyed scientist opened his mouth to retort but a bloody hand wrapped around his neck, choking him. Before the flame of the night burst to swallow him whole. "Noll!" Hayato grabbed Naru's outstretched arm. "Let go of Noll, bastard!" Kyouya readied his flame but Hayato snarled at him. "You will burn Noll too!"

The cloud guardian had to admit his flame with its propagation property was not cut for delicate task such as killing the monster without harming the hostage. Someone here fit that criteria though-

" **Hayato! Move aside!"**

The order came in sharp and commanding tone, prompting the storm to let go of Naru and moved away. Naru gasped when a different hand grasped the one Hayato released, and he was pulled to a warm figure. His vision swallowed by amber flame as he slumped to someone's shoulder.

"Mai?" _'Mai?'_

Mai didn't say anything, it was also then they noticed sickening squelching sound of something against piercing through bloody and almost solid form of Urado on Naru's back.

" **I don't... wa… nt to die..."**

Her voice sounded almost foreign to their shared senses, heavy and cold. "But you're already are…" She murmured softly, "Ever before your body die… your humanity had died when you decide to discard it, and by then… as a human, you have died Miyama Kaneyuki."

* * *

 _A vision flashed on Naru's mind, of a man laying on luxurious bed with harried expression on his face. A helpless voice echoed, a man who forlornly recall words that sounded like execution. Over and over again the man was told he won't live long. He had feared death almost as long as he live, and even with kindness after kindness he showered people in need, he was still scared. He would fear death until he did die._

 _It was a lie those preachers said he won't fear death if he do good deeds, that he was promised heaven in afterlife. He didn't want heaven he didn't know exist or just myth, he wanted to live!_

 _Then he found a book full of meaning, a yellow book with red printed title 'Dracula' and Naru recognized it was the first released print of the legendary novel. Of a kind who gained long life with drinking blood and Kaneyuki was fascinated, dreaming of himself to live long like Dracula. In his imaginative mine he searched if there was some truth behind the fictional story, or anything related to legend of long life and he found it._

 _First was a glass ball the size of a marble, there was mysterious pull to it he couldn't help but drawn to. They said it was a philosopher's stone, but it was not red like in legend. Then a history of a king who was famed for his brutality, and then of a countess associated to him, with her own legend. A tale about a woman who bathed in blood of young people to regain her youth, and Kaneyuku couldn't help but wonder if the same method could extent his life?_

 _As if listening to his desire the mysterious stone rolled from velvet cushion, stopping at his hand that sprawled on the book. He gazed at the translucent stone and reached out for his letter opener, curiously he made a small cut and drops of blood fell on the orb. It became stained in red, glowing briefly and Kaneyuki was enraptured by the sight. Perhaps, that shady merchant didn't lie. And he had found the way to use the stone, the key of long life!_

 _The first victim was the sick youth with no relative who had been staying in his hospital out of his charity. Kaneyuki watched with fascination at how much blood such a skinny body could contain and dropped the artifact he believed as philosopher's stone to the crimson pool. He felt more alive after dipping in the warm blood, and craved for more._

 _More!_

 _More!_

 _And Urado was born._

* * *

"How sad…" Her voice snapped him out of his trance and vision, and Naru no longer looking at a man bathing in blood but pair of eyes looking up to him.

Naru was pulled aside, from his position between Mai and the monster by Hayato. That was when Naru saw the horrifying scene, Urado's bulging eyes were staring at the flaming hand piercing through his abdomen. A hand that belonged to Mai and the girl looked impassive as she pinned Urado.

"You knew you're wasting your life fearing death and yet… you let your human heart to die… you let that sick desire to consume you to the point even the dead vessel answer it…"

Mai?

"And now your soul will never find salvation… this is the true death for you, Urado." Mai said as she slowly pulled her hand from Urado's body, the flame in her boots hummed to life as she shot to the air in spiral motion, forming cyclone like flame pillar that trapped Urado. The monster howled in pain as the sky flame consumed it, there was a flicker of dark flame but the amber flame was faster.

The sky princess watched impassively. "You can't escape… not with my flame purifying yours…"

* * *

Mai heaved a sigh, as the pillar of flame died down and Urado was no more. Even after he was gone, she was still feeling so-

"Hime, are we done?" Hayato asked, and Mai tensed. "We got rid of his servants while you dealt with Urado… the fuckers really are annoying."

"We have to take _that_ back with us, remember?" The sky reminded her storm before marching to the half-destroyed build Urado used to commit his crime.

"Mai.' Naru called her out. "You…"

She didn't answer, and keep walking towards the building where they could see Urado's bathroom of horror, one wall of it had collapsed. Mai jumped to the second storey where the half-destroyed bathroom was located and Naru cursed as he took the stair to catch up with her. If there was anything he expected Mai would do inside, hovering above Urado's blood filled bathtub with one arm dipped in the crimson liquid was not it.

Behind her, Hayato and Kyouya just landed with ease through the same gaping hole. Naru couldn't help but wonder if the flame had anything to do with their inhuman physical ability. "Did you find it, Hime?"

Mai stopped,before she pulled her hand out of the red pool. On her blood soaked palm was something round, like a marble, dyed in blood. "Found it." Mai exclaimed in relief.

Black flame flickered from the glass like orb and Mai let go of it, "Seal it!" Hayato yelled as he pulled a black box made of unknown material and opened it.

Kyouya moved, using his tonfa to knock the burning orb towards the open box. Hayato slammed the box close, and wrapped silver chain around it. "It still can put up a fight?" Kyouya wondered.

"Urado…" Naru didn't know when but suddenly Gene had switched with him, in control of his body. "He is just a puppet, isn't he?"

Hayato blinked at him, "Gene?"

"I saw his past… his desire manipulates him, but what push him to that was… something within the orb you just sealed." Gene announced, dazed and in shock just like his twin. "What was that thing?" The medium asked. "It soaked to the brim with hate and desire for vengeance… such thing-"

Mai sighed, exchanging look with her guardians. "Once upon a time someone who hold considerable power is invited to a gathering, as if the invitation was a form of acknowledgement and honor. That someone however became cursed… living a long life before promised a release from that curse only to be granted a painful death."

Gene's eyes widened, "That's… not a story of just one person, right?" Somehow he knew, Urado's feeling didn't resonate to just one person but-

Hayato groaned, "I forgot you're also a clairvoyant…" He grunted before turning his attention to Mai. "Hime… your hand is dirty, I am really sorry for my oversight! I should have brought a towel!" Then he took off his suit. "Please use this to wipe the blood off!" He had handkerchief with him but it would be too small to wipe the bloody arm.

Mai just discarded her own stained jacket and tossed it to Hayato, revealing the sleeve of her shirt was also in same condition. She ripped off both of her sleeves, frowning when she saw the caked blood on her right arm. Sky flame burst to life as the blood dried out and burned away.

"As expected of you." Kyouya commented, "Your control is second to none as always but…" He eyed the torn sleeve and splatter of blood on other part of her clothes, any that cling to her kind had been burned off. "Your teacher would be furious if he know you come out of this in dirty suits."

Because a leader of Vongola always had to appear perfect in immaculate suit, even after going through battle with vengeful spirit. "I suppose that means I will be pushed to landmine with my blindfold and hands tied behind my back…" She let out a shaky laugh.

"Mai?" _'Mai?'_ Their voice resonated, both of them felt there was something wrong with her.

Mai took a few steps towards Gene, raising a hand to pull their forehead together. "I really have to ask Mukuro to teach you how to control this possession ability…" She murmured softly.

Naru was back in driver seat of his body, frowning at her glazed eyes. Her eye color was dimming to less vivid hue, and there was something… "Mai?"

' _I am sorry, Naru… Gene..'_

They heard er voice resounded in their mind before her body slumped forward to his, and the crown of flame flickering dangerously before it vanished. Her body was limp against his, and that was the first time Naru felt her body so cold and getting colder under the tips of his fingers.

"MAI!"

* * *

*M **ai's choice of companion to hunt, surprisingly Mukuro is not the most destructive guardians. In fact he fall in lower spectrum in causing property damage as long as Hibari isn't involved. It makes sense considering he is the mist. The honor of course goes to Hibari and… Ryouhei and… Lambo, but the latter calms down after he pass his sixth birthday.**

 **At last this arc end and interlude chapter is next, though interlude in case of this story is more like in between case rather than a real interlude. Aah… 8 chapters DONE for this arc. Though… Too bad I can't stop at chapter 7, Part 07. THat would be thematic number of KHR he he he…**

* * *

 **OMAKE: How the princess deal with her family's antics,  
or rather following the flow of insanity stream called Vongolla.**

Ryouhei wanted to recruit some not-human friend to their clu- family, Mai disagred. "The bear has guts. I want him in my club!"

Mai didn't even look at him as she continued to work, stamping Ryouhei's proposal with big and red stamp denied. "If you mean by club our family Ryou-nii, please limit your recruitment to human being… we already have some family members with questionable humanity as it is." With Lussuria and Mukuro on the top of the list.

And then Fran once again evacuated himself from Varia HQ, as usual he pissed off too many people. "Did they ever spare a thought for the environmental crisis? I mean blowing me up and stabbing me would surely cause some pollution with all the smoke and blood."

"No, I don't think anyone from Varia ever did and never will... and Fran stop questioning the craziness of Varia members, you will get nowhere and get back to work."

"Do I have to?" He pouted.

"I still sign your paycheck, so yes…"

Kyou-san being unhappy with order was nothing strange, not even the biting threat that stopped after his first tries using it on her. "I'll bite you to death!"

"That would be unhygienic, Kyou-san." She told him blithely, "And Lussuria comment that your threat is kinky."

"..."

"...I am sure Mukuro would be interested to hear his interesting comment."

She skillfully deal with the mess she call her family, stirring them back to the correct path but sometimes…

Reborn's suggestion when a man reported his own family was trying to betray Vongola through phone call. However there was no way to confirm the claim since Mai and Tsuna never met the man in person and didn't take the call personally.

"There's no time. Just do what he says for now. If he's lying, then we'll just blow his brains out."

"Agreed Shishou! One question though! Can I be the one who blow it out?"

Tsuna fretted, "Can we just skip the blowing part?"

Sometimes Mai wondered why her brother didn't just roll with the chaos once in a while, then again her saintly brother was just too kind.

* * *

 **BTW my dinner is late for writing this SO make sure to write me so I can read it as I eat... I am still torn between teriyaki spaghetti or sweet sour kweytiau for tonight.  
**

 **Review Please!**


	41. Post Case 07, Part 01

**This chapter is called Post-case... well for obvious reason. DO YOU KNOW I freaking finish this chap this morning and make a mistake adding more in this Doc manager, and when I want to save I somehow logged out! Really drown my enthusiasm... ANYWAY enjoy!**

* * *

 **Post Case 07, Part 01**

' _I am sorry, Naru… Gene..'_

At last the fiasco with missing clear pacifier and Urado was over, and Hayato was never gladder with the fact most ghost would avoid holder of Trinisette. They had enough problem without adding ghost in the mix. They would leave ghostly problem with Mukuro and Chrome. "What did I miss?" Came Mukuro's deep voice as the man materialized behind Hayato.

Kyouya glared at him while Hayato scowled, "You're late! You suppose to switch with Fran and catch up with us ! Do you have any idea how hard it is to catch a night flame user without mist flame?" For defense from surprise attack especially. "I'll tell you, it's NOT fun!"

Mukuro however were ignoring his fellow guardians. "You two idiots! How could you take your eyes off of her, Hime is-"

"Hime?" Didn't she just talk to Noll?

"Hayato." Came Naru's voice, he sounded scared and lost. It was almost foreign in Hayato's ears and the storm guardian knew something was really wrong for his fried to be like this. Naru had wrapped his arms around Mai, their princess looked limp and fragile in his embrace. "Hayato…" Naru repeated. "Mai… she is _cold_ , and she is not breathing… and her pulse…" The psychic had one hand on her neck. "It's weak…"

Hayato darted towards them, "Kyouya! Call Kusakabe and tell them to request MBI medics! No! Call Ryohei or Shamal! Threaten Byakuran if you must, to borrow TFR!" The cloud guardian was already running, no doubt he had the same thing in mind and Hayato felt a little silly ordering Kyouya. Knowing what to do without order was the Cloud guardian's job description.

"Hayato!" Mukuro snapped at him, "I will check her vitals! You at least can give some first aid with sun flame!"

"Right!" One of skull rings in his right ring finger enveloped in yellow flame with white core, beaming rather than burning.

Mukuro moved fast as he ushered Naru who was still holding Mai to get out of the building, while the ground was not clean at least it was no bloody tiles. "Shit! This place is really a hazard to Hime, why didn't she say anything?! She is drowning in past memories!" She was always weak to tragic memory, after the trial.

Or rather the sea of Akasha that hold record of the past, she had been here for days with her feet dipped in that accursed sea without realizing it and close proximity to the source of tragedy made it worse. No wonder she looked tired, the recorded memory of this tragic place was pulling her in! This had not happen for a long while and they had been deluded to think their princess had a perfect control of this ability already.

"Her vitals is dropping. Hayato! No need to hesitate! Add lightning flame or we will lose her!"

"Lightning?" Naru echoed in shock when Hayato's ring on his thumb burst in spark of electricity, the color of flame was green and buzzing. "Hayato, you're going to shock Mai with that?"

"I am not going to hurt her!" Hayato hissed as his flame shrouded hand channeled the shock and Mai's body jolted. Alternating between sun and lightning Hayato explained, "The yellow flame is for healing… at least now her pulse is normal again."

But why her consciousness was still… "No good." Mukuro cursed, "I can't pull her consciousness to the surface in this place! This place has terrible reception to us, I somehow manage to connect to her but I can't pull her out of it!" He could see the image of their link, a chain tied around her wrist deep under the sea. The link however was too weak to pull her out.

"What?! You can contact her telepathically before!" Hayato snapped.

Mukuro shook his head, "That's two way signal! I can't do it on my own when she is not conscious! We have to get out of here! If she sink any deeper not even I and Chrome could pull her out with our combined power."

Hayato's mind went blank, recalling the tragedy from one half and year ago when they found their boss on the verge of death and then even though he and Ryohei healed Tsuna, Lambo shocking his heart to beat again, Mukuro and Chrome couldn't find his soul, leaving a husk of their sky. "This is not happening!" He screamed, his flame burst in brilliant yellow color. "Hime! Don't do this to us!"

"Hayato calm down! With that high output you're going to hurt her body!" Mukuro snapped before turning his attention to Naru who could only look helplessly. "Oi! Oliver! Eugene! Have you been in her astral world before? Both of you?"

Naru nodded, "Yes."

"Good!" Mukuro heaved a sigh, "Listen well! I need you two to help us pulling Hime's consciousness to the surface!"

"What are you going to make them do?" Hayato wondered, his hazel eyes were getting glassy with unshed tears.

Mukuro took a deep breathe, "Unlike us, their link to Hime is akin like backdoor… to our front door link. Especially in Eugene's case." He pointed at Naru. "I don't know how the heck did he manage to be linked to Hime by their first meeting." He even never met her in real world!

Naru frowned, "How so?"

"Since he was attempting to contact his twin, Oliver here is somehow involved… they either did it by sheer luck." Or misfortune depending on how one see it. "Or they're just compatible in wavelength…" He had no idea how the link was created, all he and Hime did was establishing the existing link to be a permanent one instead of the original on and off link.

If these two met Mai sooner, perhaps they would be the one who got the role of guardians.

"So… I am going to put you two on trance and send you to retrieve our princess." Naru nodded at that, he and Gene were getting restless with how helpless they were when Mai was in this state. "However… I can't guarantee you will get out of this astral trip alive."

Only the skies were given privilege to tread Akasha realm that connected to their astral world, and even them could only dwell in respective territory. Vongola skies to the past, Mare for parallel world and Arcobaleno in crossroad of future. Though Yuni had special right to glimpse parallel world because her family used to guard Mare ring, but even then she was much more restricted in said area than Byakuran who was the current holder.

Which was why… "Will you do it for her?" Mukuro dared them.

Naru didn't even hesitate, his voice resonated with Gene's. **"We will do it."** There was no way they would let Mai to die here.

"The chance of you two to fail and lose your life is astronomically higher than success." Mukuro told them, "Are you sure?"

Naru gritted his teeth, "Forget statistic, just do it! Or I will regret it for the rest of my life for hesitating too long!"

Mukuro laughed, "I suppose that would be your greatest regret in life! Good, I can see you two survive this somehow."

"Mukuro…" Hayato growled at their Mist.

The mist smirked, "Very well then… just look at my right eye." Naru did so without hesitation, eyes widening when the dark pupil of Mukuro's red eyes morphed to kanji 六.

And then darkness welcomed them.

* * *

 **Gene's POV**

While this void with no light was almost a home to me by now, it was not the case for my twin. "What is this?" Noll asked as we descended through the endless darkness.

I answered him, "Realm between astral world… like the hallway where personal room of each person is connected."

He frowned, "And where's Mai's world then?"

"We're almost there." And we did, the darkness was repainted by the sky that personify Mai's world. "Eh?" Though unlike usual where we landed on the usual invisible floor above abyss, we were falling to the sky below. "Huwaa!"

"Gene! We're falling to the sky!" Noll pointed the obvious, "Where's the ground?"

We looked up in unison but there's sky above us too. "I can't tell up and down anymore! But to be fair… law in physical world doesn't work here!" I yelled at him.

Then a familiar eerie voice echoed, and we couldn't tell where it came from. **"Don't panic… this is a slightly different part of Hime's astral world, this one is connected to her post-cognition ability."** Mukuro-sensei explained to us.

Her post cognition? That place with sea?

" **This place is even more restricted than one you usually visited… and Hime don't have full control of it. All resistance you will face here is out of her control… so be careful."**

Noll frowned, "I see… and how we're going to help Mai in this condition?" As in falling to the sky.

" **You will land shortly, and don't worry… it won't hurt much."**

The splash that followed out landing corrected our assumption, the sky we're falling too was apparently the reflective surface of the water reflecting the real sky above. Another wrong was… the water was no deeper than a puddle. So Noll and I stared unblinkingly at the water surface, my hands found the smooth surface beneath, it as if the sea had thin layer of glass just slightly below the surface. It was a pretty painful landing but thankfully no bone was broken, because we had no real body. If we could feel pain that means…

"This is… some sort of barrier?" I wondered out loud, experimentally knocking the barricade I couldn't see, sending splash of water everywhere."

Noll scowled at me, "Stop that, Gene!"

Grumpy little brother must've felt the pain too. "Hai-hai… now what?" He gave me the look that said he thought I was an idiot. "That question is for Mukuro-sensei, you'd think I know everything to do in this plane? No, I don't-"

Sound of someone clearing his throat echoed, now that our feet was on the ground -sort of- we could discern my fellow medium's voice as coming from some sort of speaker here rather than on our mind. **"Ahem! Now… it seems you're not allowed further access but that's expected since under the sea is a very dangerous place holding past record. I believe you have seen Hime doing a proper post-recognition dive before once?"**

"Yes, we did." I answered his question. "So, what should we do to help Mai?"

" **DId you see a indigo chain around you?"** It didn't take a long time for use to find it after looking, though from our position it looked like an indigo line connecting the sky to the sea. We rushed towards the said line and found the chain, glowing in fog like flame. Then Mukuro-sensei materialized in this astral plane, wearing white shirt and pants that somehow looked out of place in him.

"Welcome." He grinned at us. "This is just me projecting myself, I am not even astral walking here… and." He pointed at the chain. "That's my link to Hime… and at the moment it's her only lifeline, or soul-line." Mukuro-sensei explained. "As one of her anchor and guardian, I have certain degree of influence to open up the barrier so you can dive down and pull her up."

"I see…" Surprisingly this rescue mission was literal, we really have to bring her up to the surface.

"Wait." Noll halted, "Considering Mai who own this realm have difficulty to swim back up, how could we help her? Using your chain as safety rope?" Noll asked as he eyed the indigo chain skeptically.

I sweat-dropped, I couldn't blame Noll for doubting the thin chain. While we were ready to put our life on the line to save Mai, it was more reason to make sure we can succeed. "Um."

"Hell no, my power is stretched thin as it is." The illusionist told us irately. "First thing first, look at your right hands."

We did so and surprised to see we both wore the ring Mai gave Noll, each of us had one silver band that made up the full ring. On mine was indigo and yellow, while Noll's was green, red and blue. "This ring…" It was meant for us both? It had been a while since Mai gave it to my twin and even though Noll wore it everyday he didn't think much of it after a number prodding gave no result.

"Is this the same ring like one Hayato wore?" Now we could guess what these rings meant for.

"That's right…" Mukuro-sensei answered us. "Now light it up."

As in calling out the flame from the ring? Noll and I exchanged look, our face was never this identical with 'HOW' written plainly on it. "Uhm… so we just focus our energy to this?" I tried it first and nothing. "Hm…" Maybe more energy?

"STOP! STOP! It's an A-rank ring but it can't stand your full power, you will break them!" Mukuro-sensei warned frantically, this warning of course was directed to my twin.

We stopped instantly, "Uhm, then how to light it up? We have no training whatsoever in this."

"It's absurd to expect us capable to do this on first try, don't you think?" Noll added.

He groaned, "Luckily for you two as psychic we have more leeway than normal people, you see… this ring is a device to convert the flow of energy in our body to Dying Will Flame."

Dying will flame? That was the name of flame they used? Why there was dying in its name?

"However as the name implied, just energy you two have in abundance is not enough… resolution is also needed. And in this case… it's not just being determined, you have to wish for the power to help Hime as _if_ your life is on the line… as if it's the last thing you gotta do before you died."

Silence…

That was why the flame was called Dying Will Flame?!

"Understandable enough." Noll noted after a long pause. "Still...the method is in no way logical like Qi-gong…"

"Right." I had to agree before closing my eyes, and focused my will. Wishing desperately that I could safe her, and as we had come with agreeing to put our life on the line I couldn't imagine there was anything else I'd want to do before dying other than saving her.

Then I heard noises from my hand, and when I opened my eyes I saw the same indigo flame other illusionist had and one that Hayato used, yellow with sparkling dots around it. Noll's flame was red with eerie edges, the green one with electric like appearance and one we had never seen before, it looked more like rippling water than flame.

"Wow…" That was easier than done what I expected.

"Only because you're psychics." He informed us as if he heard my thought, an amused smile on his lips. "Normal human would have to go through intense training to develop enough life force to light up the flame."

I stopped at that, "Noll, are you alright?"

He looked as shocked as I was. "I am fine…"

"Of course he is… the flame is different than raw life force he usually use and with the ring steadily converting the energy out, it put his body in much less strain." Sensei explained. "A warning however, this energy is in no way safer than Hadou used in Qi-gong. It's more refined, and easier to control _but_ the danger is doubled… don't want to burn yourself inside out with your flame, do you?"

Both of us couldn't help but faintly green at the prospect. "Ugh…"

"You guys will just use enough to create energy link between the two of you."

A link? We tried to use the same method as our PK seed and the ball of tri-colored flame steadily flew towards my palm, and on reflex I returned it, mixing my indigo and yellow flame with Noll's. Suddenly the flame began to burst uncontrollably between us and we jumped to the side when it exploded.

"Huwaa!"

"Ugh!"

Our instructor snarled at us, waving his shakujo frantically. "Idiot! I told you two to make a rope! Not a bomb! This is not Hadou! You can't play catch with Dying Will Flame!" The illusionist roared at us.

Noll and I looked at the faint flicker of flame we created before it vanished completely. "Wow… no wonder Hayato and co are unfazed by explosion." While Noll's PK was not harmless, it didn't explode on our face like that.

He nodded, "This was even more dangerous than PK or any kind of Hadou…" We almost got ourselves killed by our own power.

"If you two are quite done with being impressed by your almost suicide by Dying Will Flame… while there's no sense of time in this realm, and we have time… wasting it was entirely different matter" Mukuro began irately.

"Uhm, I am unsure how to do this." I admitted honestly.

"Here I thought being twins means you instinctively know how to do this…"

Noll frowned, "What do you want us to do? And if you're using Mai and Tsunayoshi-san as example how did they do it?"

He sighed, rolling his heterochromatic eyes. "Fortunately you two have the same dynamic of control and power… so Oliver, you will be the one who start up the energy first while Eugene… you will be the one who mold the energy to a rope instead of amplifying it with yours…" We stared at each other blankly, unsure how to start this completely new procedure.

"Clasp the hand with rings together." He instructed after a long pause.

"Do we have to?" We grimaced, at this age holding hands with your brother was just…

"We're imitating how Hime and Boss did it, if you want to complain take it up to them not me." He told us blithely.

That was unfair considering we were nothing like Mai and Tsunayoshi-san, I didn't dote on Noll and my little brother definitely didn't think I was the greatest brother on earth. This was to save Mai though so in the end we swallowed our pride and put our hands together. Then I felt Noll's energy passed through me, intertwining with mine with gentleness I didn't know he was capable of. Our joined hand glowed in myriad of color.

"Good." The illusionist looked satisfied, "Now it's your turn Eugene… pull your hand and your combined energy away… imagine something like…" He trailed off, "Pulling a string from ball of yarn." He finished and at our questioning look he added. "I tried giving you a good visual help… or you'd rather Hime's pulling mochi dough?"

That was more understandable actually and I did as instructed, pulling the string of flames as we slid our joined hands off of each other. The flame thread looked like messy strings in myriad of yellow, red, green, blue and indigo.

"This is how you will save Hime, one of you will stay there while the other dive down to retrieve her."

Noll and I exchanged glance then back to our rope. "Hm, this looks pretty fragile." Even his thin chain looked more durable than what we had.

He nodded in agreement. "I don't think this can hold two people."

Mukuro agreed, "Indeed… you have to weave it together, this jumbled mess can't help anyone." He turned towards me. "Eugene, this is your job… control the flame to create stronger construct. You have to use fine control to do this."

I couldn't help but wonder if I was up to this task as I began, the flame spun slowly and I felt like walking on tightrope. "Ugh."

"You should be able to… people whose main flame is mist naturally have fine control."

"Mist?" Noll questioned, "The indigo colored flame you and Chrome-san used?"

Mukuro nodded, "Yes… as it would be easier if you understand each flame, I will explain now briefly…" He cleared his throat, "Dying will flame according to its color is named after weather phenomena, simply because each flame properties resemble the weather it's named after… our main flame is Mist."

Mist, the indigo flame.

"As its name and appearance implied it has low density and hard to control… this flame is meant for constructing illusion and naturally we develop sharper perception. That's why most medium have potential for this flame…" He finished explaining Indigo flame. "Second flame… the sun, the yellow one… it's more solid but among seven type of flame it's fifth in density, resembling more of a light beam than flame."

Noll frowned, "So less density require finer control..."

"That's right." Mukuro nodded, "In fact I won't be surprised if Eugene develop cloud flame later on."

"The same one Hibari-san use?" I asked.

"Yes… Cloud flame is just a tad higher in density than Mist." Then he turned to Noll. "Oliver in the other hand posses flame with high density… they're more volatile but require less control to work. The red one is storm… it's the most destructive flame and a little unstable. Lightning flame is the most solid flame so it's easier to control, while the last one he has… rain is more like water… just slightly denser than sun flame with slowest flow among the seven."

Now that he finished explaining our flames I understood why weaving them together was so damn hard! Each were so different, it was like catching smoke to control mist and sun, denser flame was easier to hold but it felt like they put up resistance to do what I want them to. No wonder Noll had them, it fit his personality!

I was not sure how I did it in the end but I did, the flame threads meshed together and formed a pure white thread with silver outline. "Does it suppose to change color?"

"Wow… you did it so well in first try." Mukuro admitted and dare I imagine he was impressed. "I expected colorful flame braid to honest… not a refined one with combined color like this." He nodded approvingly. "Alright… now, Eugene you will be the one to go down there while Oliver is staying here."

So I would dive in this… sea of memories.

"Why?" Noll asked.

"Because you need your massive power to pull someone up." The illusionist explained, "And fine control while you're diving down there…" He pointed below. "Now…" He slammed the end of his shakujo, and a crack appeared, revealing deep and dark depth of the sea. "Off you go."

I took a deep breathe and shot my twin a grin. "I will be back with Mai, make sure you hold onto the rope tight! Little brother."

He shot me a exasperated look, "And make sure you won't get lost yourself, Gene."

With that parting words I jumped to the sea of darkness.

* * *

 **Real World (3rd POV)**

His heterochromatic eyes snapped open, and before him was his fellow guardians. Then he recognized his surrounding, surprised to see the familiar corridor of Vongola's Sun Division HQ in Namimori. "How did we get here?" He had been so focused in coaching the twins he had no idea what happened after.

Hayato shifted, "We ask the Vindice on standby to transport us back to our HQ." At Mukuro's skeptical look he added. "Let's say I can be very convincing while holding that accursed pacifier hostage… threatening to hand it over to our research department and-"

He grimaced, "Are you stupid?!"

"Hey! I sign an oath contract that if they teleported us I won't!" Hayato defended himself. "And now we're waiting for Hime to wake up so we can proceed with the formal procedure."

"And SPR team?"

"Eeh… Fran manipulated their memory a little and now they were safely in their own home with completely different memory of how their latest case ended." Hayato informed him with a grimace.

Mukuro was not impressed, "You do know Fran's skill in that department is subpar! I can only hope there's no pineapple involved." He hissed, "And… why is that Chinese guy from SPR and Onmyouji over there?" He pointed at the bench slightly farther than one they occupied, where the two onmyouji were sitting.

Hayato sighed, "That Hara-girl is not in best state of mind… you know, being a medium trapped in the same room as that monster for hours. So Hime lend her that ring Lancia gave her in active condition as last resort for defense and to calm the girl down… but you know how a normal human would be affected when left in close proximity with sky flame as pure as Hime's for long."

The illusionist grimaced, recalling some people he knew were completely taken by sky flame. "She didn't turn to a Yamamoto Takeshi, right?" As in overly cheery and view the world with sunny and carefree tinted glasses.

"That's one way to describe it… no thankfully she is just slightly intoxicated and will make a full recovery."

The younger onmyouji approached them, his expression was unreadable. "She'd better… I can't believe Sawada-san did such a reckless thing."

"I'd say it's better than exhausting herself mentally, making her vulnerable and die butchered like livestock." Mukuro listed on.

Fujiwara gritted his teeth, "Oh? So having their perception of normalcy warped beyond help like what happened in this Namimori Town is any better?!"

They became quiet.

"Citizen of this seemingly quiet suburb won't even bat an eyelash if something explode right next to their house! They can laugh at weapon aimed at them, thinking it's just toys!" He listed on and on, "We have turned a blind eye because Namimori technically belong to Vongola… but don't think for a second we condone what you have done!"

Hayato snarled at him, "You think… Boss and Hime chose to be born the way they are? Blessed and cursed with high purity sky flame since they were born? Unknowingly warping perception of people around them so this town is in perpetual state of harmony?!"

Harmony, the property of Sky Flame that was still full of mystery, a state without contradiction nor flaws in which the balance of the whole is maintained. Their leaders' desire for peace and normalcy influenced the town so the citizen became oblivious to danger. Shouichi's parents were one of extreme example, as they became totally clueless of dangerous tool Shouichi occasionally left during his stay and insisting they were harmless toys. It was also why no matter how much ruckus made in school and Sawada household no one question it, ignoring the noise and general chaos surrounding their family.

"It doesn't make what they did right."

"Did you listen to us, it's not what they _did_ onmyouji… if you dare to blame our sky it would be like blaming a human for breathing." Mukuro spat at Fujiwara. "I know very well what kind of opinion your kin has about us, must be frustrating to know the world rely on dangerous individuals like us… but if you think for one second our skies had ever feel happy with their power you're wrong."

Fujiwara quieted down.

"I of all people know very well how much human could be in love with power." He was the prime example. "But our skies loathed the power they were cursed with… and the only reason they cope with it is because someone _has to_ shoulder that burden."

He sighed, "I have no intention to condemn the skies for their power, but I can't help but think you guys are very reckless… at this rate there would be those who fear you and turn on you… Vongola is not pure goodness but at least I know you obey your own law. The current generation is too strong, you guys inspire fear more than respect…"

"Yes." Hayato admitted in saccharine tone. "That happen when you surpass the previous generation before your twenties, and we're very aware one wrong step we will get pounced by our enemies… We seek to change our world, and we're not going to let those fools to stop us."

"Breaking centuries of tradition is like asking for war."

"We're aware." Hayato snorted, "But we're going to do this with our dying will."

Fujiwara's jade like eyes narrowed, "Even if you have to go against _that_ God?"

Hibari growled, "That bastard is no God."

"I can't imagine other closer existence to a very real and living God other than that…" Fujiwara trailed off unsurely. "Entity."

Hayato snorted, "Funny you guys loaths Bermuda's and Vindice's existence so but you acknowledge Kawahira as a God."

Mukuro laughed, "Perhaps in your point of view Vindice is some sort of Satan incarnate?"

" **I'm flattered you defend us… guardians."**

In instance everyone in the hallways jumped away from the emerging inky black flame, revealing a man or rather a child with pale skin, he had short stature and limbs longer and muscular than what proportional for his lithe frame. His face was oval, with feline like large eyes, flat nose and thin lips. His messy black hair stood in contrast with his pale skin. Following him was bandaged figure with tops hats, wearing furred black cloak like their leader.

Lin rushed to Fujiwara's side, the younger onmyouji had gone sickening pale at the sight of Vindice. "What are they?"

The jade eyed boy shushed, "Don't get involved with this, with them… trust me."

Mukuro stepped forward, sweating a little. "Hello, to what we owe the pleasure to have Bermuda von Veckenschtein in our humble abode?"

" **About the vessel you found… I believe it belongs to us."**

Mukuro smiled at him, "And I believe you have talked with our storm and agreed it have to wait until Hime recovered from her… injury."

" **I would be a fool to let such artefact to stay too long in Vongola's hand."**

"Oya-oya...so distrustful." Mukuro shook his head in amusement. "But you do know no one desire peace and harmony more than our skies so even if you have no faith in our family surely…"

" **You have silver tongue, as expected of Vongola's mist guardian."** Mukuro frowned at Bermuda, **"True while I don't trust Vongola I know your skies earned my respect and trust, however… we've learned in history no matter how great there's always those whose ideal differ from the sky."** He glanced at Mukuro meaningfully.

Mukuro was ticked, _'Once upon a time I wouldn't feel offended my loyalty is questioned but now being compared to that pest is the worst insult that ever thrown to my face!'_ The reason he threw away his old ambition was Chrome, and debt he owed to Mai and Tsuna but it would be a lie not becoming second coming of Daemon Spade was not part of it.

" **Don't you agree? Rokudo Mukuro?"**

"Excuse me." Was what Mukuro was about to say but someone else had said it before he did. "I don't appreciate you insulting my mist guardian, regardless of his dark history… he is still mine to protect."

Lin's and Fujiwara's eyes widened when they saw who had interrupted the showdown, walking towards them was a man dressed in all white with orange rim. His amber like eyes shone as he laid his eyes on Bermuda and the guardians.

"It's been a while… Arcobaleno of Vindice."

Bermuda tensed, "Saint of the Sky, Sawada Tsunayoshi…"

The benevolent leader just smiled in return. "So, may I know why you're harassing my family? **Bermuda von Veckenschtein?**

The sky was furious, and the two civilians namely Lin Koujou and Fujiwara Hikaru wondered if they just got caught in incoming crossfire.

* * *

 **Meanwhile…**

M.M was not happy, neither were Ken and Chikusa. "We were left behind… totally… in Suwa city."

"..."

"Is this mean we get a break and no need to chase that Raymond guy? Byon?"

"...But Fran, he totally forget about us… didn't he?"

"...Obviously." M.M snarled, "I am so reporting him to Hime!"

Chikusa sighed, "Hime already know but even if he get scolded I doubt it would stop Fran from ditching us in next mission."

Ken growled, "Aah! So frustrating byon! We should just throw that brat back to the river when we fished him out years ago, byon!"

"A bit too late regretting that now, don't you think?" Chikusa noted, "Beside… Fran, that idiot make a huge mistake."

M.M groaned, "We're so going to ask that brat to treat us some expensive dinner…"

* * *

 **Astral Realm**

It was a dark place and aside from bubble coming from the depth glowing eerily and orbs of light that eerily reminded him of souls there was nothing else. It felt like diving in water but he could breathe just fine, however Gene could feel the pressure of water and unexplainable fear he had as he dove deeper. This was really like swimming to the abyss.

' _Gene… are you alright?' His twin's voice was a reprieve and he was glad their telepathy was still working._

He nodded even though he knew Noll couldn't see it. "I am holding on… but the monotony and everything really get to me." Not to mention he couldn't tell how long he had been here, following the indigo chain as guide but there was no sign of Mai. "I think I am already hundreds of meters below the surface at least… 500m or so?"

' _You're no diver, you wouldn't know.'_

"True…" He stopped, there was a large bubble stuck on the chain connected to Mai who was still nowhere in sight. "Uhm, there's a bubble… a big one and I think I have to swim through it because I have no confidence I won't lost Mukuro-sensei's link if I got too far from it."

Noll sighed, _'Make sense… I think you should do that, I don't think the bubble is dangerous.'_

Because, bubble couldn't be dangerous. At least Gene thought so when he slid down with left hand tracing the indigo rope and instead of bursting to smaller bubble he was sucked inside. "Uh oh!"

And it was a vision of young Mai climbing cliff with Tsuna with their _bare_ hands. Both of them were dressed in their _uniform_ and fortunately for Gene's heart Mai wore black shorts that was two inches longer than her cream colored skirt.

' _Gene… late warning but those bubbles are memories, Mai told me this is how she visualized her post-cognition.'_

"You saw this too?"

' _Yes… we're sharing our senses, remember?'_ Noll told him. _'What the heck did Mai and her brother was doing?'_ as in why they were climbing a cliff?!

"Why are we climbing this cliff again, Onii-chan?" Mai echoed their thought.

Tsuna who was climbing beside her groaned, "Reborn didn't say a thing, remember. Just climb and climb…" The male twin rolled his eyes, "I swear if he did this for shit and giggles again like last time…"

Did Sawada Tsunayoshi just cursed?!

"Mai, how many times we climb this again?"

"I stop counting after fifty… but probably around seventies by now."

"Dear students… if you have time to chit chat, that means you didn't climb enough."

That explained the state of their unkempt appearance, but seventy?! "This is a child abuse!" Gene exclaimed as he watched Reborn who pushed them off of the cliff. "No, a murder attempt."

Mai and Tsuna however gave a short burst of flame on their palm, and spun in the air to upright themselves. "I am hungry…" Mai whined.

"Me too."

Gene cried, "That's your concern after getting pushed off of the cliff?!" And the vision bubble popped up, and the scene was repainted back to the sea of darkness. He groaned, "We fall in love with one hell of a girl."

' _With her extended family to match.'_ His twin added in deadpan tone.

Gene snorted, "And here comes another bubble." He contemplated moving around it and decided not to when he saw how dark this ocean was, he was not going to let go of the link that connected to Mai just for privacy sake. They were past that, her life was more important. Inwardly he prayed it was innocent memory like previous one, as in nothing personal.

* * *

It was a skyscraper, and one that he and Naru knew very well. Orchidea skyscraper, the tallest complex of tower that designed to resemble phalaenopsis orchid in it's formation. Located in America and also the HQ of M2 Industrial. Gene phased through the top of the main building and landed on a spacious circular room, it was slightly dark with the lighting only from the diminishing daylight from the windows because it was close to dusk judging from the sky.

In the room was Sawada twins, and white haired man named Byakuran who sat beside blue eyed girl in white he had seen in Noll's memory. They were sitting together in massive table that following the shape of the room.

"A meeting?"

' _Obviously, I can't see them having a tea party.'_

The man in white Byakuran was laughing loudly, "What are you going to say to them to break centuries of tradition? Tsunayoshi-kun? Mai-chan?"

Mai's response to that was as cool as cucumber, "Wake up to reality that we're dying? Our society is practically on standstill… bound by tradition to the point we can't move forward to better future."

Yuni was beaming, "That sounds wonderful."

Byakuran sputtered, "Seriously?"

Tsunayoshi interjected, smiling benignly. "Would you rather I scare our respected elders to early grave with my power? That would be very unrespectful of me."

Gene froze, wondering if he just issued a serious threat.

"So… Choice as replacement?" Byakuran raised an eyebrow. "I would have thought you would right way propose a new era of civilized backstabbing and diplomacy."

Choice? Civilized what?!

"And rewrite the very core of industry?" Tsunayoshi shook his head, "I don't want my people to riot you know… and harmless violence is not so bad, I think it's no fun if nothing explode at least once every day!" He beamed.

The other two stared at him in disbelief, while Mai asked with benign smile. "Onii-chan? How much coffee you drank this morning?"

"No more than usual."

"Is that so?" Mai turned to Yuni and Byakuran. "Anyway… in the end we're just returning to our roots." She said with relish. "It's not like we're going to help anyone to early grave from stress."

What kind of meeting was this?!

"Anyway…." Tsunayoshi trailed off, "We're the Three Great Skies, we're no dictators but surely… we should know when to exercise our authority to protect our world?"

Byakuran and Yuni exchanged glance. "Right, we should… Mai-san, Tsunayoshi-san…"

The three Great skies?

And the vision once again melted back to the dark ocean.

' _The Three Great Skies?'_ Noll echoed to him. "What did that mean?" Gene continued.

There were four of them, then- _'The flame is named after weather phenomena and.. Once in awhile Mai slipped and call his family by their flame, remember. I think it make sense Mai's and Tsunayoshi-san's orange flame is Sky flame…'_ As there was no other weather phenomena that fit.

"That fit her image… the sky." He mused.

' _However I have to say 'The three Great Skies' is a pretty presumptuous title.'_ To be fair Tsunayoshi who spoke of the title didn't seem pleased by the grandiose name.

* * *

 **Meanwhilein Suwa City  
**

"You know… this hotpot is nice and all but why we're having dinner in family restaurant in Suwa City?" Bou-san wondered out loud.

Ayako frowned, twirling her yaki udon with her chopstick. "You're hungry remember? And Naru lost his patience so he and Lin go ahead with their van to Tokyo."

"And we came across this place." John finished.

Yasuhara and Madoka who sat in the corner exchanged glance, whispering with each other. _'They have no recollection whatsoever why they're here.'_

' _And I can't contact Lin either.'_ Madoka whispered back, ' _I can't help but worried if they're involved in something dangerous. The mansion is off limits and guarded by those scary men in black no less.'_

Unknown to Madoka at the same moment Lin just checked his phone and startled to find the battery was dead. It was also unknown to Madoka and Yasuhara that they were spied on by three pair of eyes.

M.M, Ken and Chikusa were scowling inwardly, _'That idiot Fran forgot about those two, what are we gonna do to fix this?'_

They wondered while sending SOS signal mentally to their leader, and hoped this mishap won't get them in too much trouble.

* * *

 **Astral World**

The next visions they had to go through were innocents and trivial ones, like the twins walking to school flanked by Hayato and Takeshi, eating bento with their friends, and they also saw the twins dragged by their collars not so gently by their mentor after hard training.

Gene was glad they didn't see anything sensitive so far like the coffin with Tsuna's body, because while he knew the risk of this rescue mission he was not going to reduce his chance of survival with letting go of the chain in fear he would see something he shouldn't, not with Mai on the line.

Then the next vision came and Gene braced himself for another quirky day of Sawada twins in Namimori, or Vongola mansion, he was mistaken. It was a lab and unlike one they had back home in BSPR, it was covered in metal like interior and so spacious.

On one side of the room was Mai and Tsuna, the older twin was putting his glove on while his sister had both of her hands over the headset covering her ears. _'What are they doing?'_

"Ready, Onii-chan." Mai said through their matching headset.

Tsuna nodded, exchanging glance with the younger twin. "Ready…" He took a deep breathe, "Operation-X."

Their eyes changed hue, Mai's glazed as if she was on trance. "Firing sequence start…" She said in monotone.

Tsuna open his palm backward, firing a soft burst of orange flame. Which surprised Gene at the sight of how large the turbo like flame was fired. It was hard to open his eyes with how bright his flame was.

"Stabilizing soft flame output, 150.000 Fiamma Voltage…" She murmured softly, "Rising… target: 250000 fiamma voltage." Gene was standing close to her so he could listen clearly. "Left burner… shifting wavelength of flame, hard mode… loading glove crystal. Sky axis link… stable…"

Sky axis, the name of their psychic link or rather network. It became more visible, the thread of flame between Mai who was holding her pocket watch in one hand while the other still clasped over the headset. Swirling like whirlpool between them.

Then before the twins, several thick barricades appeared, acting as the target.

"Target lock." Tsuna announced.

Mai exhaled softly, "Increasing flame pressure on left burner, 180.000…" She began to count, eyes closed in concentration.

"190.000…" Tsunayoshi counted, followed by Mai, "220.000… 250.000 Fiamma Voltage."

" **Gauge symmetry."** They spoke in chorus. **"Standby for launch."**

If the flame from before made it hard for him to see, this hard flame as they called it was blinding in spite of its richer and darker color. When the flame was launched from his left hand, the world was as if dyed in golden color, followed by intense heat that was very brief, like being dipped in the sun in a blink.

Gene was seeing spots as the flame subsided, rubbing his poor eyes and abused eardrums. "Ugh…" When he could see in color again Gene gaped at the demolished barricades that was at least one feet thick each, and there was a perfect circular hole on the other side of the room.

Tsunayoshi who had launched the attack himself gaped, "Aah! The wall!"

"Oops." Mai stuck her tongue out. "Didn't they say the barricade is made of latest composite of strongest metal? Two hundred and fifty fiamma voltage and it gave out?" She seemed to be put off by the result.

Tsunayoshi looked pale, which in Gene's opinion was pretty funny considering he was the one with crazy amount of power. "Ma-iiiii I told you we should hold back! Hiiie the paperwork to fix it will pile up!"

"Shhh!" Now Mai looked panic, "Onii-chan, your face! Your Boss face! Look at our audience with smile, and no one would know we didn't plan it." She was beaming now.

In instance Tsunayoshi's expression shifted from horrified to strained smile, but it was still beautiful as he turned to the glass wall on the side where several men dressed in suit looked very impressed, terrified and overjoyed.

"This is…" Gene murmured, noticing the audience for the first time. _'A Dying Will Flame demonstration., or experiment.'_ Noll finished for his twin.

" _They're indeed powerful…"_

" _The greatest of their generation."_

" _Is it alright such a young Boss to hold this much power? What if?"_

" _What a monster."_

Respect, admiration, all kind of feeling swirling in the room but one they could taste the best was lust for power and fear. It was sickening in Gene's opinion for these men to harbor these feelings for Mai and Tsuna. The twins were barely teenagers at this point of time.

Mai stepped forward beside her twins, her hand seeking his, lacing their fingers. "Maa… we proved our strength, at least for a while they won't dare to question our qualification."

Tsunayoshi's smile didn't falter but his eyes were sad. "I wish I don't have to do this… why to be acknowledged, I have to… show them this power? What's so good about it?"

For the first time since they knew him, the Davis twin saw his vulnerable side. Not even when Reborn scaring him, Tsunayoshi looked so… defeated, tired and sad. Noll suffered from his power but he was good at acting indifferent and view it as scientific resource, but to Tsunayoshi...

"If I lost control… all I can do is hurting people and destroying everything around me…" He murmured softly. "I don't want their respect for my power, I don't want it…" He sounded like a child.

Mai frowned at him, twirling so she was in front of him, holding both of their hands. "It's alright Onii-chan! This is why I am here with you! I will not let you lost control… our family and I are here to acknowledge you as Tsuna, as yourself!" She beamed at him. "Right?!"

"Right." Tsuna echoed, mirroring her smile.

Mai craned her neck, and when she thought no one was looking Gene swore the glare she sent those old meant vengeance in the most painful way for upsetting her brother.

At last the vision ended, but his heartbeat after looking at Mai's murderous look was still not back to normal. Gene was ashamed to admit it but that look, the way her lips pulled to a thin line, cheeks flushed and eyes blazing was just so…

' _You have a problem if you think an angry Mai is attractive.'_

"Right back at you, Noll! I know you like it when you get her riled up!"

Their argument was interrupted by none other the blazing and limp form that entered their field of vision, her wrist hung by the end of the chain that wrapped dangerously loose around it. "Mai!" Gene didn't waste his time to grab said wrist, and pulled the girl to his arms. "Oh my God… I can't believe we found you at last!" It felt like days had passed in this endless darkness.

" **You two found our princess?"** That was Mukuro.

"Yes!" Gene tighten his grip on her waist.

" **Good! Now pull the energy back to yourself… and Oliver, you have to feed as much as energy as Eugene need! But don't force it out! Leave it to Eugene to one-sidedly take it from you."**

' _Alright.'_ Noll responded.

" **And try to snap her out of it, spending too long inside that ocean is no good for her either."** Gene nodded, realizing Mai's eyes were open but the girl was not sober. **"So… I will leave the rest to you two! Good job! I can't explain but I have pressing business in real world! So good luck!"**

And he cut the link off, Gene couldn't help but swallowed when the mist chain dispersed and the while rope was the only thing that tied him to Noll. Why the heck did their link was white? Couldn't one of those pretty five colors be more dominant so he was not feeling worse in this monochrome abyss? He took a deep breathe and began to follow Mukuro's instruction, feeling his body heated up with their shared energy.

"Warm…" That was Mai, and Gene rejoiced.

"Mai! Wake up!" He told her.

She stirred in his hold but didn't wake, her eyes glazed. "The sea…" She murmured softly, "It's so cold, it's freezing… I miss brother's flame."

Mai was delirious, this couldn't be good. "Uhm, I understand the feeling Mai." Even though whether he drowned in the cold lake was real or not was still up to question. "But you see… you have to wake up so you can go and hug Tsunayoshi-san." How sad, siblings love beat theirs to Mai.

"I miss Oni-chan… how am I supposed to live? God be damned… he can't tell me what to do. No no no… I won't be a whole on my own." Mai was shaking her head now.

' _What is she ranting about?'_ Gene had no idea himself, but did she just talk about defying God?

Mai let out a string of mirthless laughter against Gene's chest, it was getting hard for the medium to concentrate getting to the surface with holding delirious Mai. "We are two halves of the sky… we're a whole together… clam have two shells not one… never one." She babbled on and on.

Clam? What clam got to do with being whole?

Then she began to sing, a haunting song that carved to her memory.

" _The Sea knows no bounds._

 _The Clam passes down its form from Generation to Generation._

 _The Rainbow appears from time to time before fading away."_

Her tears flowed freely as she sang this, as if she couldn't stop, couldn't forget.

Gene wanted to cry seeing Mai in this state, if it felt like days coming down here going up to the surface felt like forever. Never he was so glad to see Noll's harried face as the older twin was pulled out of them water and Mai was back with them.

* * *

 **Real World**

Good that Hime was retrieved successfully by the Davis twins but now they were in a precarious situation with Vindice and- Mukuro resisted his urge to snarl at Primo who was possessing Tsuna's body. _'Why did you come to Japan! Stupid ancestor! What if Bermuda noticed something is off about you?!'_ The reason Bermuda was so compliant working with them was because of his respect and fear for Tsunayoshi, if the clear Arcobaleno found out… It won't be pretty for sure. Bermuda's issue with certain God with ramen obsession made the arcobaleno hated being left out of the loop and misinformed with passion of burning sun.

Speaking of misinformation…

The onmyouji looked confused, he must be wondering why their boss showed up and not dead or whatever the spiritualists that closely connected to the world assumed when the lifeforce Trinisette regulated started to wane and the balance tipped in Tsunayoshi's absence.

"You…"

"Tsunayoshi." Mukuro interjected before anyone else could speak. "Why did you come, Boss?"He asked, "I thought I assured you everything is within our control."

Hayato swallowed, _'As expected of our mist, a blatant lie and not even a twitch in his expression.'_ Mukuro was an accomplished liar of the highest degree indeed.

"I can't help but worry about my sister." He glanced at the closed medical room, "Not to mention… it seems Vindice is getting ahead of themselves this time I'd think." His eyes narrowed. "Bermuda-san."

The arcobaleno sighed, "Yes, Vongola?"

"Misusing the pacifier we found is the last thing we have in mind as my Mist said, but I couldn't fault you for feeling skeptical." He was nodding as he said this. "That however didn't excuse threatening my family, and surely you know we, Vongola don't condone such disrespect."

Bermuda didn't even hesitate, "Then I shall apologize, does that enough to pacify your anger… Vongola?"

"It would." A benign smile pulled his lips, and the temperature cooled down instead of approaching boiling point like before. "Well then, we will work of the formal procedure on later date… please be patient." Bermuda narrowed his eyes, "However... " Tsuna stretched his hand to Hayato who out of reflex quickly gave the boss the desired item, flame seal box Verde made.

Much to their shock the boss without hesitation passed it to Bermuda, handing it with gentleness that caught the Arcobaleno off guard. "However… I have faith in you Bermuda, that you're a _honorable_ man. So I entrusted this to you for safekeeping, and on behalf of my family I'd like to express our pleasure for helping Vindice to uphold the law as always."

Bermuda wondered if the Vongola was trying to blind them with his smile, and the arcobaleno didn't miss the subtle threat that he shall not misuse that trust or the retrieved pacifier or _else_ from the Vongola. Bermuda's pride was also ruffled with the 'honorable' comment, it was half compliment half demand from the boss.

He sighed, this man was as invisible as always in diplomacy. "Very well, Vongola… we will take our leave. Expect me to return for _formality_ as you put it. We don't want to get you in trouble with your predecessor either."

And with that parting words, Bermuda and his subordinates vanished to inky darkness of Night Flame.

"How thoughtful of you… Bermuda." Giotto grunted, that Arcobaleno never changed even after centuries.

Hayato fretted, "Uhm… Primo." He hissed in low voice. "Are we really have to trust them with _that_ thing?"

The forefather of Vongola nodded, "They're neutral side of our world, and as long as certain God isn't involved Bermuda can be trusted to not step out of his line." Bridging that clear pacifier to their possession was just asking for trouble. He had every intention to protect the peace or rather state of equilibrium his descendants brought to their world.

"Sawada Tsunayoshi-san?"

Tsunayoshi or rather Giotto blinked at the Chinese man, _'Oliver Davis' assistant…'_ His shiki was in dormant form, so it seemed the man had learned a lesson with keeping his shiki active around a trinisette holder. "Ah, Lin Koujo-san… right?" And the other onmyouji was… Giotto was impressed, there were _twelve_ shiki in with minor God class in the boy's repertoire. "And a Fujiwara onmyouji I assumed?"

The boy looked extremely wary and Giotto sweat-dropped, _'We never have the best relationship with onmyouji for some reason.'_ They were especially vexed when Ugetsu brought him home to Japan for retirement. Though thankfully the boy didn't see through him, there was a good reason why Mai chose him. Considering he was more than just ancestor to Tsuna.

"Uhm… is everything alright?" He asked. "Your… family." The man chose his words carefully. "They won't say anything, Sasagawa-san and Trident-san have been inside for hours to boot. I am worried about my charge."

So the man was left out of the loop, whose bright idea that was? Then again considering guardians present, it was no wonder. "I am here to make sure of that, beside-."

SLAM!

"Oi! Boss!" Shamal slammed the door open. "Get your ass inside if you're here already!"

Hayato moved in a flash, grabbing Shamal's mouth. "Is it this dirty hole that just speak rudely to our Boss?"

"Hmph!"

Ryohei poked his head out, "Oi! Tako head, let go of Shamal! I still extremely need him, so choke him later!"

Shamal looked betrayed, "Is that what you should say to your senior?!" Then he turned to Hayato, "And you! I am your teacher!"

Lin blinked, they were both doctor but Shamal's student was not Sasagawa-san but Gokudera-san. Why a doctor was the master of a quantum physicist? "Uhm."

"ANYWAY!" Ryohei loudly drowned Lin's voice before grabbing both Shamal and their Boss. "I extremely need you both inside! Save anything else for later!" Then he dragged them inside and closed the heavy metal door and locked it.

CLICK!

Lin dared himself to look at the guardians, all of them pointedly turned away as a silent demand to not even think to speak with them. The Chinese bristled silently, this total disregard and rudeness was aggravating! So this was how they behaved as soon as their twin bosses' back was turned?!

Fujiwara Hikaru eyed Lin's fuming expression and silently apologized for not warning his fellow Onmyouji about the guardians. According to what his relatives who had experience meeting with them, dealing with the inner circle of the sky was like walking on a tightrope. Caution was advised because while the Sky was the most powerful, enough to be considered a human god they usually seek no qualm against anyone due to their harmonious nature. Their guardians however…

"I am not getting any answer, am I?"

This was the mafia they were asking an answer from. "You will have better luck making a stone bleed." If they wanted to keep a secret, you'd either die trying to get it or they will bring it to their grave.

* * *

 **Sky Flame's influence explained... Or rather how Daily Life arc fiasco explained, with so many things exploding somehow no one complain to Sawada Household. Somehow the explanation is a twisted one I think. So here is some OMAKE to pick up the mood! Inspired by Yonkoma in GH manga**

* * *

 **OMAKE: The Worst Nightmare of Vongola Bosses**

"Mai, do you have dream that's not prophetic?" Bou-san asked her curiously, "You do, right?"

The mafia princess wondered if there was bloodless and non-violent dream she could share, after all her hilarious dream one way or another involved a degree of violence. It was all Reborn's fault for sure. "Erm… a dream about having an exam and get C?" She tried.

"..."

"...Mai, what's your average?"

"Just B…" She was good in liberal arts and social subject but in science she was just so so. "I bet Naru never had this kind of dream."

"Never." Naru confirmed promptly, he would be offended if implied he had scored lower than A.

Mai sighed. "Of course you didn't… Hayato and Shouichi never did either."

"Hayato would dream about UMA… and Shouichi once said he had this silly imagination about going turning his body to data from his dream."

Ayako grunted, "Insufferable genius' dream are really different, I had exam dream to this day…"

"Me too." Monk admitted. "But there are even worse dream."

His eyes were begging to be asked so Mai gave in, "What kind?" Not that she was interested, as long as it was nothing perverted she would listen.

"When I am tired I often had this dream, reading Buddha's script over and over again… followed by chanting sutra like there's no tomorrow." Bou-san said in serious tone with his game face on. "It's so scary right?! You know what I mean?"

Naru was not impressed, "I wouldn't know."

John chimed in, "I know that feeling, I also have dream of reading the bible endlessly!"

"Right?!" Bou-san seemed happy to find comrades in arm.

Mai became strangely quiet and the two cheery spiritualist stopped on their track at the eerie aura she emitted, "Mai? Uhm… if you don't understand it's ok! It's scary for us but perhaps to you it sounds si-"

"Yeah, it's silly…" They flinched as they didn't expect Mai to agree their scary dream was silly. "I mean you guys were just reading…"

"Huh?"

She exhaled loudly, "Compared to me whose endless dream is about towering paperwork that I can't finish no matter what… I have to read, contemplating the content, before signing it… and there's bill paperwork, on repair, renovation, fund request, _tax…_ " Mai spat the last one in horror filled voice.

Naru sighed as Mai ranted on and on, "Breathe Mai, breathe."

She was trembling uncontrollably, "Those are even worse because there's so many zero, in yen, euro, dollar! And I was always woken up either by getting swallowed by paperwork, or the stack fell on me and I died…"

Silence… her worst nightmare was killed by paperwork?

"Paperwork is evil! Spawn of satan send just to haunt my nightmare…" She muttered under her breath. "And the worst of all…"

Tojo and Shima came in to SPR door, both carrying boxes on each arm. "Hime… do you want to work on your paperwork in SPR office of next door today?" Tojo asked.

Mai finished with eyes of livestock led to slaughter house. "They follow me to real world." A real living nightmare.

Naru pointedly ignored Mai's horror stricken face, or Gene's idiotic comment about how if they _did_ marry to Vongola family, they had to deal with paperwork too. So focused with his twin's idiocy, Naru missed Mai adding _'And I can't burn them'_ while fingering the stack with longing to turn them to ashes.

While Bou-san and the rest couldn't help but think, _'Ah… at the time like this we're reminded that Mai is really a Boss.'_ Nightmare of a boss was in completely in different level than theirs.

* * *

 **I am in need for inspiration so… here is a WHat IF challenge: An idea for AU... but I have NO plan to continue this so who wants to pick it up?  
**

Today the orphanage was filled with excitement from its occupant and the ten years old twins, Oliver and Eugene could guess that the kids plastered around the front windows were watching prospective adoptive parents coming to this place. They were not interested, they would be passed over as always and that was on good day, on bad day some would scoot away or call them freaky.

At first glance Eugene and Oliver were good choice for adoption, and they weren't stranger to prospective parents drawn to their exotic and attractive appearance. Fair skin, deep blue eyes and dark silky hair, even in orphanage full of children from multirace, they stood out. Eugene was charming with his smile, and Oliver was intelligent. More often than not people would coo at how beautiful they were, before blanching at their quirks.

Quirks was putting it lightly of course, after all Eugene spoke to dead people and Oliver made objects floating around him. No one would adopt freaks, difficult children was one thing but the twins was in a different level of difficult and their power scared people.

"Such a cool car!"

"Wow, anyone would be lucky to get adopted by a millionaire!"

"Better be in our best behavior!"

Eugene's interest was tickled and he left his twin to take a peek in solitary window on the end of the room. "Wow." He let out before returning to Oliver. "No wonder the others go crazy, there's that crazy long car we often saw on TV."

Oliver didn't even avert his eyes from his book. "Got nothing to do with us."

Eugene agreed, which was why when the presumed owner of the car came in the twins did their best to be hidden in the corner of the room, ignoring the commotion. In the end Eugene being a curious child looked up from the sketchbook he was drawing on, and saw the center of attention. Everything they didn't expect, not a couple but a guy who barely pass his teen if not still a teenager. He had spiky brown hair, with vivid amber eyes that draw attention with how warm they were. His skin had healthy tan, suggesting the man in suit spent considerable time outdoor.

Why did someone like this come to an orphanage? Though from his white suit, it was obvious he was wealthy.

Their eyes met and Eugene froze when the young adult made a beeline to their direction. "Huwaa…" Oliver looked up when his twin whimpered, and freezing too when he realized the stranger was coming.

"Eugene?"

"This person… is not a normal human."

Someone like them?

"Hello."

Shocked the stranger was already in front of them, the twins hit the back of their head in their reflex to back off. "Aww!" They whimpered in unison, rubbing the back of their head.

"My apologies for startling you, are you alright boys?" He asked kindly, the twins jolted a little when they felt a gentle hand rubbing the back of their head.

"Um." Eugene nodded, followed by Oliver. "Mister-"

He smiled again, a kind smile that light up his vivid amber eyes. "I am Sawada Tsunayoshi…"

A Japanese name? Looking at him, it was obvious he was a half like them. "Mister Vongola?"

At their confused look he added, "My western name is Cielo… Cielo Serafino Giotto Vongola." He chuckled softly, "Very long and mouthful don't you think?"

Remembering his manner Eugene quickly added, "I am Eugene Andrew Jonathan, my name is mouthful too… but my Japanese name is Kazune! Nice to meet you Sawada-san!"

Oliver glanced at his twin, and gave in. "I am Oliver...Edward Cecil… my Japanese name is Kazuya. Nice to meet you."

"Uhm, mister Sawada." The caretaker interrupted, "The twins are a little problematic children, nothing we can't handle of course but-"

Oh, so Sawada-san was here for charity rather than adopting, made sense considering he was so young. Sawada-san smiled at them, and said in Japanese. _"Problematic? I think it should be special… I can tell that you're special, Eugene… Oliver."_

Their Japanese was rusty since their mother died but they could understand, he was telling them kind words. This man somehow knew they were different but he was fine with it. Why?

" _Ten years old hm… the same age as my sister then, you two would fit in right away in my family."_

Kazoku? Family? Did he mean.

"Eugene, Oliver… would you be part of my family?" Sawada Tsunayoshi asked as reached out his hands to them.

That was the day they were chosen by the sky of Vongola.

* * *

 **The challenge is simply… CONTINUE this idea for me please! I hope someone would be interested! Unreasonable… I KNOW, and BTW this story would be on hiatus until the 15th this month. EXAM time guys!**

 **Review Please!**


	42. Post Case 07, Part 02

**This chapter is basically Vongola family trying to confuse and distract Naru but he is a genius who inevitably would figure out something in the end...**

 **Post Case 07, Part 02**

Madoka cleared her throat, "So my dear Yasu-kun, what do you know of Neo-VG corps so far?"

The college student adjusted his glasses in dramatic fashion, "Ahem! Neo-VG corporation is a leading multi-business organization in the world, in fact it's not an exaggeration to say they're the wealthiest company out there, followed by M2 Industry from America. Their main businesses are pharmaceutical, telecommunication, electronics, oil and gas… but they focus more on commodities. Their base is located in Palermo, the capital city of Italy… and in recent years they focus their business in Asia market."

The rose haired girl was nodding approvingly, "And their history?"

"This company rose to prominence around industrial revolution in Europe… starting as logistic and shipping company in 1825. Even though industrial invention mostly revolves in Great Britain, somehow this company can keep up with the technology without cooperation whatsoever with other country…" Which made Yasu wonder if this company was filled with genius inventors that rivaled those written in history, but there was no one listed coming from this private company. "And since then they have been dominating the field of business they laid their eyes on. The first CEO is Fabio D C Vongole, and the second is Daniella A K Vongole… followed by previous CEO before Sawad-san and her brother. Timotheo J C Vongole."

"And what about their board of executives?"

Yasu grinned, "Mysterious lot they are seems to be the trend, this company have long lived and illustrious tradition… resembling a monarchy instead of a business organization in my opinion." Yasuhara continued, reading from his paper. "There are always six members in executive board with one boss as the CEO… although the current generation seems to deviate from this tradition with seven members, but there's a pair that share one seat and Sawada-san and her brother shared the leader position as CEO and COO. Although technically her brother have higher position, they share the same amount of authority so the COO status is just a formality I suppose."

Madoka grinned, "You got the basic down… now what's so strange about Neo-VG?"

The boy hummed, "Hm… they're secretive and not in a way how a colossal company would, I mean media exposure for their executive members are kept at minimum. Even more so for their boss, there's no image of their person in media… all people know about them are they were young, twins, and have Japanese ancestry…"

"Anything else?"

"No one's talking about them." Yasuhara concluded bluntly, "I mean… CEO of a company aren't exactly celebrity but take some prominent business figure for example. Some people would take about in person they're like this and that… media will write their latest business decision, comment on raising stock of their company and the likes… but there's none on Sawada-san and her brother. It's like they're ghosts!" He sounded frustrated, "How come someone leading a colossal company like Neo-VG be anonymous like them?! It's insane!"

"And the scariest thing is… no one tried to pry."

"Eh?" That didn't make sense, "But they're not really _openly_ secretive about their identity or anything."

Madoka nodded, "Yes… they goes to business meeting in person, holding press conference from time to time and so on. However media toed very carefully on subjects of their upper echelon… it's no exaggeration to say Neo-VG hold media on a very tight leash."

"Hm… I see, but is that why Madoka-san thinks Sawada-san is suspicious?" Yasuhara asked, "I mean… it's her family's policy, Sawada-san herself doesn't seem to be a secretive person."

The female investigator sighed loudly. "Haaah… Yasuhara-kun still have a long way to go." She said, earning a raised eyebrow from the former president of student council. "You see… my student, Naru for example looks like a very mysterious guy with a lot of secret but he is actually not a particularly secretive person." He just didn't like attention from media and liked to be left alone. "If people ask him he won't shut people out."

"I see…"

"In the other hand, Mai-chan seemed to be very open at first impression, the type that wear her emotion on her sleeve." Madoka hummed, recalling the amber eyed girl. "This type of person is the one you won't even suspect at first had layers and layers of secrets… if you ask she will deflect your question expertly with answers that not quite answering your question, misleading you to make your own conclusion and by the end of the day you got nothing from her."

Yasuhara cupped his chin, "Uhm… she did that?"

"That kind of skill is taught." Madoka added, "You know…. The most interesting part is that, Mai-chan is not a liar. I mean people with secret can't help it to say one or two lies." Like her student did. "Mai-chan however in short time knowing her I feel like she is almost religiously follow ninth commandment, you shall not lie…"

"Some people are just bad at it… Sawada-san in particular looks like the type who can't lie even to save her life."

"Right." Madoka agreed with that, Mai really seemed to be the type. "I brought this up to Lin, and he said… it's some sort of practice from her tutor. Something akin to Lin and Naru who won't eat meat in the middle of investigation…"

He frowned, "Hm… that's strange, I mean in most religion lying is a sin. But keeping your soul clean and so on with not lying is new. Why?"

"Saa…"

M.M, Chikusa and Ken who was sitting on the table behind theirs since SPR team left for Tokyo began to sweat, _'Fran you idiot, get back here soon!'_

That airhead just had to forget to get to the ones with brain!

* * *

 **Astral World (Gene's POV)**

She was on trance, which didn't make sense because this was her astral world. We held her hands in ours and I could see Noll was mirroring the same emotion, even Noll couldn't stay stoic with feeling her ice cold skin. Mai was just didn't meant to be cold, she was…

"Mai! Wake up!" I cried.

Her amber eyes flickered with something I couldn't comprehend, _"Il nostro tempo è inciso nel peccato e nel sangue…"_ The line escaped her lips. _"Giotto…"_

A flame burst to existence, startling us as it took human shape. _"E contorto il tempo e lo spazio …"_ Continued the man shrouded in flame, and it was then I realized he was Mai's familiar. He held the same presence, and the mask of flame was the dead giveaway. He was a young man, with spiky hair like Tsunayoshi but blond, wearing pin striped suit and mantle with inverted color version of Mai's brother.

"You…" Noll began, "Who are you?"

His face was still shrouded in flame mask, and like Mai he wore crown of flame. "I am Giotto." He spoke in Japanese, and no doubt surprising Noll with his ability to switch language. "Please leave this place… psychics." He bend down and lifted Mai to his arms "I will take it from here, thank you for saving her."

"Where are you going to bring her?!" I asked, stopping the man on his track.

Giotto shook his head, "A place for her to recover, her time and body are in a wreck after staying too long in the mansion… Which is why she lost her footing here and slipped too deep to the ocean of Akasha."

My twin frowned, "Time? Body…" He narrowed his eyes, "Could we trust you?"

"Is there any reason for you to doubt me?" He asked back and that was when it clicked. This tendency to throw question back with another question, avoiding giving straightforward answer.

"Ah." I eyed him closer, "Could it be-"

"You are Mai's ancestor, aren't you?" Noll finished, his tone made it sounded like a statement rather than a stab in the dark.

There was a long pause and that confirmed our suspicion, "Indeed I am the progenitor of Vongola family, you're very bright young men… aren't you?" And then they would casually admit the truth as if there was nothing deeper than that so we won't ask further.

Progenitor? So he was the first head of Vongola family?!

"Cold…" Mai murmured softly.

Giotto smiled at the girl in his arms, a smile that resembled his descendant's. "I know… I will bring you to the throne of Skies…" He gave us a look. "However… you didn't belong to this world, your presence made me unable to bring her there. So could you please leave so I could heal Mai?"

Somehow I became so sure this man was telling the truth so I grabbed Noll's hand and announced, "Then! We will be on our way! We're counting on you Giotto-san!"

Before Noll could protest I called my power and escaped Mai's astral world and back to real world.

* * *

 **Vongola Japan's HQ, Namimori**

Fujiwara Hikaru was very confused, he had guessed with Sawada Mai's presence in Japan that meant the guardian who was absent was her brother but that was not the case. He was pretty sure the seer, Yuni of Giglio Nero had visited around New Year to greet his grandfather, bringing along the white haired one who ruled over horizontal axis with her. They had speculated it was the Vongola twin skies because they were not present, that they were the ones responsible for the state of the world **.**

But if both were accounted for, why the balance and flow of life forcemaintained by Trinisette was in such a poor state. The system was failing or something? That was not a comforting line of thought, and he wondered how much information he could disclose to other onmyouji without putting his life in danger.

When it comes to information pertaining Trinisette, there was no point sacrificing yourself. There was a good reason why Vongola had such a bloody history as the strongest mafia famiglia. Contrary to popular belief Vongola even after their first sky's retirement didn't go down the bloody path with thirst for power, wealth or any other worldly ambition. Back then Vindice only impose their law in mafioso, and thus intrusion from outside put Vongola as the first line of defense. Back in genesis era of Mafia, when that _God_ passed over the responsibility over Trinisette, Vongola was on their own to protect the system and that was the price of their power.

Vongola had gone down that bloody path in the name of duty.

Elders even speculated Vongola had been manipulating politics in Europe from the shadow for a long time, and they were involved in world war, either as the one who start it or stop it, no one knows. However Hikaru himself suspected it was the first, they started it.

Diverting attention of the world from what was going in Italy back then. The point was, if Vongola didn't want _something_ to be known they had no problem to incite a world war to do it. That was the norm of Trinisette system, small sacrifice for greater good.

Which mean he should just keep this quiet, and let the Trinisette holders to deal with whatever went wrong with the world. No one was helping them so far and Hikaru doubted anyone would start now. Beside getting involved means…

"Do you have some experience dealing with them?"Lin asked.

Hikaru looked at the direction of Lin's glance. "The guardians?"

"Ah yes, that's what you call them." He nodded.

The younger onmyouji sighed, "Not in person… the elders are the one who receive them in our residence, the one with sharp eyes… Hibari Kyouya. I have seen him in passing since unlike the others who stayed mostly in Italy, his base is in Japan. On occasion… a boy by the name Yamamoto Takeshi too." The rain guardian. "These two are ones we were familiar with… in Japanese onmyouji community."

"Yamamoto-san?" Lin didn't expect that, the boy with katana had visited Japanese onmyouji's community? "Why?"

Hikaru blinked at him owlishly, "Ah…" He trailed off, wondering how much he had to reveal. "He comes from an old powerful family, though one wouldn't know without looking closely at the character of his family name." Which was a very common surname in Japan, such an elaborate ploy to hide his ancestry. "Asari clan… I am sure you have heard."

"Ah… a branch family from Abe clan, which mean he is distantly related to you?" Lin guessed.

"Yes… we're like strangers with how distantly we're related by blood." He shrugged, "Don't mention it though… Asari Ugetsu, his ancestor was disowned from his clan after all."

That was why his descendant went with Yamamoto now? "Disowned?"

Rightfully so, after all Asari Ugetsu was a very willful son who in spite of his talent with sword ditched it for music. Fortunately he was pretty talented and become palace musician, a honorable position which appeased his family somewhat. And then he ditched his family _and_ his flute to go helping his friend in Italy, only to return two decades later with his friend for retirement.

Come to think of it, perhaps his clan was on barely civil term with the mafia because of Asari Ugetsu. Which also explained why whenever a Sky came visiting, their children were hidden away in fear they would get whisked away like Ugetsu. Kamikakushi… well considering what the Skies were, it was a fitting term.

"Let's say Sawada-san's ancestor is involved, which is why… we're not exactly in good term with each other. Our families at least..."

Undoubtedly there was a deeper story. "So what do you know about them?"

Them as in the guardians waiting on the other side of this waiting room? "Well… Rokudo Mukuro is a unique individual and a medium, so I have heard rumors about his power… I don't know Gokudera Hayato at all. Hibari Kyouya… aside from he is related to Fon Xiao Long, we don't know his background."

"...How did these boys taken in by her family in the first place? From what I have heard Gokudera-kun for example is taken in because of his talent and long standing service of his family to Sawada-san's..."

That, he could explain. "Aah... that's a tradition in the family, or rather it's in their blood to recruit people from different background. From prince to priest… " He glanced at Lin. "In fact I think your ragtag team is the same…"

"...I have to say SPR is not as unique as some of her family members."

"I'm glad to hear that…" Fujiwara admitted, "Since I had heard from my clansmen that Sawada-san has a necrophilic metrosexual homo that dressed as flamboyant as a peacock in her employment."

Lin looked at him in disbelief, "Is such creature even exist?"

"I dread to imagine if it's true…" Then he added. "Lin-san, if you expect me to know how to deal with them… no, I am sorry but I have no idea." He couldn't even leave, because he had to confirm with Vongola how much he could disclose to his clan about this case. They could hate the Vongola all they wanted but stepping on Vongola's toes was entirely different matter.

* * *

 **Medical Room** (Naru's POV)

My eyes snapped open, and seeing a man I was not familiar with hovering over me was not a pleasant experience. I belatedly recognized the man as Shamal Trident, the arabian doctor in Vongola's employment. "Shamal-sensei?"

The man nodded, checking my vitals. "Yosh… no negative effect whatsoever after your dangerous dive to Akasha sea, seriously you're on lucky kid." He sighed, "I will leave for now, and will be right back with some meds." Then he strode towards the door and closed it behind him.

"Indeed, you are on lucky man, Oliver Davis..." I sat up, my eyes widened a fraction at the sight of Sawada Tsunayoshi sitting on a chair placed between my bed and Mai's.

Mai!

"How is she?" I asked, unable to keep panic from my voice.

"She is alright now…" Tsunayoshi informed me, glancing at Mai who was sleeping soundly. "She would be cranky when she wake up for sure though." He closed his eyes, as if seeing something we couldn't deep in his own mind. "We just have to be patient."

Indeed, she was not pale anymore with that healthy flush on her cheeks and steady breathing. "That's good." She was alive. _'She is alive.'_ Gene echoed.

"Thank you…" It took me a few seconds to snap out of my adrenaline drain and compute Sawada Tsunayoshi was thanking us. "Thank you, for saving Mai…"

He sounded so thankful and I could tell from the glow of his eyes as he caressed Mai's forehead gently this man truly loved his sister. She meant the world for him. I couldn't imagine if this man was anyone else but Mai's brother, but… the vision Gene had…

"She would do the same for me…"

"She will." Tsunayoshi returned, his eyes narrowed a fraction at me. "Perhaps this is not the right time but I can't help but wonder why there's suspicion in your eyes when looking at me."

Go figures he saw through me right away.

He sighed, "Does this have anything to do with Mori Madoka investigating us?"

Of course he knew, if Mai did.

"No? It's something else…" He answered himself, judging from my reaction he could tell it was not Madoka's warning that disturbed me. "If you'd enlighten me please, Oliver Davis."

I glanced at sleeping Mai and then back to him. "You will not tell me anything anyway."

He glanced at Mai who was sleeping soundly before sighing. "I owe you a debt and so… I will promise you that I will tell as much as I could, is that acceptable?"

I contemplated that and nodded. "I have psychic link with Mai so while it's not deliberate in my part I have seen vision of your past." Tsunayoshi tensed a little, if I didn't pay attention to him I would have missed it. "It's a silent agreement between Mai and I to not pry on each other's secret but I can't help but concerned… after seeing a vision of _you_ laying in a coffin and Mai wept for you… who are you then?" I finished.

There was a pause before he returned my question. "...Who do you think am I?"

Typical, I had seen Mai pulling this trick to avoid answering. "Oh, you won't speak lies… just like her…" His smile didn't waver, and I couldn't help but wonder if this quirk was in anyway hindering them at all. "Fon-shi said it's to keep your spiritual purity, and didn't elaborate… but now I am sure it have something to do with Dying Will Flame."

"It is…" I was surprised he gave me an answer for that. "I see Mukuro have covered some material about Dying Will Flame to you… I suppose this is a good chance as any to clear up Mori-san's misunderstanding about us."

He was stirring the topic away, and I let him. _'Gene… take notes, don't let him distract me.'_ I was not easily distracted but I have learned from Mai that their voice had power over people to certain degree.

"Our flame is called the sky, Cielo… the properties is harmony." I frowned as I could guess the properties of other flame from its looks but Sky flame looks like regular flame, how could it relate to harmony? "Harmony in this case represents a state without contradiction nor flaws in which the balance of the whole is maintained…"

Without contradiction? Oh. _'Oh… so that's why Mai and Tsunayoshi-san refrain from speaking lies.'_ As Fon-shi explained to us, words were powerful tools for spiritualist, which was why exorcism used words most of the time.

"Primary dying will flame correspond to a person's nature…" He continued. "So wielder of sky flame like us could be anything but deceitful."

They could keep secret, hiding the truth but not… "Because it will affect the purity of your flame."

He nodded, "For people like me… I can't help but let the influence to seep in my aura or voices."

People like him, what did that mean? "Is this harmony why people are so compliant to you?"

He raised an amused eyebrow,, "That's mean, so Mori Madoka made it sounds like I control people's emotion or something?" I narrowed his eyes at him, "Not exactly… Harmony properties of our flame to those who was born with high purity like Mai and I made us able to synchronize with people. We can't impose our will on people of course, but we influence them… like something as simple as paying attention, staying calm or lifting up their spirits." He gave simple examples I had seen Mai did to people. "We definitely can't tell people to do anything against their free will."

' _Noll…'_

"I would have thought misleading people would corrupt the purity of your flame, especially what you're doing now. You didn't answer my question, who are you?"

Tsunayoshi, or whoever he was just sighed. "Hm…" He was definitely going to give us a convoluted answer. "I _am_ Sawada Tsunayoshi but not quite…"

"Not quite?" I frowned, "Why not just say you're Sawada Tsunayoshi?"

"That would be half-truth…" He told us. "We can omit truth but if omitting make deceit to pass our lips it would be against our nature."

It felt like he was being open with us but in the same time not. "Is Sawada Tsunayoshi alive?"

He nodded and I frowned because I wanted verbal answer to believe it, he sighed and answered. "Yes."

 _Change tactic_ , Gene suggested.

I agreed, "Are you the same Tsunayoshi we saw in vision in the past?"

At our question the man went rigid, clamping his mouth shut. That was the right question, and for a moment I thought he was going to keep his silence until one word that froze me escaped his lips.

"No." He inhaled sharply, "You used up your questions, if you're feeling well already. I suggest you get out."

And I did, unwilling to invite the ire of someone like him.

* * *

 **3rd POV(Masako's Room)  
**

"You're awake, Hara-san?"

Masako blinked her dark eyes owlishly, in disbelief when she saw Fujiwara Hikaru sitting by her bedside. "Fujiwara-kun…"

A man in white she assumed was the doctor heaved a sigh, "We flush out most of the influence… she just need plenty of rest." Then jerked his thumb at the button attached on the headrest. "Just push that if there's anything you need… I will take my leave."

"Thank you, Trident-sensei." The man just inclined his head before he made his exit. Fujiwara turned his attention back to Masako. "How do you feel?"

"Uhm…" Masako was unsure why he asked that. "Sleepy… somewhat refreshed too." She was pretty confused. "As if I just woke up from a nice dreamless sleep… oh, I did."

He heaved a sigh, "Typical…" He commented, "I heard Sawada-san left you a ring, do you still have it?"

That was when Masako realized her right hand was fisted around something, and indeed it was the ornate ring Mai gave her. Now she could inspect the ring in bright room, the ring was obviously old, black with silver dragon ornament curled like S with small orange gem. Somehow she had an impression the ring used to belong to a very powerful man of considerable age.

Fujiwara picked the ring from her open palm, and Masako frowned. "That's Mai-san's…"

"I know." He sighed again, "I know she left this for you with good intention but hear me out." She tensed at the sight of his serious expression, the one he showed her years ago after their client's death. "Don't get too involved with Sawada Mai, and feign ignorance if you think you saw something in her that you should not."

"What?"

"You did good so far I think… you never comment on why you see her real eye color, right? Not to her at least?"

She did mention it once to the others but never on Mai-san's face. "No."

He looked relieved, "Good for you, then from now on… anything you noticed is out of place with her." Fujiwara said in even tone. "Feign ignorance, pretend and lie if you must… and don't you dare to disrespect her."

Masako flushed red at the last part, "Thank you for your warning but what do you mean with disrespecting her?! I don't care who he is." Masako was grateful to her and now the medium could honestly say while she disliked Mai's obliviousness she didn't hate the girl as a person. "I acknowledge her as a good person but that doesn't mean I will treat her with more respect than she deserve!"

"Hara-san." His lowered voice made her tense, "It's a warning, your personal opinion about Sawada-san doesn't matter." Fujiwara stated, leaving no room for argument. "And you _have_ to care who she is…"

The medium frowned at her old crush and asked, "Who is she then?"

It was clear if she was not given a definite answer, the girl was not going to heed his advice. He could see in the group that Masako was the only one who resisted the sky influence, while usually this would impress him, he was worried for the girl. The sky of Vongola was famous for the gentle personality but the same couldn't be said for their family, if their princess attracted another potential members they would keep close eyes on them and they would zeroed in on Masako who openly hold dislike for the sky. It didn't help she was a medium and a psychometrist, a psychic with dangerous power for their secrets.

At best they would leave her be, but at worst…

"I will tell you if you swear… swear an oath that you will not tell this to anyone. Especially not to other SPR members." They had to be kept in the dark as long as the sky wanted.

Masako nodded and recited the oath, a binding one without hesitation. She had reservation about Fujiwara still but she knew he was a trustworthy man at least. However the answer was not what she expected and Masako wished she listened to his warning without prompting.

" **She is an Arahitogami."**

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

I swallowed my medicine dry, as by now the bitter taste somehow became a familiar comfort. "Noll, are you alright?" Lin asked me.

"Fine." Physically at least, mentally I was a wreck because Tsunayoshi was a nasty piece of work when secrecy was concerned. He was even worse than Mai, he pointed us to one direction and neglected telling about the incoming storm. What did he mean by he was Tsunayoshi but in the same time not the _same_ person from our past vision?

"What happened with Urado's mansion though?" I asked Hayato who was apparently the only one deign to come checking on me among his family members, not that I expect Hibari-san would. Mukuro was gone, it seemed Tsunayoshi send him on an errand.

Hayato shrugged, "We burned it down after throughout search… with Urado and his two lackeys gone, it's an easy task."

"Search?"

"In case there's any nasty artefact that shouldn't belong there…" Hayato informed me, before handing me a thin file. "Here… if you're interested of what became of the victims."

There were photos and I winced at the image of three victims in mutilated state and shelves full of skeletons. "So you found them."

Hayato nodded, "Yeah… we will send the bodies back to their family tomorrow." At my questioning look he elaborated, tugging his collar in discomfort. "We… uh, we got to fix the corpses a little to be _presentable_ for their families to see."

Because sending mutilated corpse to their family was like asking for media fiasco. "I see…" How considerate of them to do so but in the other hand it made me uncomfortable to think how good Hayato and his family in hiding secrets and deceiving people. "And my team?"

"On the way back to Tokyo already…"

"They must be anxious…"

"Not actually…" Lin held up his phone. "I just charged them and only Madoka made calls, there's mail from Takigawa-san but… he is just informing me that they're on the way to Tokyo with the others and what a shame we didn't get to eat hotpot with the rest."

"...That's not like him." Bou-san and Matsuzaki-san were carefree persons but surely they won't be so nonchalant when Mai and Hara-san were in hospital. "Hayato…"

He shook his head, "We're sorry… but for your own good please bear with our policy." He was about to leave but I grabbed his arm, stopping him on his track.

"Hypnotising people is your policy?" I asked with narrowed eyes, "Fran or Mukuro-san did it to my team I presume." He didn't answer but I know I was not far from truth. "Is your secret that precious that you have to resort to _that,_ Hayato?"

Hayato's lips pulled to a thin line, "This is one of those things you shouldn't question us about… and your teacher shouldn't poke her nose where it didn't belong."

Lin stepped forward, "Are you threatening Madoka, Gokudera-san?"

"No… as much as I'd love to say we have _everything_ in control, we don't." He spat. "We can be lenient, our bosses dislikes conflict and violence even if it's to protect our secret, however some people didn't share the same opinion." Hayato warned before I let go of his hand and he marched off, fuming all the way to his family before going into Mai's room.

SLAM!

Their secret…

"Naru, perhaps… this is getting-" Too dangerous.

"I know…" Gene and I didn't mean to but by now we had considerable data to make hazarded guess of Mai's or rather their secret. It was a farfetched idea I had for a while but by now with piled up evidence it was getting closer to truth.

Jager's or rather Vindice's existence was the first clue, they were protectors of law but to us outsiders as they refer us with they were secret keeper.  
Second clue was the vision we had, revealing Mai, Tsunayoshi-san, Byakuran-san and Yuni as the 'Three Great Skies' and I assumed Mai and her brother were considered as 'one' Sky. They were holding a meeting to change a 'system' and 'tradition' so it was not farfetched to think of them as the ruling body.  
Then the last was their 'Dying Will Flame' which could be considered as the more advanced and refined form of Qigong. Which was a considerable power that could turn the world upside down if display of destruction Tsunayoshi showed us was anything to go by. However it was an unknown type of power even to Lin, an experienced Qigong master. Which mean… some people wished to monopolize this power.

All clues point to one direction, _a secret society._ In which Mai, and the rest of Three Great Skies were the leaders. Considering their age,it was some sort of monarchy for sure. _'But a secret society for psychics are really a crazy idea, that sounds like something out of sci-fi comic.'_

I agreed but with hereditary ESP ability like Hyper Intuition and how most likely Yuni's precognition was also one, it was not farfetched to assume Byakuran-san also shared the same trait. It was also made sense for them to keep secrets, most psychics had hard time nurturing their power like Kasai Chiaki and other Gellerini. Then there was their flame, Mukuro's instruction implied it was like Qigong so there was nothing that could stop normal human from learning it. However it was not subtle like Qigong and more destructive. It was no wonder if people who practiced it would hide this power.

Going as far as creating a 'secret society' even. Considering they had a ruling body, law enforcer and tradition, it was safe to assume this society was _really_ old. Then it dawned on me what Hayato was implying, if we got too close to their secret, there were people from society that would take drastic measure against their wish. Her family held considerable power over their world, that didn't mean no one wouldn't act against their order.

* * *

 **(Mai's Room)** **3rd POV**

Hayato took a deep breath, glancing at their sleeping princess and back to their progenitor who was wearing their boss's body. "Since Fon-san asked we can't stop Fujiwara from going back to his clan compound and he brought Hara Masako along…"

Kyouya growled, "That man should know better than increasong complication of this mess."

"Mori Madoka and Yasuhara Osamu are still in Suwa, staying in open public space so we had a hard time to get a chance to take her to our custody."

Mukuro sighed, "Fran is no good at using large scale illusion." The boy was perfect in detail but he lacked the power for influencing so many people in public setting. "Leave it to me, in the first place it's my job… bewildering the enemy, to render the Famiglia's true form intangible with visions of deceit."

"Wait, Mukuro… don't be too hasty." Giotto raised one hand in halting gesture. "I'd rather not testing Oliver Davis' and his twin's tolerance with messing up memory of his mentor." It didn't help the boy was scarily sharp.

The mist crossed his arms, "Primo… our dear progenitor, you do remember my job description you wrote yourself, don't you? And what i _f_ we let that woman off of the hook now, we wait until she catch Vindice's eyes?"

"I don't like the idea myself, Primo." The tenth storm added with a sigh. "But it's a kinder option than Vindice…"

"To be fair there's so many kinder option than to be on mercy of Vindice." Mukuro added with a smirk. "Speaking from personal experience here." Looking at dejected look on their sky's face that was so familiar Mukuro groaned. "Fine! I will make sure there's no lasting damage and explain properly to Eugene later!" The older twin then could explain to his brother

Hayato sighed, "Noll is getting angsty outside by the way, if we're afraid about testing his patience… I'd say he is going to snap and poltergeists if we didn't get out and explain. And I'm afraid Gene was just in slightly better condition, if there's anything our three years of friendship told me about them… they have the same hidden temperament under that stoic and cheery personality."

"Why did you befriend troublesome individual like Davis twins in the first place?"

"Blame Shouichi's gastric problem, and being part of this family means you give up having normal friends." Shouichi and Basil were as normal as they could get in their family.

Mukuro rolled his eyes, "Fair enough… as for pacifying the Davis twins, just make them babysit our sleeping princess. They would forget everything else."

".."

"..."

"...Speaking from personal experience, are we?"

"Wait, why would he forget everything else?" All eyes turned to the sky who looked very confused. "Eh?"

They sighed, "It's fine if you stay the way you're Primo… for the next four centuries even."

"Eh? Huh?! You guys, it's rude to make fun of your elders!" Great, Giotto was speaking like an old man again.

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

My bodyguard seemed confused by my long silence, knowing I was absorbed by my thought and most likely wondering what distracted me. I was sure I couldn't tell him I just deducted that Mai and her family was part of a secret society. "Naru, what about Madoka"

I inhaled deeply, "I can't convince Madoka." I admitted, "I am no good at dealing with her." Lin looked amused by this admission. "Which is why I want you to convince her to stop investigating Vongola family or whatever secret Mai and her family has."

Lin frowned at me, "I suppose she should, we owe Sawada-san that much. I'm uncomfortable myself with how Madoka seems to think their mystery is her new toy."

I shook my head, "Lin… it's not Mai's family that I worry would be angered by Madoka's meddling, Mai and Tsunayoshi-san would let her off of the hook with a slap on the wrist."

"Eh?"

"It's Vindice I am worried about." I told him, feeling restlessness comin in waves from Lin because of their name. I was relieved I was not there when they came, Jager and his ilk was one group I wished I would never see ever again. Ghost who after my life I could handle but nightmare personified law enforcer with interest for our power? I had a feeling what they had in mind for us was something as simple as death, their eyes when looking at me was promising a living hell. "Mai warned me that if Madoka get too far even Vongola couldn't help her."

Lin paled, "That's…"

"Mai won't lie, she is serious her hands are tied in this matter…" I stressed on. "This time Madoka is about to bite more than she can chew." I sighed, wondering if my mentor had run into any trouble for getting ahead of herself before. "Though I have a feeling an illusionist, most likely Fran is around to ambush Madoka to hypnotize her."

"That's dangerous!"

"Hayato implied that's as far as they would go as extreme measure." I informed Lin. "I don't like it myself but it's _much_ better than Vindice."

He winced, "They're certainly the closest to nightmare come to life, even Fujiwara-san tread very carefully with them."

"A wise decision." Speaking of the devil, Fujiwara Hikaru appeared from the next hallway, paper bag and bottled water floated around him. "I bring some refreshment."

We accepted the paper bag and inside was muffins he got from cafeteria of this hospital, adding it was free of charge because this was not a public but private hospital. He also informed us that Hara-san woke up for a while before she fell asleep again, still exhausted after the ordeal she went through in Urado's mansion.

"You have seen the flame, haven't you?"

So he knew about the Dying Will Flame too? "Flame?" That confirmed that Lin didn't know about it.

Fujiwara sighed, "Shinuki no Honō…"

"I thought that's just a myth?" So Lin knew?

"The practitioner is just scarce, more than Qigong and it's dangerous." The younger onmyouji explained, "Sawada-san's family are a long line user of Shinuki no Honoo."

Lin's eyes widened, "You mean… back then after that vision Sawada-san lost control of her power?"

Fujiwara nodded, "Yes... I don't know how much you've figured out about their secret, but if you don't feign ignorance you'd either join them or stood against them. Especially if you learn how to wield the power that symbolize them, the Dying Will Flame... is there any option for you to back out by that point? I don't think so."

I narrowed my eyes at them, "Why are you revealing this now? Aren't you afraid of their retaliation if you spill their secret?"

He raised his hands in placating gesture. "I contacted Fon-shi who was visiting my clan now, and he give me his approval to disclose some information to you."

Fon Xiao Long? Hibari Kyouya's uncle… he was in this too obviously. "He has the authority to do so?"

"Yes, my clan begged him in case I got into trouble with Vongola." He heaved a sigh, "Unlike you, I am not under protection of their princess. Even just being here is like tip-toeing to me, but I'm reluctant to leave you two and Hara-san here on your own."

That was surprising, so he followed us here because he was worried?

"You guys act so cluelessly around them, it's _terrifying_." He stated with a sigh.

Did he just mock us? _'No, I think in his point of view how we behave around Mai and her family is really akin to swimming with shark or something.'_ What the heck happened between his clan and Mai's family to incite this kind of wariness?

"He also give me a message to pass on to you." Fujiwara revealed, "If you learn their power you will gain semblance of control of your power."

So this power, the Flame of Dying Will was what Shamal meant by simpler method that could be dangerous for me? It made sense considering the energy would be refined and put less burden to my body. "There's a however here, isn't there?"

He tilted his head to the side, "However you have to be ready to follow the sky and bear both the blessing and the curse."

Blessing and curse?

"As far as I know no one go down that path if they were not born to it willingly." He stated with conviction. "It's foolishness of the highest order."

I was about to ask him to explain when someone exited Mai's room, it was Hibari-san and from his scowl he was extremely unhappy. "You!" Fujiwara just sighed. "That _man_ called, so rest assured we will _respect_ his request."

"My _clan_ called Fon-shi, not me." He tried to pacify the Qigong user.

"And Fujiwara clan is going to pay for complicating ma-"

BOOM!

We jumped to our feet, shocked at the exploding noise coming from Mai's room. "What the-"

Hibari didn't even bat an eye, stuck his head back in the room before closing it again. "Our reckless princess just woke up, just a momentary loss of control. Nothing to worry about." Then he promptly get back inside but not before shooting Fujiwara one last look 'you will pay' before closing the door loudly.

 _Nothing?!_

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

I sat up abruptly, memory of Urado and his mansion flooded my mind. "Haa ah!" My hands reached out for my throat, coughing violently. "Cough! Cough! Haa…" Inhaling sharply and I almost choked myself with air. "Naru? Gene?" I gasped out, my sight was still blurry. "Haya...to, Kyou...san…"

Someone came closer, saying. "We're alright, Hime… Noll and Gene are just outside. They're alright too…"

That was Hayato. "The clear paci...fier?"

"Mai…" That voice was… "Sleep." A hand touched my forehead gently, pushing me back to sleeping position.

I sighed, for a moment I had been hoping that he was my brother. How foolish of me, he was the illusion I created myself to fool mafia world and here I was… fooled by my own deceit. "Giotto… you-"

"Rest, our dear princess…"

My eyes fluttered open and close, heart clenching at the smiling visage of my brother. Sometimes I wondered who was it that I want to fool with this charade, the world? Or myself? "Will… we ever wake up again? Onii-chan?"

Their breath hitched and I knew I shouldn't say that. "Of course, Mai… our dream will come true." Onii-chan's voice, and in that moment I was grateful Giotto let me have this moment of delusion. I surrendered to my exhaustion, and once again returned to my deep slumber.

Naru… Gene… their worried face, what did I do that they made such expression? I had to… make up for it somehow, for them…

* * *

 **OMAKE:**

Mai couldn't read mind as she repeatedly say over and over again, but some people didn't get the hint. However reading people was like what her Hyper Intuition meant to do and on occasion Naru felt uncomfortable with how easy she saw through him. It was the same with Gene, after all no one could feel completely comfortable with people who makes privacy of your mind impossible.

With Gene slamming a mental barrier would do, Mai in the other hand… she would stare at him, squinting hard until whatever she was looking for was plainly written on his face for her eyes only. Most of the time she respected his privacy and backed off when she felt he was uncomfortable with the invasion, but at times she did it for trivial reason such as whether he liked her new recipe or if he was in bad mood.

It was like her second nature, wanting to understand people. He couldn't get her to stop this habit but…

"Mai, I know I am good looking but you don't have to stare." Was his smart retort when Mai brought him new blend of tea and staring to read his reaction for the Masala chai.

Other members of SPR on the base stopped whatever they were doing and stared at them, anticipating Mai's retort. The girl blinked owlishly at him, not expecting his teasing comment and Naru silently congratulate himself for surprising her.

"But I have to." She said with plain honesty of a child who explained why her imaginary friend was to blame for stolen cookie. "If you're more outspoken about your opinion on my tea I don't have to look for the answer on your good looking face."

Such a blunt admission, comparable to critical hit on solar plexus. "Oh… are you sure it's not an excuse?"

"Positive." She returned promptly, "You're very particular about your tea, but you refuse to speak about your preference. So of course I have to resort to this." She made it sound like she was accommodating me, the nerve of her.

"Beside...I believe you stare at your reflection enough that you don't need me staring to feed your ego." She finished with playful smile on her lips.

* * *

 **BTW from last chapter's Alternate universe challenge, entry number one!** Chosen by weisskreuz is UP! Make sure to check it out guys!

 **And** Nea-Nyx **give me a wonderful and georgeous fanart of Mai wearing glove and sky ring XD he he... I wish I could post the fanart link but damn this site for blocking link. They could at least let us put link to fanart site like Deviantart. BTW speaking of Deviantart, if you check my page with the same user name I upload a couple of picture for this fanfic :D Please check them out too.**

 **Review Please!**


	43. Post Case 07, Part 03

*･゜ﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*･゜(n'∀')ηﾟ･*:.｡. .｡.:*･゜ﾟ･* I FINISH my pre-final year EXAM! キタ━━━(゜∀゜)━━━! ANd it's here!

 **Post Case 07, Part 03**

 **Mai's POV**

"Naru… Gene…" I felt their presence beside me even though my eyes were closed, frowning when I noticed that the presence felt more vivid and _burning_ since the last time. Someone grasped my hand, I recognized this as Naru's and surprised to find it not as cold as usual to my heated skin. I should have felt normal human's temperature as colder because of my higher temperature but-

"We're here Mai…"

My eyes fluttered open slowly, greeted by somewhat familiar plain white ceiling of hospital. "I…" I turned my head to the side and there he was, Naru sitting beside my bed with gentler expression on his face that I almost thought Gene was in control. No, this was Naru and it seemed my condition scared him enough to make him let his guard down. "I am sorry…"

He frowned at me, "What are you sorry for?"

"I… worry… you?"

Naru sighed at that, "You did… all the time, it's nothing new. So you can stop apologizing for that." I nodded weakly, "How are your feeling?"

My whole body was feeling numb and my head was killing me. "Sore." I answered vaguely. "Nothing new… how long was I out this time?"

"You collapse in the morning, now it's around two in the afternoon… the day after." Naru informed me and I inwardly groaned. "Your brother is resting, it seems whatever happen to you take a toll on him too."

I smiled wanly at that, "That always happen… he will sleep for a while like I do." His body at least, Giotto in the other hand had to return to our shared astral world, the throne of the sky to recharge. "We would be fine…" That was a promise.

He took a deep breath, and held up the right hand with ring on his middle finger. "Mai… about this ring, now I know what it's for."

I sighed, "I see… so that's how Mukuro got you to get me out of the ocean."

"This ring… is meant to help me relink our broken connection." His and Gene's. "And regulating energy I unknowingly leak out so it won't deteriorate my body."

"Ha ha…. You're really a genius, throw some clues to your feet and you figure it out in no time." I shook my head in amusement, mirth lacing my voice.

"Mai…" He was exasperated at me, "What is it that you want from me and Gene?"

I blinked owlishly at him, not expecting that. "Why do you want to know?"

"Don't answer it with another question." Naru said in scolding tone, funny he was irritated with my dodge to answer routine now. Usually this was my cue that he shouldn't ask further because I won't give him an answer.

If he was anyone else like...say, Grandfather or any subordinates I considered close but not part of my inner circle I would drag him to circular arguments, at least three of them until he could corner me into _actually_ answering. There was a good reason why most people gave up arguing with me and my brother, and changed their initial opinion that our pacifist passive aggressiveness was cute.

I sat up, sighing. "Alright but really… _why_ do you want to know now? What brought this up?" Don't you value secrecy anymore?

He was hesitating and I smiled wanly, it was so Naru to hate displaying weakness. "It's vexing me to be kept in the dark." I became quiet, not expecting him to be so honest with me. "In this case especially… because I have no idea I severely underestimate it, and your family have to get involved for reason unknown to me… and you can only give me vague explanation."

"So it's because you can't understand-"

"It's not just that…" He interjected, "You're not allowing me to get close to truth but I think it's inevitable, it's not like I can stop thinking. I have figured a number of things."

"..." I froze at his announcement. "You'd better off feigning ignorance." I hissed.

Naru returned my gaze unflinchingly, "I don't like playing a fool, Mai…"

"Learn to like it then!"

HIs eyes widened, "Mai! Your flame!"

Shit! My hand was burning! I pulled the flame back, and it vanished, leaving small patch of soot on my blanket. "See, how dangerous this is?" I glared at him. "Enough Naru, what do you want to get out of this? Why do you want to forfeit our agreement on keeping each other's secret?"

"Fine, I get it…" His eyes steeled and set upon mine. "What does it takes for you to acknowledge me and Gene?"

What was he talking about?

He gave me exasperated look, frustrated I didn't get what he meant. "I want in." My blood froze at his words. "So what does it takes to be part of your world? Learning how to use Dying Will Flame?"

My eyes hardened at him, "You have no idea what are you asking for!"

"And you give me no idea!" He retorted back at me.

"And it will stay that way!" I spat at him, before pointing at the door. "Now get out! Talk to Hayato if you must, I am tired and in no condition to tell you what a foolishness you just propose!"

His gaze didn't waver as he stood up and declared to me resolutely. "I am not changing my mind, Mai." Before he did as I want, and exited the room, out of my sight.

What the heck had happened when I was out?

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

Gene couldn't believe this, _'You're annoying Mai is nothing new but, don't you have to be that persistent?! Can't you be more… I don't know! Take it slower! More considerate in convincing her! Perhaps when she is not on hospital bed?!'_

Then she would avoid the topic all together, what made Gene think diplomacy would get me somewhere with Mai? _'Considerate is not the same as diplomacy!'_ Then why didn't he try to take over and talk to Mai himself!

' _Alright! Then next time let me be the one talking!'_ As soon as we can figured out this switching mechanism.

I sank down to nearest seat on the cafeteria, after ordering a cup of tea for myself. "Hh…"

"Rough day, Noll?"

"Yes." I said almost petulantly before I compute the familiar address and whose voice it was. There he was, in his green overall glory looking down at me with his droopy eyes, and pink lollipop he couldn't go without in his mouth. "I have been wondering when I will run to you one of these days." I admitted with a groan. "Spanner."

Spanner, the last of Vongola genius trio Gene and I befriend with when we met in talented youth convention years ago and the only full blooded Caucasian in the group. He was also a British like us but a permanent resident in Italy.

He chewed his lollipop before pulling another one, "Shouichi is busy in Italy so I was sent to assist as mechanic in recent mission in Japan… and then I heard you're in hospital…"

And just like that he decided to drop by, he was as flighty as ever. "So you're here for social visit?"

He nodded, "That's what you call visiting friend for no logical reason but just because you feel like it."

Among all of us, and that was including me Spanner was the most socially awkward individual, not because he was antisocial from me, social cues simply escape him. Which Shouichi repeatedly pointed out was why he was the superior and Spanner would forever be his subordinate, berating the blond to be not so laid back about everything all the time.

"You owe me." He said out of the blue, before placing a tin of cookies I knew was Luella's.

I stared at the tin full of spice cookies and then to Spanner. "You come all the way here just to give me cookies?"

He looked up, thinking whether it was indeed the only reason he was coming. "Hm… maybe there's something else, I don't remember, ma… it will come up soon."

"...As usual you're an idiot when machine is not concerned…" I said exasperatedly, if Gene called me idiot scientist, Spanner also got the honor as idiot mechanic. Though in his case even I had to admit he was so good in his field, he was completely _helpless_ in everything else. "So Shouichi is in Italy?"

Spanner nodded, licking his lollipop before answering. "He is Tsunayoshi-kun's left hand man… after all."

I see, so even though technically Shouichi was head of mechanic and technology development division he had the same influence as Hayato, just right below Mai and Tsunayoshi-san.

"Gene say hi." I grunted.

He nodded, "How is life as a ghost?"

"He is still alive, Spanner." and living in my head.

' _Why don't we ask Spanner? He is more laid back about his family, ne?'_

I eyed Spanner skeptically, "Spanner, do you mind explaining about your family?"

"Sure, I don't mind." I was tempted to facepalm, Spanner had no caution whatsoever when secrecy was concerned. "How much you have known by the way?" I took it back, apparently even Spanner had certain degree of caution. "So that I don't have to go over things you already know, it's troublesome."

"...How about the secrets?" I asked curiously. "I know the basic on flame, and you guys are part of some sort secret society."

He became quiet at that, "I see… not much then. As what I can tell depends on how much you know. Unlike Shouichi and Hayato my clearance level is not _that_ high. Not that I need to know them considering my job..."

Go figures why Spanner was not so concerned about spilling secrets, he didn't know them, not as much as Shouichi or other higher ranked members of Mai's family did at least. "I see… so the easy one first, what do you know about hierarchy in your family?"

He hummed before pulling a napkin on the table, popping a marker from his pocket and began to draw what I assumed as organization chart, starting from the top he wrote Cielo with crown icon and pulled a line down that divided to six branches, which I recognized as the name of flame in Italian. Tempesta, Sereno, Pioggia, Fulmine, Nuvola and last was Nebbia, with illustration below I assumed was symbol for each. Then he added two more branches with triangle symbol, Svariato and another with shield symbol, Varia. He draw lines below the existing one, squad leaders [ _caposquadra]_ six on each branch except Svariato that had departments that resemble a research company. The bottom of the hierarchy, Spanner wrote regular members.

"From the top, the sky… which are our bosses Tsunayoshi-kun and Mai-hime." Which was obvious already, "Then below them are…. Tempesta Divizione, which led by Hayato. Sereno, by Sasagawa-san… Pioggia by Takeshi-kun… Fulmine by Lambo-kun." Lambo, that was one unknown name.

' _I saw him in passing when I got lost in their mansion, he is a child… too young to lead like Hayato and the rest.'_

Their family stopped making sense long time ago.

"Nuvola by Hibari-san… and Nebbia by Mukuro and Chrome-chan." He finished.

I frowned, "And Svariato?"

Spanner blinked, "Oh… that's me and Shouichi, technology development Division led by Shouichi."

"And Varia?"

He wrote a name not familiar to me but I know of, Xanxus. "It's an independent group led by Xanxus… they're autonomous under the Ninth but I wonder if that will change soon considering Hime keep initiating if it's mean they're asking to be disbanded."

' _Is it just me or Mai can be a very strict leader?'_

"Alright…" I sighed, "Say… if you want to admit someone to your family, is that possible?"

' _You're serious you want in this secret society of theirs?'_ Gene asked in shock, _'It's unlike you to go to uncharted territory!'_

' _On contrary… we became Ghost Hunter because every haunting is an uncharted territory.'_ I corrected Gene. _'We could have gone to research on psychic research considering what we are… but we didn't, and this is the same.'_

Gene sighed, _'Right, but what make you think Spanner would sing a different tune than the rest of his family?'_

Spanner eyed with with certain unfamiliar gleam on his eyes, "You want to be a part of Vongola?"

I nodded, "Dying Will Flame." I told him the name of power I discovered with my twin recently. "I have touched this power and while I am not interested in power for the sake of power, I am curious… and I hate the limitation my PK placed upon me."

"And?" Spanner was not convinced yet, I could see from the flicker in his blue eyes.

I knew exactly what he want to hear, and it was not emotional matter Gene was harping on my mind. "I want in." I tapped my finger relentlessly against the tabletop. "This secret…. Of your family." I finished.

Spanner's lips pulled out to a lazy smile, "A scientist through and through as ever, you can't resist temptation of knowledge…" He shrugged, "Maa, I am the same so who am I to stop you?" If there was one thing Spanner, Shouichi and Hayato had in common with me, it was weakness for the unknown.

"Back to your question…" Spanner trailed off with apathetic air, "Of course it's possible, Shouichi and I for example weren't born as part of our world. It's pretty simple and easy to get in actually…"

I frowned, "What do you mean?"

"Vongola as some people from our world say in less than flattering comment, collecting _strays_ is Vongola's policy." Spanner let out a mirthless laugh. "Maa, considering Vongola took me in when I have nowhere to go, I can't say they're wrong."

Shouichi mentioned this before, Vongola was very open in accepting people and group to be part of their organization regardless of their background. Which was why they had an extremely large following, from scientist to psychics. And from what Lin had heard from Fujiwara, they got nobles and priest too.

Spanner hummed, "Well, by off chance you're not adopted by your current family… I think by some twist of fate our family would come to you two."

I had to admit before we got adopted, we fit the criteria of people Mai's family would take under their wings. "And… now, there's no way Vongola would recruit me?"

Spanner rummaged his bag, "Now that you mention it I remember why I came to see you." Then he fished out a slightly worn paper with three signatures, his, Hayato's and Shouichi's. It was in Italian so I had no idea what was written, but there was no mistaking the coat of arms on the top with 'Vongola' plainly written on the ribbon.

"Is that Vongola's coat of arms?" I couldn't help but ask.

"Yeah, is something wrong?"

The winged clam on the top looked pretty silly but there was no mistaking pair shotguns crossed over a shield containing with a bullet on the center. _'Noll, why is that their coat of arms has a bullet and a pair of shotgun?'_

Perhaps because their company started of as logistic and shipping company?

"Nothing's wrong." I ignored trivial nagging concern about the suspicious design of their family's coat of arms.

He eyed me warily, "I warn you, family and company are different… which one you want to join?"

"The one with secret."

He sighed in relief, "Ah, I'm glad to hear that! We don't have parapsychology department yet so I am not sure how you can get a job in Neo-V.G… after all Noll is like me, you don't know anything but parapsychology right?"

I was ticked, and Gene's snickering didn't help. At the time like this I regretted not listening Mai's harping on remedial lesson on general knowledge, saying if I didn't even know the basic knowledge of Shakespeare -British finest scriptwriter- was a shame since I still want to call myself as brightest young scientist in my generation. I couldn't refute it even because…

"I don't think there's anything wrong with not knowing whether Shakespeare have legitimate self-portrait or not…" He grumbled, "Where did Hayato get the idea we British have to know Shakespeare anyway?"

' _You heard him, Noll…'_

"You're getting distracted." I pointed out. "Now that we established Gene and I would like to join the family, or whatever you call your organization… what is this?"

Spanner beamed, "Oh this? The recruitment invitation we drafted for you and Gene around three years ago? I am glad I save it just in case, ha ha ha…"

WHAT?! _'Why did he…?'_

Gene was right, "Why did you have this?"

"Ah… remember when we found out about your poltergeists fiasco back then?"

In which after a particularly violent vision I lost control momentarily and hospitalized, and coincidentally Hayato and Spanner were in London for business trip. So they dropped by our manor and unfortunately they came at the wrong time. It was one if not the worst case of poltergeist I ever had, and Gene was in school while Lin was not in the country. My parents was unsure themselves but Hayato told them to get out of the house and subdued me before calling Neo-V.G's helicopter to transport me to hospital. He was tight lipped how the heck he kept me alive and not in cardiac arrest by the time I reached hospital, but I was in no condition to question him either before he and Spanner had to go back to Italy.

Though with revelation about Dying Will Flame, it was not so much of a mystery. Healing properties of sun flame was what keeping me alive, and as for how he stopped my poltergeist… it was not much a stretch one of five flames he possessed could be used as restrain.

"What of it?"

"Well, that incident convinced us that you need help… So did Gene who at the time have trouble controlling his recently discovered Astral Projection ability." Spanner began to explain. "So I proposed whether it's possible to take you under Vongola… because obviously this Qigong you learned isn't helping much."

Not if by their standard I should be able to use my PK freely.

"Lucky for you two… the three of us are high enough in rank to issue this invitation." He pushed the worn paper to me. "The only one who can recruit people without any formal procedure as they please are just Boss and Hime you see…"

"Wait, do you mean that you three have intention to invite me in? Then why you change your mind?"

He blinked owlishly at me, "Ah… Hayato's decision, out of three of us he has the highest rank. He said he came to see your demonstration." Shouichi and Spanner were too busy to come so only Hayato could come back then. "It seems you two get everything under control with your psychic link and that incident is just one-time thing so we decide to not bring it up ever…"

That was why? "Why did you bring it up now then? It can't be just because I asked you…"

"Hum… why…" He trailed off, "I came by off chance since I heard you saw the flame and wondered if this power draw your curiosity as scientist too." He was smiling now. "The same reason as why I got myself into Vongola you see… I saw Boss' sky flame, and it's the most fascinating sight in my whole life… even more than the finest robotic invention. And the next thing I know I…" Spanner looked sheepish, "I latched on Tsunayoshi's hand and pestered him with endless questions until Hime kick me off of her brother."

That was so Spanner like thing to do.

"Maa, that's me… but from what I see you have different reason to join." He took a bite of cookie, chewing blissfully. "There's something you want to fight for."

"..."

"Yes, you're curious about Dying Will Flame… I am sure. However the determination in your eyes reminds me of the Hayato and the rest, you want to be here… fighting to protect." He cracked one eye open at us, "Am I wrong?"

I couldn't answer, in spite of his airheadedness I had to admit Spanner perhaps knew us the best out of the three geniuses from Vongola we befriended. Especially since our own adopted mother freely gave him ammunition.

"Then, there's no reason to hold this back from you." He tapped the crest on the top of the invitation. "Don't rejoice yet though, because the head of our family still have full authority to null it."

Go figures.

"Luckily for you…" Spanner trailed off, "Hayato and Shouichi who signed this paper is right below Hime and Boss so they also can't just rip this off and call it a day."

Which was understandable, as a leader they couldn't just dismiss their subordinate's decision as they please without solid reason.

"Unfortunately… while Shouichi _maybe_ would put in good word for you, Hayato in the other hand…" Spanner trailed off, "As long as it's nothing sort as apocalypse coming, don't even hope Hayato would breathe a word against Boss and Hime's decision."

"What?"

"Hayato you see… especially to Boss, he doesn't just respect them… he worship them."

Never in my wildest imagination I imagined that someone whose arrogance and intelligence could match mine was a fanatic subordinate, the image just couldn't compute in my mind.

* * *

(CEDEF HQ, Torino) **3rd POV**

Torino was a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region. It had a rich culture and history, and is known for its numerous art galleries, restaurants, churches, palaces, opera houses, piazzas, parks, gardens, theatres, libraries, museums and other venues. This city that could boast a wealth of artistic of monument and cultural life however to Vongola was a perfect city to house their independent intelligence organization that disguised as common looking office building.

Oregano, one of closest subordinates of CEDEF leader frowned at perpetually closed door of her boss' office. At least it had been closed since last week, save daily call for food,refreshment and laundry, Iemitsu had holed himself in his office. "This is the longest Boss get depressed over his children." She commented, tucking her pale blond hair behind her ear.

Tumeric, her co-worker sighed. "It's nothing new though… Neo-Primo and Hime keep their distance from our Boss for as long as I could remember." Which was since he met the twins. "Poor Boss, you'd think they're Signore Reborn's children rather than his."

"Well, Boss is not winning the father of the year award anytime soon for sure…" Oregano admitted, "But aren't they being childish and unfair with Boss? They're the leaders of Vongola Famiglia, they should understand why their father can't be always at home and shutting him out of their life is overboard, don't you think?"

"Maa… they're in difficult phase of their life I suppose." They were sixteen going seventeen, teenagers. "Though what they have against our Boss is beyond the standard rebellious phase."

She had to agree, "The passive aggressiveness at first seemed cute." Exasperated comment, sarcastic jab, and circular conversation that got nowhere just to mess with their father were as far as they would go. "Since Foundation was found however…" They took the 'cute' comment back, _all_ of them. "It's subtle at first… we don't even realize but 'little' power we have during stable times are steadily shifted to Foundation."

And it was just about time CEDEF would be obsolete organization to Neo-Vongola famiglia.

"Very extreme just to pay back your own father for neglect with plotting a legit situation just to fire him, don't you think?"

To be honest Lal had suspicion becoming Iemitsu's superior who could fire him was one of many reasons why a gentle soul like Tsuna accepted to be Neo-Primo in the end. "If that's the reason I think ignoring our Boss is as far as they would go, there's the issue about their mother, remember." Lal Mirch interjected, and at the protest she knew was ready on their tongue she added. "There's no excuse to make it right, at least not to children the mother in question gave birth to…"

"But-"

"I'd say… Reborn foresaw this already the moment the twins decided to bring the wind of change in our world." Lal said, crossing her arms as she cracked one eye open at Iemitsu's door. "I am not sure whether Iemitsu realizes it or not but his children sees this organization as some sort of relic from the past that has no place in this new world. If their father got to go while they replace CEDEF with Foundation, it's just a bonus to them."

Oregano gritted her teeth, "We're small in comparison of Vongola but there are eight hundred of us! Do they think we will just accept to be absorbed by Foundation?!"

Lal sighed, "Who can claim they understand what's going through the head of Three Great Skies? When they turned the system upside down we also expect there would be a riot but then nothing." Mafia world was easily side-tracked by Choice tournament. "As if that's not enough they got Vindice in cohorts… by then I already give up trying to comprehend their plans." Lal shrugged.

"That's all? They keep Varia! Freaking Varia." Tumeric hissed, "But CEDEF has to go?"

Lal wondered why they were getting emotional, most likely because they had emotional attachment for Iemitsu. "Well… if it helps I don't think hurting Iemitsu is their main goal, but there's something else I am sure. Perhaps what Colonello said have some merits."

"Colonello?" What Lal's former student had said to her? "Is it something to do with him attending the Ring Battle personally?"

The former commander nodded, "Yeah, something about Basil." Lal set her gaze pointedly at empty desk near Iemitsu's office, in which the owner was on mission. "He was unsure himself but there's something about Basil that greatly offend the twins for some reason, apparently before the battle start they're not particularly hostile with Iemitsu… just apathetic…" Which was typical considering whose student they were. "Their attitude changed after."

Oregano narrowed her purple eyes, "Basil is a good kid, I don't think there's anything that could make him offend Neo-Primo and Princess."

"Like I said, who knows what's going through their head." Lal repeated, "Something insignificant to our eyes could be a heresy to them."

The skies accepted and understand all, but not all could understand them. When the sky concerned was one of Three Great Skies, even more so.

* * *

 **Namimori's HQ Hospital**

"And there." Shamal finished his last check-up, "You're ready to go Hime, as usual… you Vongola folks never stay in here for long."

Mai sighed as she grabbed her change of clothes and closed the bathroom door connected to her room not so gently. "I will kill you if you dare to peek."

Shamal rolled his eyes, at any other brat he would say he had no interest in kids but to Sawada Mai there was no way he'd dare to throw subtle insult to her face. Reborn corrupted this one in worst manner possible, especially her disproportionate retribution policy. "Don't worry Hime, I still want to live to grace beautiful women all over the world with my presence."

It didn't take long before a huff came from the other side of the door and Sawada Mai stepped from the bathroom. She was wearing long sleeved black shirt, burnt orange vest with white stripe, black tie and white skirt. She pulled the sleeve of white jacket up, completing her formal attire. On the upper back of her was the emblem of Vongola sky, the crown of sky that embroidered in light gray thread. On her right sleeve was shield in burnt orange color, with embroidery Neo and roman number I in silver thread.

"Looking sharp, aren't we Hime?" Shamal whistled, "Ma, then again Reborn would kill if his student dare to less than perfect. He is a sophisticated fashionista after all."

Mai scoffed, "Not much on instilling habit of dressing formally actually, as you can see… Dino-niisan get away dressed in furred jacket and jeans outside of formal occasion…"

"Knowing Reborn I think it's because making the kid dressed formally all the time is an exercise in futility because he can't get out of his subordinate's sight without tripping all over the place, getting dirty and ripping expensive suits." Shamal corrected.

That sounded like Reborn alright.

"Has Onii… I mean Giotto woke up yet?" Mai asked.

Shamal nodded, "Yeah, he is awake… Tsunayoshi's body is in stable condition too."

She heaved a relieved sigh, "I see…"

"Please be careful." Shamal stressed on, rubbing his temple. "While it's not everyday he has to show his pretty face to our people, we can't have both of you collapse when we need him to attend a treaty meeting."

Mai frowned, inwardly lamenting why Vongola had to mediate every single scuffle in mafia world. Why couldn't they sort themselves out without guns and flame involved unless Vongola got in between? Then again since the First, Vongola had always been in mediator position though not so much during Secondo era.

"I know… it's not like I got in this trouble on purpose."

Shamal huffed, "Of course you didn't." He didn't sound like he believed Mai. "Oh yeah, we got a meeting in half an hour… Spanner asked, and he even ask me to come too for some reason."

The Vongola princess tensed, she had a very bad feeling. "Spanner asked for a meeting? How strange…" The blond hated meeting and other formalities. "And why are you included, Shamal?"

"Saa…"

* * *

 **Back in Japan, Kyoto (Onmyouji's HQ)**

Fujiwara Masahiro was anxiously waiting for his cousin to come back. Like his cousin they shared jet black hair and fair skin, but his eyes were cinnamon color and softer. At last after hours of waiting he saw the one he was waiting for trudged up the long flight of steps to their compound. "Hikaru, you're back?" Fujiwara Masahiro asked the obvious, wide eyed at tiredness on his cousin's face. Which was definitely not because of the long way up.

The jade eyed boy nodded, "I am exhausted…"

Did Fujiwara Hikaru just admitted that outloud. "Erm, I heard the eder pressing you to finish your job on deadline." Which was nothing unusual, an old trick repeatedly used whenever they thought Hikaru was accidentally sent to mission too dangerous by their standard. Hikaru as always never listened, he was very proud of his twelve shiki and onmyoudou skill after all. "Is the exorcism really hard?"

"I didn't exorcise anything." His cousin grunted, somehow still managing to sit down gracefully on sitting cushion the moment they reached the sleeping quarter.

"Eh? Then what happened?" He asked, pouring a cup of tea of himself and his cousin.

Hikaru picked up a brush and his cousin groaned that the jade eyed boy didn't even wait to write a report. "Vongola happened."

It was fortunate Masahiro's cup had just touched his lips or he would have choked on the hot beverage. "Vongola?!" He shrieked.

"That's unbecoming of a Fujiwara." As in shrieking like a banshee.

"Which one?"

"The princess." Hikaru murmured, dipping the brush gently on the watered stone ink. "She lives in Japan, remember?"

Masahiro nodded, "So… what is one of Vongola twin sky doing in Former Prime Minister's property?"

Hikaru shrugged, "She is somehow part of one of Paranormal teams invited, I was shocked out of my wits myself when I saw her." And the princess herself didn't even bat an eye.

"Why?"

The jade eyed teen raised an eyebrow at his cousin, "You're asking 'why' when a Vongola is concerned?"

Right, stupid question. "So how the mission goes? Give me a summary at least, Hikaru! I want to join you but Grandfather won't let me!"

He harrumphed, "So turns out the ghost of Primine minister's wife's grandfather is haunting the mansion, he was obsessed with long life because of his frail body and conducted his very own bloody ritual that's inspired from western novel… he got his wish with turning himself to a monster after his death… and keep hunting for sacrifice until the Vongola got rid of him."

Masahiro gaped, "Whoaa… that's crazy, and for what reason the Vongola get involved personaly?"

"Because it's _their_ problem." And before his cousin could ask further he added. "And no, you will find out later why it's their problem like everyone else." Masahiro harrumphed, sipping his tea petulantly. "Also… can you give me an idea how to break it _gently_ to Elder council that the Vongola twin skies are planning to visit our compound and they had not so subtly imply we're free to choose the date and time so we have plenty of time to hide our children so they won't get spirited away like Asari Ugetsu?"

This time Masahiro did choke on his tea.

* * *

 **Back in Namimori, Meeting Room**

It was a simple room which in spite of belonged to Vongola was not gargantuan, just enough for a simple long table, chairs, a projection screen with workstation and PC on the side. The wall was painted in dull cream color, and the floor was covered in warm grey carpet that made the sound of their steps almost inaudible as they entered the room.

Naru caught Tsuna's eyes as the boss entered the room, and while he had no Hyper Intuition Naru was sure the look was meant as a warning. He shall not disclose to Mai that he had come close to truth about Tsunayoshi, Naru could do without the warning because obviously that was the biggest secret Mai didn't want to reveal and considering what he had in mind, he'd spare the girl for that one.

Gene was nervous, and Naru could feel his brother's feeling resonating to his in anticipation of what to come. Mai was the last to enter, followed by Shamal. She looked surprised by his presence, did she think he had gone back to Tokyo just because she told him to scram?

"What is this meeting for?" Mai asked, turning to Spanner who was sitting beside Naru. "Spanner, you're told to go back immediately to Italy, not calling a meeting at the time like this."

Obviously she was displeased and Spanner averted his eyes, "Well… it's about this." He held out the paper Naru had signed, right below three signatures belonged to Spanner, Hayato and Shouichi.

Mai's and Tsuna's eyes widened in shock, Shamal's left eye twitched, and Hayato looked like he had a heart attack. **"Hayato! Spanner!"** Mai barked at them angrily, her eyes changed hue, she was furious beyond words.

Hayato flinched, "That's… a document from a long time ago! I don't know that Spanner still keep them!" He had forgotten it was even exist! Knowing Spanner's sloppiness when machine was not involved Hayato didn't think much of it when Spanner said he wanted to keep the paper just in case. "What the heck did you want to pull, Spanner! Noll!" Hayato turned to his friends, and it didn't escape Naru's observant eyes both Hayato and Mai's eyes changed hue.

Mai was also turning her attention to him and Naru thought she was about to burst with flame when Tsunayoshi interjecting cutting through the growing tension like hot knife through butter. "For what reason do you want to join our family, Oliver Davis?"

Naru wouldn't admit it but he was thankful for the interruption. "When I first offered Mai a position in my office, it's because she was desperately and futilely researching about parapsychology." He began, ignoring Mai's indignant glare. "We agreed to keep each other's secret, and I don't think I should pry on why a psychic with unknown ESP was okay with being an assistant and willing test subject…"

Tsuna turned to his sister, leaning to the side and whispering comforting words. _[Let's hear him out first… you can throw tantrum later, not now.]_

Mai calmed down, her erratic breathing became even slowly. "And your point is…"

"I'm not sure if your venture in parapsychology field so far get you any closer to your objective, Mai." Naru told her in serious tone. "You found some clues I am sure but you blatantly reject my assistance with refusing to disclose a more concrete objective to pursue… you ask for my help but you also make me going blind with no clear direction."

"And?"

"I don't know what Gene and I have to do to earn your trust, at least enough trust for you to let us help you and your family in our full capacity…" Naru crossed his arms, "You helped us but you didn't allow us the same opportunity, it's your decision… fine." Naru emphasized the end of his sentence, "However you didn't get anywhere from what I see, and I'd hate to think everything you have been through in SPR is fruitless."

Mai narrowed her eyes at him, "You don't know that."

"I don't, but can you say you're as close as you like to the truth you seek?" Mai quieted down at that, "Of course not, for all I know you might be looking the wrong way so far… like I did." Her eyes widened at that, "I was looking for a lake but apparently my brother is still alive and he most likely not in that lake either, heck! The vision of Gene's death I saw? It could be all just illusion."

Hayato stood up, "Alright! Noll, don't you dare telling us everything we have done so far is futile!"

"I dare, considering I did exactly that for almost a year until you shove Gene inside my head." Naru was unrepentant as he said this. "It's not pleasant, I assure you… but in the same time I can't blame you for keeping it from me because I can't believe Gene is alive and that vision is just a lie just because you say so. However in the other hand Gene and I revealed our objective to you, and then you can help us to get somewhere. How do you expect us to help if you didn't do the same courtesy?"

He got them there.

"You don't have to go as far as joining the family just because-"

"I am outsider to you, Gene and I…" Naru cut Hayato off, "I don't like to leave debt unpaid, and it's not like we're not involved at all… you have implied Gene's body was stolen by someone from your world." They tensed at that, "And I believe it's very likely right, if _not_ at least the police force could have tracked him down to specific region… Japan have the best police force, or so they said but they can't even narrow Gene's last location down?"

Tsunayoshi laced his fingers on the table, glancing at his sister who had been very quiet and then back to Naru. "In short, you mean… we're hindering your objective to find your brother's body with our secrecy?"

Naru nodded, "Yes, but I am sure you're concerned about my safety with keeping your secret secret… but our recent case reveal quite a lot." The scientist paused, "That case is a bait, my imposter is a bait, wasn't he?"

Hayato groaned, "You figured that out?"

"Of course I did, who do you think I am?" Naru raised an eyebrow at his fellow scientist, earning a scowl from the green eyed boy. "You're not someone who would arrest Minami just because he was ruining my reputation. You know I am indifferent about my fame… and yet you and your family went out your way to deal with him…"

"I have to admit we're not exactly subtle." Hayato growled in exasperation. "What else?"

"Your desperation to hide your secret society is ridiculous." Naru knew he had stroke a chord when everyone including Tsuna were shocked. "I mean… a law enforcement, a ruling body they answered to… which most likely consist of Mai and Tsunayoshi-san… your advanced technology and mysterious power." He listed on, "Dead giveaway for a completely different civilization."

Mai looked like she was about to have a breakdown, shaking. "You saw vision when you and Gene dived down the ocean of Akasha for retrieving me." That was not a guess but a statement.

"Not by choice."

"I know."

"Then you should realize Mai…" Naru sighed, "You can keep your secret and I can't begrudge you for that, but if it works against your purpose… our objectives, what's the point? You're worried I would be in danger? I am already in danger since Gene lost his body. I don't even think you can just somehow solve this behind my back and somehow returned Gene's body to him… I can't and won't leave this to you and sit in my laurel."

No one interrupted him and Spanner added, "As Noll said… I figure out, Noll in in danger whether or not he is in the know…" He said it with apathetic air but they could hear seriousness in his voice. "As their friends… I don't want to put them in more danger for the sake of bliss in ignorance, this enemy took Gene's body… already. And they have come for Noll…" He inhaled deeply, "So perhaps I have been reckless with this." he patted the paper on the table. "But can you blame me for not wanting to lose our friends?"

Mai closed her eyes, their reasons were sound and even she couldn't deny them. What was stopping her now? She had been lying if their safety was the only reason she wanted to push them away from her world. No, it was because she didn't want Naru and Gene to look at her differently. She selfishly wanted them to look at her just as Sawada Mai, Naru's assistant, student, willing test subject and friend.

She was just being selfish, since when she was this horrible as a person?

The Vongola princess opened her eyes slowly and looked at Naru straight in the eye, "I would never ever agree to your induction to our family… but I can see you have swayed Hayato's and Spanner's decision… and if Shouichi is here he would agree too." She glanced at Tsuna or rather Giotto who was nodding. "So did my brother…" Then to SHamal who had been silent since the meeting began. "As as a doctor, SHamal have to prioritize his patient's well being and so…"

"I'd say this boy need to train his flame…. It would do wonder to his overflowing life force now he has a way to properly channel it."

"The same to his brother… " Mukuro materialized behind his skies, Naru narrowed his eyes as apparently the mist had been in the room since the start. "Proper outlet of his energy would keep him stable, and then he won't be dormant most of the time. He will also have some control of his sleep cycle."

Naru had no idea nurturing Dying WIll Flame while dangerous could help them that much.

"Although…" Mukuro trailed off, "Spanner, Hayato… do you think the benefits worth dragging your friend to our bloody world?"

Hayato and Spanner exchanged glance, "That's for Noll and Gene to decide."

"Yes, indeed and I will clean up after you if they react badly, no?" The Mist chortled, voice thick with sarcasm.

Naru and Gene felt chill down their spine, knowing what Mukuro was implying. Their memory would be rewritten, that was the policy of this family. "I accept." He didn't like Mukuro messing with his mind but if that was the bridge he had to cross, so be it. "Tamper with my memory if you must… I am willing to risk that much."

Mukuro looked at everyone else in the room, it seemed they were stunned by the boy's decision. He supposed he had to be the one who started the big reveal. "First of all… you do know that Hime's and Boss' flame have property that do funny thing to people's mind, right?"

"Well, I-"

Tsunayoshi interrupted him, "Harmony properties of Sky Flame is not mind control, don't make it sound like one, Mukuro." The mist shrugged, "However… unconsciously bearer of Sky Flame with purity of our caliber." Meaning his and Mai's. "We bent worldview, senses of people around us to a degree to be in harmony with ours. This is including our secrets, if we don't want people to find out… they will unknowingly ignore clues… hints that could reveal our secret."

Naru frowned, "I suspected that… why are you telling me this?"

Mai swallowed, her tongue felt numb as she explained. "You and Gene are susceptible to my influence… that's why no matter how close you're to the truth, you will never get _there_."

It dawned on Naru what was Mai getting at, she was afraid he would get angry and hated her for what she did unconsciously. It was a terrifying thought, for someone with logical and brilliant mind like his to be unable to reach a truth so obvious because someone didn't want him to. _'You're afraid… but Noll, Mai is even more so…'_

Naru looked up and saw the raw emotion in her eyes, _'Regardless of her feeling towards us is not the same, we're precious to her. Enough to make her terrified of losing us… I don't think… this is the first time she might lose people she hold dear because of a power she can't control.'_

He took a deep breath. "It doesn't matter… as you can see, your power is not enough to make me dumb. I still get this far, regardless." Something like hope shone in her eyes and Naru didn't miss it. "So don't make that kind of face, Mai…" They were not going to leave her.

Mai shuddered as she took in their words, chuckling softly. "Are you sure?"

"Of course." He answered promptly. "I am sure I still can take Hayato on scientific debate."

The princess inhaled deeply, "Tell him, Hayato."

The silver haired boy smirked, glancing at their princess who was overcome with emotion. He took pity on her, because she was trying her best not to lose her restrain. "Well… then let me enlighten how dumb you have been." He said in challenging tone. "You have figured out we're from a secret society…. So I wonder how the hell you have not figured out the rest."

Naru raised an eyebrow at him.

"Noll, Italy, secret society… and we call our organization as family… ring any bells?" Hayato asked, not mocking, but serious.

Mai smiled at him, sadly but there was no mistaking the hope mixed with anticipation in her eyes as the truth dawned on him, like a violent wind blowing to disperse the mist in his mind and revealed the truth that had always been there.

"You guys are in _**mafia**_."

* * *

 **キタ━━━(゜∀゜)━━━! It's HERE! The revelation, don't you just hate me for cutting it here?**

 **OMAKE**

Sawada Mai was a cute girl, exotic even if one got closer look. At first glance she looked like typical Japanese with her complexion but Yasuhara being an observant guy he was, brought it up in one of their routinely rendezvous in SPR.

"If you really look closely you can tell Sawada-san is really a haafu." As in the term used by Japanese to refer to a biracial person, half-japanese and half from another ethnicity.

They blinked at that, "You mean… her eye color?" Bou-san pointed out, "It's amber." They decided to just settle it as the usual amber eyes, though in reality Mai's eyes had more vivid color of orange with deep reddish orange like cherry amber pupil than the common very light brown with greenish hue.

"That's one and there's her hair too…" He added, "You can see from her side locks it's a little curly, naturally so…" Most Japanese had natural straight hair, "Big Boss is the same."

Bou-san eyed the empty desk of Mai's and recalled Mai's hair was indeed curled on the tips, so did Naru's.

Masako huffed, "And there's her shameless skinship… but she only did it to Naru." And the reason was simply because Naru was the only foreigner around who would accept such intimacy.

Fine with Masako but for Naru to let Mai to do that to him… Masako knew Naru hated being touched and that was why he was always tense if Masako tried to hold his arm. With Mai she could see Kazuya-san would bend down a little to give her easy access to kiss his cheeks, and keeping her close whenever he could.

"She has no accent when speaking Japanese though." Yasu added. "So it's her first language."

"We heard her speaking Italian before, there's no Japanese accent either." Ayako added. "When she speaks English however… boy, that one time I witness Naru correcting her is funny. She often get similar Italian and English words mixed up."

Lin exited his office just in time to heard that comment, "I am afraid that's unavoidable when one are bilinguals like Sawada-san, she also speak Chinese well enough… not as good as native but passable."

If there was anything Sawada-san could beat Naru at that was related to academic skill, it would be language. It seemed in her family diverse language skill was the norm, and most who hold high position at least master seven languages. Though Lin also had to note she only master three well, Japanese, English and Italian. She could speak the rest passable enough, and admitted she forgot some and her grammar was far from perfect. It seemed the girl at some point was forced to master the required seven languages and never got around to really brush it.

"Are you discussing Sawada-san's lingual skill?"

"No." Yasu corrected him with a grin, "Just how Sawada-san looks mostly Japanese but if you look closely you can tell she has foreign upbringing in some part… and also physically like her eye color and hair, or habit."

Lin paused at that, "You can add her tendency to gesture with her hands when she got irritated."

"Huh?" Ayako blinked owlishly at that, "What's so foreigner about that? Body language through hand gesture is normal even for Japanese."

Lin's lips twitched upward at that, "Ah… I believe that's only something Naru would notice considering he is friends with another Italian descend like Sawada-san. Most of the time Sawada-san hold back the impulse, but when she is annoyed or excited you can see how her hands would move around."

They recalled she did tend to do that, they thought she was just flailing.

John asked, "Is that why Kazuya-san sometimes comment on something even when Mai-san didn't say anything?" Just yesterday Mai was getting excited over something that happened in Italy and as her mouth couldn't catch up with her brain in excitement, her hands flailed when she struggled to find words to express herself.

Then Naru just nod and replied as if he understood. Apparently he really did. "And when she was scolding him too?" Bou-san was sure she was gesturing when she was yelling at Naru.

"Yes, Sawada-san did." Actually half of the time, another half was Gene joining the conversation through the mirror which was why their conversation sounded choppy with one side unheard by anyone but Mai and Naru.

Click!

Mai entered SPR office from door connected to next door and looking obviously in bad mood. Naru was a few steps behind her. "Idiot." They had been arguing again and it seemed from Naru's smug look he won this around.

Mai turned to him, and her hands moved in frantic gesture.

Much to their surprise Naru just gestured back and Mai marched to the pantry with a huff. Naru retreated to his office and about to close his door when he noticed their confused and curious stare. After winning an argument with Mai about a scientific experiment, he was feeling generous for once so he enlightened them.

"Mai made some swearing gesture in Italian, then I replied she is being a sore loser and where's my tea." Then Naru closed the door with a soft click.

The SPR team looked back and forth between the pantry obscured by folding screen and Naru's office door. Yasuhara broke the awkward silence with a comment. "Never know they already have secret language to add in their old couple's fight."

Lin wisely kept the knowledge of Mai and Naru's psychic link to himself, these guys had no idea Naru and Mai didn't even need secret language. They didn't tell him but Lin could tell from how they behaved around each other. He had his doubts at first. After all how could Sawada Mai linked to Naru and Gene mentally and she still had no idea about their feeling.

 **Review Please!**


	44. Post Case 07, Part 04

**Post Case 07, Part 04  
**

Cosa Nostra, or more commonly known as Mafia all over the world was a crime syndicate that had been around for two and half centuries, and perhaps more considering historical record of this secret society was sketchy at best. Naru didn't know much about mafia, aside from some tidbits from one movie Gene forced them to watch for family night.

However it was one conclusion that could make sense. Their ancestry for one thing, secrecy associated not with privacy but danger that come with it, and also the way their family works… it was no wonder they were so lax with Shouichi's illegal hacking activity, Spanner's invention of weapon, and what else that suggest Vongola family was never the law abiding citizens.

"You are in _**mafia**_."

There was a long silence before he found his voice again. Mukuro was smirking, as if the revelation was amusing. Hayato sighed, resigned that at last the twins found out about their secret. Spanner just shrugged, foreseeing this coming sooner or later. Shamal looked like he wanted to be somewhere else, and Tsuna's expression was unreadable. Naru wondered if Mai's look of acceptance which could be interpreted as resignment too was a good sign or not.

"That's the only secret society in Italy, which call their organization as family..." He trailed off before frowning. "But you are not criminals." That was a statement rather than a denial.

"Define criminal." Mai was chuckling now.

"The one who stand in opposite side of the law? Or those who tread the line of legality according to law?" Tsunayoshi finished.

It was a world shattering revelation but nothing they couldn't handle. "I didn't know you guys are in mafia, but I know Hayato… Shouichi, Spanner… Mai…" He listed on. "I am not blind to not see your total disregard for authorities and law but you don't match _my_ definition of criminal."

"And that is?" Tsunayoshi pressed on.

"People who knowingly harm others for their own purpose." Naru answered simply. "Obeying written law doesn't make you a good person, just a model citizen.. I who operate my business under pseudonym is not exactly a shining example myself." The recent case was the prime example.

Mai heaved a sigh, "No, you're not… and _if_ you didn't change your mind yet we have to make our position, Vongola famiglia's position in the world clear." Whatever that took toll on her emotionally just now had disappeared, and she looked determined. "While we stand in opposite side of the law it's not because legal authorities care of what we do… but _what_ we are."

What they were? _'What did that suppose to mean?'_ Gene and Naru wondered.

"We're criminal in the eyes of law because we don't abide by justice people who call themselves authorities defined." Tsunayoshi continued, his eyes were like steel as he said this. "Vongola famiglia sit at the very top of the criminal food chain. Whatever we get involved in, the entire criminal underground would rush to declare a side; to join in. However… we're not instigator of conflict, we're mediator… we exist to keep our society in line."

Which meant even if Vongola had clean record, being the supreme ruler of mafia world was a crime enough.

"Which is also why we're the most hated famiglia to government all over the world because we Vongola seem to claim we are _good_ , that what we do is some kind of _justice…_ even though we're criminal by legal law description..." Mukuro continued in amused tone. "We don't claim we're the force of good because we also know justice doesn't involves a lot of death and destruction. Dozens of flattened buildings, famiglias disappear overnight and hospitalized victims…"

Hayato's expression was grim, "Mafia is an industry of violence since its genesis era… we have our dark side, and if you ask people who is in the know of our history… most won't paint us in a good light."

Mai didn't smile as she said this. "To the world The Vongola famiglia…" She trailed off, "is the most insane, confusing, paradoxical, hypocritical and righteous criminal organisation they ever known and unfortunately, they can't get rid of us less the chaos of bloody world of mafia spilled over outside."

Then it dawned on me why Mai felt guilt all this time to us.

"We tried our best but some still got outside and… Gene's abduction?" She exhaled softly. "That's our responsibility, preventing people of our world to harm civilian."

"It's not your fault."

Mai shook her head, "It's our duty to make sure such thing don't happen." She crossed her fingers, her eyes firm as she looked at him. "Now, I hope you realize what you're asking for… our world is not a good place. You still have option to back out." She gestured behind him as if there was a meptaphorical escape route there.

' _Noll…'_ Gene called out. _'I don't want to back out.'_

Naru inhaled softly, "How long do you intend to test our will, Mai?"

"Huh?"

"I am not leaving, and since I decide to confront you about this I am prepared to stay by your side." Naru declared with determined voice, echoing the same sentiment his twin said in his mind. "If we have to move forward to your world, so be it. I am not giving up." He finished, pouring every fiber of his feeling to his words so they knew he and Gene meant every word.

Mai looked stunned, and dared Naru imagined it, she was blushing. Then her expression hardened, crossing her arms petulantly she declared. "The answer is still NO from me!"

Of course she was not changing her mind so easily. "Then what would change your mind?" Naru wondered why Mai was this stubborn about it.

"Nothing! You imbe-"

Tsunayoshi cleared his throat and Mai stopped. "I approve…" He decided, and pulled the paper to his side and tapped the paper with his index finger and a tongue of flame lit up on the crown emblem on the top. "I, Sawada Tsunayoshi…. Neo Primo of Vongola family accept your resolve Oliver Davis, Eugene Davis…"

That was the cue as Hayato raised his hand. "I, Gokudera Hayato… Storm Guardian of Vongola family accept." Snapping his finger, tongue of storm flame appeared beside Tsuna's sky.

The next one was unexpected, but the Mist too followed the storm example. "Rokudo Mukuro, the Mist guardian of Neo Primo Vongola approve of their resolution." He snapped his finger and tongue of mist flame signed the paper, on the other side of Tsuna's sky flame

Shamal snickered at slack-jawed Mai. "Hime… you've been outvoted… if Shouichi is here, he would sign the paper too I am sure."

Naru frowned, that was how they signed their document officially? Not just signature? So the Flame was also unique for each person, like fingerprint perhaps.

Spanner fished out his cell phone, "Should I call him?"

Mai slammed her fist on the table. Hayato and Spanner flinched as little tongue of sky flame licking her digits. "Fine, I am outvoted… you reckless idiotic men." She hissed and the men in the room minus Tsuna and Naru winced at the murderous look on her eyes.

"However… I _am_ the second in command of Vongola Famiglia, and as stated in our law… all new family members would be put on probation. I will accept…" She gritted out, "Oliver Davis and Eugene Davis into our family if they passed their probation period under condition I proposed."

Naru frowned at her.

"This is not a test…" Mai stressed on, correcting their assumption before they could voice it out loud. "There's no point admitting him to the family if they can't achieve this…"

"And what condition you propose, dear sister?" Tsunayoshi looked amused.

She inhaled deeply, "They have to master their Dying Will Flame, stabilizing their condition in the process. No more, no less." Then she added, "Since they're psychic… reasonable timeline for that would be around…"

"August…" Mukuro interjected, "The beginning of August or end of July would be reasonable enough for psychic like Oliver and Eugene here."

Naru made a mental calculation, they had four months to master Dying Will Flame. He had learned Qigong and PK training for most of his life and he was not a master yet, and this new power had to be his to control in mere four months?

"And one more thing." Tsunayoshi added, "To even out Mai's demand… I think it's fair if we give Oliver and Eugene some assistance."

"Of course." Mai agreed readily, "After all as the name implied, Dying Will Flame is a power that if learned in short term. You'd either sink or swim."

Naru could tell very well what her challenging tone meant when her amber eyes were burning to his. _'Still not changing your mind yet?'_

"So sink or swim it is…" The boss said in jovial tone as if he was not talking about life and death situation.

Now Naru and Gene understood why they were so laidback talking about violence and death, it sounded like a joke before. Correction, they never joked about it in the first place. "We will assign you both a home tutor."

DId they hear Tsunayoshi right? "A home tutor?"

"Yes, you heard me right." Tsuna assured him, before calling the two beside him. "Hayato, Mukuro…" The boss called, "You two will be their tutors."

Hayato sighed, "I know it."

"Well… as if I am done with Eugene in the first place." Mukuro shrugged, "Maa, it would be in astral plane anyway."

"Won't it be a problem since Hayato can't train Noll in his dream?" Spanner asked.

The guardians and their bosses gave Spanner a deadpan stare, "Why are you _always_ left out from latest information of our politics?" Hayato wondered, "Oh well… whatever." He took a deep breath. "Noll, Spanner. Wait outside…."

Huh?

"And Spanner gave him a basic rundown about our world..." Hayato continued, "Whatever you think civilian born mafioso like you should know…"

Naru frowned, "And we have to get out, because?"

"We need to talk about what to do next with you two." Mai told them bluntly.

Naru narrowed his eyes at her, "You want us to get out while you talk about _us_ you said?"

Mai nodded, seeing nothing wrong with admitting it. "In case you forget Naru…" She inclined her head towards the paper with tricolor flame. "That says we _are_ your superior, on probation or not… and yes. We can talk about you without you in the room."

 _SO out,_ that was an order _not_ a suggestion.

She was still trying to change his mind it seemed. Naru was not one to admit defeat, "Very well, Mai." He was not going to call her Hime for sure, he was not going to treat her any differently.

Never.

* * *

 **Mai's POV**

Considering Giotto needed as much as rest as he could get, I sent him to go catch some sleep again while I had a meeting with my two guardians and Shamal about Naru. The meeting was barely began and Hayato had raised a protest. "Rushing developing the flame could be hazardous! He is civilian, no mafia blood, prior training whatsoever…"

Shamal snorted, "No mafia blood hm…" The doctor grinned, "He is adopted, right?" Hayato nodded, wondering what the doctor was up to. "He has multiple flames, a trait that says he has mafia ancestry."

"What?!" Obviously Hayato didn't expect that.

"There are two sign of _obvious_ mafia ancestry when Dying Will Flame is concerned, high purity from birth like Boss and Hime, or multiple flame like Hayato…"

Hayato widened his eyes in shock, "Their biological parents are…"

"If he descend from civilian family, the gene of stronger parent would thrive...multiple flame meant they inherited equally strong flame genetic from their parents." Shamal explained, exhaling a puff of smoke. "Or one of their parents had that kind of family tree. Where are they from originally?"

Hayato opened his laptop and brought up the file of their profiles our head mechanic sent, Shouichi had been informed and the redhead was exasperated by the turn of event. "America… They're adopted when they're eight years old from an orphanage in New York, it's closed now though… so Shouichi have a hard time tracking down information prior to their adoption." Now there was no more orphanage, but foster care system.

My eyes narrowed, "So no information on their parents?"

"There are some…" Hayato informed us. "About their mother, Noll and Gene were sent to orphanage after their mother passed away. Their mother was a second generation Japanese, and there was no record about their father though."

Which mean their origin was unclear. "America, hm…" Naru's british accent was so thick when he spoke English I didn't expect he was originally an American.

"Gee, that's outside of Vongola's jurisdiction…" Shamal grunted, "America is Millefiore's territory… I'm not surprised if American mafia there decided to ditch one or two kids of theirs. Gesso or rather Millefiore as they're called now didn't put famiglia under them in tight leash like Vongola… and even we Vongola still get a drop now and then."

Mukuro nodded, "Yeah, and I _am_ the prime example."

Silence…

He didn't sound particularly bitter but it was true, Estraneo got so out of hand because Vongola didn't keep an eye on them. It was always like that, whenever Vongola turn a blind eye on anything, it would return to us like a bad karma.

"Still… while we got that fraud in our hands, in the end the one we should catch is that Raymond Wall." Hayato changed the topic, pointedly ignoring Mukuro's smirk. "It's not even his real name, but the name of a deadman… our classic trick."

Definitely classic, whoever behind this was definitely an old school mafioso. Nowadays we would invent a completely new identity and manipulate our personal data. "Their mother." This thought crossed my mind, "What's her name and how did she die?"

Hayato stopped before he checked the information I asked, "Her name is Shizuka O.W Wright, and-" He squinted his eyes, "Well, the usual story of immigrant family that's not so successful in the land of promise…" Which mean nothing important in their mother's side of family, but who knows if her information was not faked at all. "She was not married, and from her age… she had them when she was in college."

"So nothing on their father?"

"Nothing." Hayato confirmed.

Shamal hummed, "Considering they look Japanese enough I'd bet they look a lot like their mother." Which was true enough considering Naru and Gene could pass as Japanese.

"She died of natural cause, a bad cold that got worse. According to her health record, she is sickly since…" Hayato winced, "She gave birth to her sons."

Shamal grimaced, knowing very well why Hayato made that face. "Ah… damn, that's unfortunate."

Another thing Naru and Gene better off not knowing. Whether or not their mother was really a civilian, the fact she got weaker after her children's birth meant she was indeed just a normal human. All children with parents who had activated their flame, one from long line of flame user in particular would take a toll on non-flame user mother to have. Because their life force would be stronger than normal baby and took it from their mother when they were in her womb.

That was what happened to Hayato's mother, Lavina. Her body weakened from having him, but she was lucky that she had support to survive the birth.

"Shizuka-san died when they were five years old."

Pretty impressive she survived childbirth of twins like Naru and Gene and lived for that long without proper help. Or perhaps...

"There's even death certificate…" Hayato turned his laptop, giving us a full view of photo of a woman with jet black hair, her cheeks was slightly sunken, her skin was sickly pale, but there was no mistaking she was a very beautiful woman who if looked healthier almost looked like female version of her sons with brown eyes.

Wait, brown?

"Their eye color, they got it from their father perhaps?" I wondered out loud. "Indigo eyes… long line user of mist flame perhaps?"

I gave our Mist a pointed look, his was a tad lighter than Naru's and Gene's though. It was not unusual if one's family are active flame users, their dominant flame's color would affect color of hair or eyes. Vongola famiglia was one of many, which was why my brother and I had unusual eye color. Another possibility was the purity of their flame since birth, didn't matter whether they had awoken the flame or not. Chrome and Byakuran's Bluebell was the prime example.

Hayato contemplated my theory. "But Noll didn't have mist, Gene does."

"Maa, Byakuran himself said… that formula he and Shouichi created to check inactive flame is still in prototype state." Even until today, we didn't have reliable enough method to determine someone's flame before the awakening. Especially the case of multi-flame like Hayato, Naru and Gene.

Mukuro snorted, "Even if Oliver Davis has it, there's no chance he could use Mist flame properly… aside from his terrible control he is a scientist. Mastering mist flame means flexibility in your perception of the world, he would be a terrible mist user."

Genetic was the biggest factor of one's type of flame but our personality also could affect it, at least it could greatly influence secondary flame type. Xanxus was a prime example with his flame of wrath. Someone like me and my brother in the other hand, had snowball's chance in hell to develop secondary flame, considering the purity of our flame and personality.

"I will contact Byakuran and tell him to ask around… " I decided.

Shamal raised an eyebrow, "Do you think someone from American mafia recognized the twins that look like the chick they knocked out years ago and got interested in their potential after hearing about their psychic abilities?"

I was ticked by his crude description but I'd rather not losing my temper here. "Naru and Gene didn't let their face published on media at all, in fact while they're famous in parapsychology field, not a lot of people know how they looks like." Even a die hard fans like Bou-san didn't even know he was so close.

Especially considering general impression was, Oliver Davis was twice his original age at least and a caucasian. As Ayako-san put it aptly, a caucasian old man surrounded by books was the general impression general population of parapsychology field had on Oliver Davis.

"Anyway, let's just drop the topic on their origin… for now." We're getting nowhere. "As Hayato said, there's the more pressing concern about their safety when learning to control their flame."

I was unhappy they wanted to join Vongola but I would be fair, I tried to be. After all, regardless of my personal feeling I would always be half of Vongola's sky.

* * *

 **Tokyo (3rd POV)**

Madoka and Yasu were on the way to SPR when they found a lost child in Dougenzaka, crying for his mother. He tugged on Madoka's skirt and only when the woman turned he realized he had mistaken Madoka as his mother. "Huwaaa! Whaaa!"

"It's okay, my dear." Madoka cooed at the cute brown haired boy.

Yasu hummed, looking around. "Hm, there didn't seem any mother looking for their kid around here."

Growl… The boy flushed red, and his stomach growled again. "Hic…"

"Why don't we eat some cake while we wait for your mom to find you, dear?" Madoka asked with a kind smile to the lost boy, and glanced at Yasuhara. "Yasu-kun, go report to nearest police station about the boy."

He beamed, taking a photo of the boy with his cellphone. "Got it."

Unknown to the two, nearby two members of Foundation was undercover, watching their every move. Takeda, one of the member gave a discreet glance to Yasu who walked away from Madoka and the lost child. His comrade nodded, leaving bills to cover his half-full coffee and followed Yasuhara secretly. Takeda himself was browsing a magazine in same cafe across Dougenzaka while Madoka led the boy to another one below SPR office. He briefly looked up as a man with scarred face, known as Lancia approached his table.

"Ah Lancia-san, the tar-"

Lancia paled, "Why is that cafe empty?" At lunch hour like this no less?

"Huh?"

"Where did that kid come from?"

"The boy is lost, crying and fussing for his mother… and-" Takeda trailed off.

"Idiot! If a kid make such fuss, she won't be the only one who notice!" Shibuya was crowded, a crying child won't be ignored. But no one was looking at a lost kid led to cafe, heck no one was looking at Mori Madoka and the kid. "That's an illusionist in disguise!" Lancia exclaimed as he ran towards Dougenzaka, jumping over running car.

Madoka was about to order when she noticed the cafe was deserted, and a man in black suit and red tie was yelling. "Get away from that kid!"

The child's innocent face turned to an ugly scowl, and Madoka gasped when the child cursed in Italian. [Lancia of Vongola… damn it!]

Seconds later Dougenzaka burst in flame.

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

I sat down on the sofa on the corner of the temporary room Spanner used, it was a fairly spacious room with simple design and like any room in this 'base' of theirs had no window. It was still a shock to learn on second day that this facility was underground, ten levels of them.

"That went well." Was what Spanner concluded from the last meeting.

I snorted, "I am on probation and have to master this flame I didn't even know exist until few days ago in _four months_ and if I failed, Rokudo Mukuro would tamper with my memory." How was that considered 'well' in Spanner's book again?

He shrugged, flopping himself over the bed. "Nothing's burning, that's good… by _our_ standard." Right, Mafia… of course normal people's standard doesn't work for them. "Anyway considering your brain you'd go to Svariato division like Shouichi and I… Gene perhaps would go to Nebbia Division." He frowned. "I can't see Gene could fare well in that kind of job though."

' _That kind of job?'_ Gene was curious so I relayed it to Spanner.

Spanner sat up, "Oh yes… since you guys are in family I can explain more stuff about our division, nothing new for Svariato Division I suppose… but Mist Division is basically a group Mukuro led, and in simplest term they're in charge of hiding our family from unwanted attention, that's the simplest description for them I guess…"

That was pretty obvious considering the property of Mist flame. "What about other division? I could go to Hayato's considering my primary seems to be storm." It was the one with darkest hue among my three flames.

"...Noll, Tempesta is a division of frontline fighters." And he didn't see me fit in that division obviously.

I stopped at that, "Frontline, you guys are not in war, are you?"

"At the moment we don't, minor scuffle here and there yes, but not an all out turf war." Spanner assured me. "Maa, I don't really know politics. My place is in lab inventing things… though from what we _all_ could tell, while Hime and Boss are deeply respected doesn't mean no one hates them." From exasperated look on Spanner look, it was the classic two sides of the same coin when it comes to any leader figure. Well loved, and dearly hated in the same time. "Especially the traditionalist, because our generation under Boss and Hime turned our back on old ways of Cosa Nostra."

Cosa Nostra, the other name for mafia.

Spanner shrugged, "It's normal really… Vongola is _always_ a name both respected and hated."

I frowned at that, "They're not the only ruling bodies in mafia world, are they? The _Three_ Great Skies…"

"Where did you get that name?" Spanner wondered.

"From a vision."

The blond just stared, frowning. "Maa, I guess that's the next thing to explain…" He pulled a stack of paper from drawer beside the bed he sat on and began to to draw a triangle with circle on each edge. "You see, traditionally most bosses are sky flame users…"

For obvious reason, it was flame meant for leading.

"So the skies of three most prominent families in our world are called the Three Great Skies." The mechanic explained as he wrote names of each family on each circle, Giglio Nero on the top, Vongola on the right and Millefiore on the left. "From Giglio Nero famiglia is Yuni Sephira, this famiglia is the second oldest of the three and a prestigious lineage of seers. In term of power they're not so strong and in size they had nothing to say either but…" He said, tapping the symbol he drew, a five point cross with circle on each end.

"But their boss' bloodline is enough to make up for it." I finished, "Her power of precognition… a genuine line of seer."

Spanner nodded, "Being a genuine seer is enough to discourage most mafioso from disturbing them, and out of politic power struggle." The blond switched to family on the left next. "Millefiore… is the youngest family of the three, previously named Gesso family." This one had symbol of crossing flower. "Arguably the most technology advanced family…"

I frowned, "Even more than Vongola?"

"Yeah… you see, Millefiore get to where they're now on sheer technology development they got. Their focus is a futuristic invention, it's Byakuran's interest… aside from flower and marshmallow."

Ah, that white haired man who couldn't stop eating marshmallow. "Is he a psychic too?"

Spanner clamped his mouth shut.

"Let me guess, I don't have clearance to know yet?"

"You know Vongola's and Giglio Nero's psychic bloodline already, so knowing Byakuran-san's won't hurt… I am just unsure how to explain it in believable way." Spanner admitted.

I snorted, "Alright, is he a teleporter perhaps?"

"We have a machine for that."

They had a teleportation machine?!

"It's called FRT system, which is pretty useless if you ask me as even though it's awesome in the same time because the energy needed is insane so only select few of people or in large number could teleport." Spanner finished. "Guess again… it's an ESP."

So it was extrasensory ability like Mai's and Yuni's, not PK. "Some sort of empathy?"

"He would love to talk to plants but no, not even close"

"I don't like guessing game, Spanner."

"It's not my forte either, you will know later… It's something you have to see to believe it. So there's no point telling you." Spanner assured me, "But you get to be careful with him, you see… In the world of mafia, minimum sanity requirement is pretty flexible and Byakuran is not the sanest guy in our world."

"I guessed that much." Just from looking at Vongola famiglia, obviously they were open to insanity. "And Vongola?"

Spanner yawned, "Hm… Vongola Famiglia is basically the unofficial leader of mafia world, size, tradition, rules, or power… you name it. We're the top and unmatched." He said in drone like voice, in contrast against what he said about his own family. "More on power than anything for most part…"

"And so the three famiglias shares the duties in ruling mafia world." I concluded.

The mechanic nodded, "Yes…"

"And Vindice as law enforcement?"

"Ah." He paused at the name, "Well… Vindice has unique position in our world, they're neutral parties who works _with_ the The Three Great Skies to enforce our law. So Hime's and Boss' influence to Vindice is _technically_ nonexistent, so once you're thrown to their jail no one could help you."

"Technically." I didn't miss that word.

Spanner nodded, "Because the law is our law and with our skies' talent, they are the one who had to judge people who deserve to get thrown to jail. Though…. When it comes to confidentiality of our world, Vindice have full reign."

Which explained continuous warning we got on Madoka's snooping. "Let me guess, _if_ Mai didn't claim me I would be a fair game to them." I paused, "Gene and I both."

"Maa, if Hime didn't, Shouichi and Hayato would." Spanner said, in a tone he perhaps hoped was assuring. "Why did you think Hayato keep harping about your lack of publicity? He is worried you two would be abducted, you're famous but in the same time anonymous…"

In short Gene and I made ourselves a target. "It would help if you guys were less vague about it."

"Omerta, remember?"

Omerta, the vow of silence. _'This is a bit too late but… we told Lin to go back first to SPR office.'_ Or rather it was because Madoka called and Lin had to go to assure her we were alright. _'How could we explain to Lin that we have joined a mafia family?'_

I had to admit I didn't think that far. _'And Lin didn't know about Vongola yet… and considering his job is protecting us, should he know that we're in danger from mafia?'_

Did we have to tell him? I was not looking forward informing Lin that we're joining a criminal organization, even though Mai's family was not involved in heinous criminal activity.

"So how are you going to explain to your guardian?" Spanner asked, "We're _technically_ criminals so explaining to him that you're going to be part of our family is going to be… awkward." Spanner chose the word 'awkward' but obviously none of us agreed it was the correct word to describe the prospect.

I sighed, "Just checking but you guys really did nothing sort of smuggling illegal commodity, developing weapon or murder right?"

Spanner hummed, "We don't do illegal business… most of our business are legal, so we don't need protection money." Which was the traditional trade of mafia, "Our influence is worldwide anyway so we don't really have a turf, and as for developing weapon… yes we do, but more on self defense and nothing sort of weapon of mass destruction." He said in bored tone. "We already have that kind of weapon in form of Dying WIll Flame anyway…"

Alright, that was a stupid question. Considering display of power Tsunayoshi and Mai we saw in vision, it was not much a stretch of imagination. "Out of curiosity… how strong is Tsunayoshi-san if he go all out?"

"Hm… there's one time he blew up half of small mountain in southern island."

He was a walking disaster himself, no need for weapon.

"As for murder… hm, if you mean killing in cold blood. No we don't." There was steel in his voice as he said this. "But we'd be lying if I say there's no blood in our hands, you heard Mukuro… when pushed we make the whole _family_ of mafia disappear overnight, and we don't forgive lawbreakers such as one who harm innocent civilian easily…"

He was talking about Gene's abductor. "...That's understandable."

Spanner smiled weakly, "I hope you continue to think so… to accept the way of our world."

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Come in." Spanner called out to whoever interrupted our conversation with their knocking.

The door opened, revealing Mai who had solemn expression firmly in place. "Excuse me…"

I swallowed, unsure how to face her but I was determined to not let the revelation about her family changed how I looked at her. She was still Sawada Mai I hired as my assistant, and the girl I had acknowledged. "Mai?"

She glanced at me, before her eyes shifted to the side and then back to me. "Would you like to come with me somewhere?"

"Where?"

"My childhood home."

 **Back in Shibuya**

His life had turned even crazier than ever before, with no likelihood of ever going back to normal and quiet since his charge decide to hire Sawada Mai as his assistant. Lin Koujou had been foreseeing this since the girl started showing 'oddities' that screamed they had gotten themselves more than just a perky assistant and parapsychology student. Then he found out that apparently Noll had been friends -whether he admitted it or not- with family members of Sawada-san and he had a feeling they had passed the point of no return.

Noll had passed that point when the boy develop borderline tunnel vision when Sawada-san was concerned, throwing himself recklessly to danger for her sake again and again. The only comfort was Sawada-san was as indignant and horrified as he by Noll's recklessness. At least he was not alone in his predicament.

Then there's Fujiwara's warning, and the following revelation of Dying Will Flame.

" _Turn back when you still can, even if your charge pass the point of no return!"_

That was what his fellow onmyouji said but…

"Oi! Get out of here, we will handle this!" Said the man who introduced himself as Lancia hastily when he spotted Lin bargen into the cafe turned battleground.

"I am sorry but that's my coworker." And friend. "That man holds hostage." Lin said, pointing at Madoka who was tied by vines as thick as grown man's arm, unconscious.

Lancia scowled, "I am really sorry, Lin Koujo but I am not confident I can fight and protect you in the same time."

Lin frowned, "I don't need to be protected, I can fight."

"If you say so!" Lancia jabbed his ring finger to his box, revealing his steel serpent ball. "We're fighting against an illusionist here, so burn the image of this reality to your mind! Don't let the illusion got to you!"

An illusionist? Like Rokudo Mukuro?

The illusionist scoffed, "Classic strategy against Mist Flame user? That's not going to work with an illusionist of my caliber." The man hiding in child's skin said.

Lancia smirked, "Oh really? I will believe it when that child appearance is _real_ you're just masking yourself in illusion, nowhere near Mukuro's caliber…"

That touched a nerve as the illusionis' child face twisted to an ugly sneer. "I will surpass him! That failure is nothi-" He never finished his sentence as the storm flame coated steel ball crashed to the spot he occupied just a moment ago, denting and disintegrating the ground.

The storm flame user narrowed his eyes, "Failure huh...are you leftover of Estraneo's experiment or any famiglia that got a bright idea since their downfall?"

"Don't you dare to compare us to famiglia of failure like Estraneo! Unlike them, our path to greatness is not just a dream and soon! We will dethrone the Three Great Skies!"

They wanted to unseat the Three Great Skies?! What kind of madness they had in mind to achieve such thing?! "That's an insanity!"

The floor started to break apart to puzzle pieces, revealing a deep abyss underneath. Lancia scowled as he stepped away from the breaking ground and threw his weapon towards the illusionist, the steel ball phased through the smirking figure. It stopped smirking through, when Lancia threw the other end of his chain that had knife attached to it to other direction, the air shimmered and a thin trail of blood run down the length of the gleaming blade that struck the top of turned table.

"Close."

The illusion dispelled, revealing a man in standard mafia black suit, a top hat and volto mask with gold and black diamond pattern. "How did you know?" He asked, dodging Lancia's continuous strikes.

Lancia snorted, "What differ the highest class of illusionist like Mukuro and Mammon with the rest of you is attention to smallest detail… the shadow of your body double is off and your control on your own shadow is off when you thought I bite your bait."

"As expected of Lancia Serpente, the former strongest mafiosi in North Italy."

Lin who had been trying to get his shiki to sneak past the illusionist stopped, _'Mafiosi?!'_ This man was a mafia? Then…

"Oops, don't think I have forgotten about you!" He yelled throwing flaming blade towards empty air and struck Lin's shiki who was the closest to bound Madoka.

" **Screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!**

Lin lost control of the burning shiki, his eyes wide in shock as he saw his familiar writhed in agony as the indigo flame consumed it rapidly. "Xin!"

Lancia scowled, "Lin Koujou! Don't throw your spirit at a flame user! Spirit is vulnerable to our flame."

His shiki was annihilated, there was no trace whatsoever and he felt sick as the sensation of their severed bond hit him hard. "Ugh!"

"Alright." Lancia narrowed his eyes, "Playtime's over brat… say your pray and hope we have enough mercy to leave your limbs intact after this."

The illusionist laughed, throwing his head to the back with glee. "Ha ha ha, you think you can beat an illusionist of my caliber on your own as protecting that Onmyouji?!" Several knifes materialized in the air, hovering above his head. "He is down by one shiki, wonder what would happen if I kill all? How sick he would've gotten and can you fight with that baggage on your side?"

"Lin Koujo! Call back your Shiki now!"

Lin wished he could, but his shikis were in panic to be controlled and they couldn't escape from the barrier their attacker erected. "I can't…"

"This is wonderful! You're just a squad leader of Vongola but if I catch you I would be rewarded handsomely since you're one of few non-guardian bonded to the Great Sky of Vongola!" He crowed. "Your sky would come running for you!"

Lancia scowled, "What do you want with our sky, bastard?!"

"Eeh?" HIs masked face tilted to the side, and light hit the mask just right to make it appear like a sinister grin. "What a stupid question… as upper echelon of Vongola surely you know how valuable every inch of that body with accursed bloodline…" A tongue sneaked past the small gap of mouth on the volto mask's lip. "From their blood to every strand of their hair… he he he…"

Lancia burst in storm flame, the red wildfire licking maliciously. **"How dare you...scum! How dare you to look at our sky with that dirty desire!"**

"Aha ha ha… are you mad, Signor Lancia?" The masked man sneered, "Still as I said, you alone can't-"

" **Indeed, Lancia cannot, but I certainly can."** A voice interrupted him and curtain of mist fell upon them.

The masked mafioso stopped on his track, "But my barrier is perfect, how could he-"

Rokudo Mukuro materialized from the mist, and their surrounding was tearing apart like paper. He turned around and shocked to see the vines confining Mori Madoka had been replaced by lotus vines and it moved to Rokudo Mukuro's will. "Damn it!"

Mukuro smirked as his vines brought Mori Madoka to their side, straight to Lin Koujou's waiting arms. "Good afternoon, ghost mask… Rokudo Mukuro, Neo Primo's mist guardian have come for you. Be honored…"

The man was no longer smiling, at least from his body language he was not. He turned to run, his body dissolved to hundreds of moths.

"No, you shall not escape!"Mukuro slammed his shakujo to the ground, calling out storm of flame that prevented the moths from fleeing.

"Gah!" The man was rolling on the floor, trying to escape the fire burning him.

Lin clutched unconscious Madoka closer, swallowing heavily. _'He is toying with the other illusionist.'_

The masked illusionist was quite craftyy at escaping, and Lin had no idea melting to the wall was an escape plan but Mukuro was relentless in his pursuit, tearing fabric of reality as laughing maniacally.

Lancia groaned. "Mukuro! Knock him out now before-"

Mukuro cursed, Lancia's warning came a second too late. It was obvious the masked illusionist was no match to Mukuro, not just to their side but to their enemy too. Mukuro was too smart to let him flee with illusion, only Mammon had managed to escape with his life that way. The masked illusionist of course was nowhere near the Mist arcobaleno's level either, and with his hostage taken away his choices swindling to two, surrender or…

"Got you!" Mukuro froze the man from toe to his shoulder quickly, stopping the illusionist from reaching to whatever suicide device his famiglia put on his body.

"Mukuro! Gag him!" Lancia barked.

"Oh Shi-!"

The first warning, Mukuro could somehow catch up with it but the second one- His vine was one seconds too late from gagging the man who bit his tongue. The man looked up, choking on his own blood and died instantly.

"Merda!" Mukuro cursed again, and continued freezing the man just in case there was another suicide switch or something. "I could have caught this bastard alive!"

Lancia crossed his arms, "You should control yourself better than that, even after what the bastard said about our skies."

Mukuro glared at his 'former' brother, "Be quiet, Lancia."

It took Lin a while to deduce Lancia was referring to Mai and her twin. "What's going on here? Will Madoka be alright?"

Lancia didn't answer, "It's over… the battle at least."

Lin tried to stand up from his crouching position but his legs won't listen and his head was pounding. This was like last time… "Illusion poisoning…" Or what his charge aptly described as sensory overload because of long exposure to illusion.

The Italian winced, "That happens to the best of us, please don't try to move recklessly. We will call our medic first." Lancia fished out his phone. "And Mukuro…"

The illusionist had started putting illusion to cover up the damage on the shop. "What?"

"Never mind…" Sometimes Lancia keep forgetting Mukuro was no longer a convict, or the little boy his boss adopted but the guardian of Vongola. "By the way, did someone get Mori Madoka's companion secure yet?" He wondered out loud.

"Huh? That civilian boy with glasses?" Mukuro raised an eyebrow, "He is outside of my barrier and very confused for sure."

"What should we do? Nab him too?" Lancia groaned.

The mist guardian surveyed the damage he was gradually fixing, the unconscious Mori Madoka, the sick Chinese onmyouji and a confused civilian who didn't forget there should be a cafe around here instead of brick wall Mukuro put up. "That's it! I am not giving Fran to Varia, I am overworked enough as it is! Me and the rest of my division! And I take dibs on taking Eugene to my division, whatever Hime said!"

"You have Chrome." Lancia pointed out.

"And she is in charge of paperwork, while I do the field job! If we didn't share, we won't get anything done!" He grumbled. "Now that Oliver Davis is part of us, if he know what's good for him he should stay away from Tempesta Division."

Lancia was ticked, "Excuse me?"

Lin halted, his nausea aside he couldn't let one thing slide. "Pardon me, what do you mean with taking my _charges_ to whatever division? What did they _do_ when I left them on their own?!" And he just left this morning, it hadn't been more than a day even!

Mukuro growled, "Joy, this is why I hate getting civilian mixed up with our problem…"

* * *

 **Back in Namimori (Gene's POV)**

Namimori was a nice city, a quiet suburb that was not too small or too big, befitting of its name. Common looking housing that could be found everywhere in Japan, with quaint shopping district consisting of store houses, baseball field by riverside, and playground full of innocent kids enjoying their game.

"You switched with Naru again." Mai pointed out.

Noll sighed at the back of my mind, he didn't seem to mind the switching at least. It seems when my emotion got high, like now, exploring Mai's hometown made me pushing Noll from driver seat of his body. "Ha ha ha, let me be in charge for a moment." I pleaded. "Anyway this is a nice town… very peaceful."

Mai closed her eyes briefly, "Namimori is a city that belong to Vongola for a very long time… it seems peaceful, but that's just the surface."

"But the citizens seems to be so-"

"It's our influence…" Mai said in grim tone. "During a period when we fight for Vongola boss seat, we destroy a school, a good chunk of shopping district and roadways… not even one made it to media."

Something like that happened?! _'She is saying this town is completely under their mercy.'_

I swallowed heavily, "Why do you have to fight? You and Tsunayoshi-san are the only heirs Vongola have left, right?"

"Mori-san told you?" She said, keeping her eyes straight as we walked side by side on pedestrian road.

She didn't seem bothered by it so I pushed on. "Yes."

She sighed, "Then… you should know that we're the _last_ in line too for succession, the fifth and sixth." Mai said in a drawl. "Unlike Nonno's sons, we were civilians… mixed blood and no contact whatsoever with mafia society before Reborn took us under his wings. We have to prove our worth to take the throne…" She murmured softly. "That's why until the last moment, Xanxus' adoption is kept secret… so when we won against him we have the legitimate cause to succeed Vongola famiglia. That we're the strongest…"

"That's just cruel." I can't help but say. "I mean-"

She snorted, "Mafia is an industry of violence… and as the strongest Vongola can't afford to be soft to their heir…"

"...When did this battle happen?"

I thought she was not going to answer me, but then she did. "We were thirteen."

So young, that was no age to have a death match. "Is it normal to succeed a family when you're that young?"

Mai shook her head, "Because of our bloodline, we have a strict tradition when succession is concerned… Nonno, our grandfather are already too old and weak to lead Vongola."

What about their father? He was a Vongola too, right? _'He is in another organization, isn't he? Perhaps he can't leave his post… and even if he could. Mai and her brother could only avoid the throne for so long…" They would be the eleventh head not tenth._

"Here we are."

It was a two storey humble home, with cream colored wall and red roof. The front yard was bigger than most house around us but not by much, with two persimmon trees side by side in the corner. The plot was marked by grey brick fence, and the front door was a simple pale green fence. I looked up excitedly, a little shocked we had arrived in Mai's childhood home earlier than expected. It was surprisingly a modest house, then again for hiding a family connected to mafia it was understandable choice.

Mai rummaged her pocket, fishing out a silver key with butterfly keychain. Unlocking the door "I am home." She said quietly.

It was not dusty at all, the porch was surprisingly clean and when Mai opened the shoe shelves there was indoor slippers for us to wear that fit. "Foundation takes care of this house… and whenever I am in town they would prepare it so I can stay here."

No wonder the electricity was still running and the house didn't seem abandoned at all. "It's a nice home…"

"Would you believe me that certain idiot is still paying the installment?"

"Huh?"

"At least for the next ten years or so." Mai continued.

I fidgeted, " But Vongola… is rich."

"My father is very through in this kind of thing, so he has been dutifully paying this house in installment to afford it." Mai explained with a sigh. "We didn't exactly swimming in cash but he is a well-paid bum because we never short on money… and our house is still not paid in full yet." Mai finished as she led us to dining room that located next to a nice kitchen. "We have some green tea, is that alright?"

"Yeah, I would love some." That was definitely a strange financial situation they had there. "Why is this house still in installment?"

Mai shrugged, putting the kettle on the stove. "I don't know… that man did a lot of things for amusement, spending his money on house his children won't return to live in just one of it…"

Mai?

"Perhaps this house holds some sort of sentimental value to him… a last link to civilian life he ripped apart…" Mai finished as she took a seat across the dining chair I occupied.

I swallowed heavily. "Mai… are you angry at us for joining the Vongola?"

"Does my feelings matter when your life decision is concerned?" Mai asked back.

"Mai…"

"I don't like it, but it's not like I can change it." She said in somber voice. "Sooner or later you would know about this _our thing_ , and what can I say? I… didn't even have any say to my own…" She looked at her surrounding. "This place represent everything I have to give up as a civilian, I am just a Sawada in name... I am a Vongola by blood and it's my duty to live as one." The unvoiced question was clear.

Do I have the same resolve to give up my peace as civilian?

Image of young Mai looking at her trembling bandaged hand came to mind. "Do you want to return to your life as civilian?" I asked before I could stop myself.

Mai looked stunned by my question, her eyes narrowed as the kettle whistled loudly in the background. Followed by the sound of her phone ringing, her hand reached out to pick it up. "Hello, Mukuro… is everything okay over there?"

Mukuro-sensei? _'Did something happened?'_

* * *

 _ **Naru's POV**_

Mai ended the call and announced. "Mori-san was attacked." My blood ran cold at the news. "We manage to intercept the attack… and-"

"Is she alright?" I interrupted her, I didn't even notice Gene and I had switched again.

"She is fine, unconscious now but fine… she is just shocked."

"Did a mafioso do it?"

Mai nodded with grim expression, "Yes, it's confirmed the one who attempted the attack or rather abduction is a mist flame user."

"Where was Madoka when this happen?"

Mai took a deep breath, "She is on the way to SPR to meet Lin-san, right in cafe under Dougenzaka… Lured by a lost kid to drop her guard… Dougenzaka is in ruin now, and Lin-san was also caught up in the ensuing battle. He is fine, just some minor scratches…" Mai quickly assure us.

"They know where our office is located." That was a statement not a guess. "They have been watching, and they lured Madoka to Urado's case with my imposter…" If I went missing the police would be reluctant to look for me because a prominent figure of former prime minister would be involved, "They have been using her all along…" Indirectly and now attempting it directly.

Mai nodded, "Anyway for the time being we will wipe out the memory of this incident from Mori-san's mind, for her own sake."

"Why?"

She sighed, "The Mist flame user it good, at least a B rank flame user but… according to our doctor in Tokyo… he is not delicate in his use of illusion a all and the illusionist was attempting to tamper with her memory." They tried to do what to Madoka?! "Mori-san is better off forgetting everything, the mental strain would hurt her in the long run if she didn't." She took a deep breathe, "To be honest tampering with mind is something so delicate that only illusionist of Fran's caliber and above like Mukuro should attempt…"

"Why did they try to tamper with Madoka's memory?"

Mai smiled wanly, "My guess? They're trying to feed Mori-san's suspiciousness of my family, hoping to drive you away from our protection… so you would be easy picking."

' _Noll, this is no joke… I hate to admit this but out of Vongola's wings we're toast.'_ I had to agree with Gene, since when the world was such a dangerous place for us?

"Lin-san is already on the way back here, escorted by Tojo and Shima…"

"And Madoka?"

"In her hotel room, which guarded by Lancia…" Mai said, her tone firm and assuring. "And Foundation, Mukuro now is reversing whatever mental damage she got from the unknown mist user. Believe me, she is protected even heavier than politician with a squad of SP."

That was assuring, they didn't skimp on security at all. "And Lin is on the way here because?"

"You need to explain to him about your latest life-changing choice, Naru-chan." Mai said in no small amount of amusement in her voice.

She was a mafia princess alright, enjoying my pain at the prospect of explaining to Lin why Gene and I join a mafia famiglia. _'This was going to be suck!'_ Gene whined.

I agreed wholeheartedly with my twin, "How?"

"Just say I am joining the mafia, Lin. Do you mind?"

"Prat."

"What happen to Englishman's stiff upper lip?" She asked jokingly. "Maa, this is just the awkward part of being in mafia, Naru, Gene... you have seen nothing yet."

That sounded like a dark promise, and one neither I nor Gene understood back then. For us who had not seed the darkest side of the world.

 **Review Please!**


	45. Case 08, Prologue-01 revised

This is perhaps too late, but I recall Kokuyo's case have no file name… I didn't mention it.

Case 01: Evil Spirit All Over?!

Case 02: The Doll House

Case 03: The After School Hexer

Case 04: Forlorn Spirit Theme park (Kokuyo Case)

Case 05: Silent Christmas

Case 06: Forbidden Pastime

Case 07 : Bloodstained Labyrinth

Case 08: Sinister Stable

I am sure you can guess the newest case title meant… someone we all know WHO is the client.

* * *

Tokyo, Hara Residence

Masako was a resourceful medium, after all there was only so much she could do relying on her spiritual power. She had been taught by a strict teacher since her family discovered her power as medium. So of course when Fujiwara-kun refer to Mai-san as an arahitogami, she understood what he meant.

Arahitogami, a term referring to a human being that was also a god. In Japan, their emperor was perhaps the closest figure to one, but it was a belief of his divine ancestry rather than his own divinity. The concept of how a god could be also a human being escaped Masako, even if she was a Japanese, Christian version made more sense to her understanding.

She was always wondering what Mai-san is for a long time, an Esper? Good tea maker and assistant? A tomboy Ojou?

The latest term for Mai-san Fujiwara-kun dropped didn't make sense the slightest to her. Because Mai-san was definitely a human, right? There was no God like quality about her, at least not that Masako know of.

"Masako-sama." Tanaka, the butler of her household called. "You have a call from Fujiwara Hikaru-sama, asking about your well being." He reported, "Would you like to talk to him?"

The medium was startled, not expecting interruption to her line of thought. Less for a call from Fujiwara HIkaru of all people, and she didn't know what to think. She dared not to delude herself that Fujiwara cared about her the way she wished him to. She would admit she had a crush on Fujiwara, infatuated even. How could she not? He was a powerful spiritualist, respected, good looking and beneath that icy exterior was actually a very caring person who tried his best to use his power for other people. Someone she could relate to as a medium, a boy who could understand her.

Then he broke her heart when she messed up, and someone was killed because of her ignorance. She was young and naive, so she resolved to avoid the onmyouji like a plague. Even if their clients often overlapped she would make sure she won't see him ever again, and then she met another man.

The same pattern that repeated again with Shibuya Kazuya, or rather Oliver Davis. Was she so shallow to fall for someone who understood and acknowledge her?

"Masako-sama?" Tanaka-san was still holding the cordless phone.

The matter of her heart could wait she supposed, "The phone please." It could wait. "Moshi-moshi, Fujiwara-kun…"

"Hara-san… good evening, are you alright?"

Kazuya-san… or rather Naru won't call like this to ask about her wellbeing, should she feel flattered? "I am fine already, Fujiwara-kun. My head is clear and I no longer spacing out."

"That's good…" He heaved a sigh, he was truly relieved and Masako's heart skipped a beat. "By the way,I called Matsuzaki-san just now."

And just like that the small bud of happiness wilted, he called Matsuzaki-san before her?! "Oh, you're worried about her too, huh?"

"...Is it just me or your tone change suddenly, Hara-san?"

No, it was just your feeling. "So, what's the purpose of your call?" He was definitely not calling just to ask about her condition. "Fujiwara-kun?"

He took a deep breath. "Matsuzaki-san and the rest of SPR team believes you were in hospital for check-up because of shock after your abduction in our previous case." Masako stilled, that was not too off but not quite the truth. "Please play along with this scenario, and don't contradict them."

"Why?"

"Hara-san… the reason I told you a little about Sawada-san is because I want you to understand there are things you should overlook, even if it's against your belief you should fake ignorance…"

Sawada Mai is an Arahitogami, Hara-san.

"If I don't?"

He became quiet before answering, "This is not the case of ignorance is bliss, but salvation… there are things that should stay unknown. You're going to endanger yourself and everyone around you…"

Masako swallowed, "I… will do as you say." She didn't understand but she knew a warning when she heard it.

* * *

Namimori, Vongola's HQ

Lin wondered if it was too late to slam his head to nearest hard surface and give himself a concussion so he could pretend what happened for the last twenty four hours was just a bad dream. It was not often he felt this way, the last time was when professor Martin asked him to chaperone Noll in Japan and before that was when he met his student that not only Japanese descent but also an arrogant brat with too much power in hand.

Said arrogant brat and his twin now tell him that they just joined a mafia family, and it was Sawada-san's family. In one hand, it made sense everything suspicious about Sawada-san's family he had spotted so far. In the other hand, bloody hell, how could such a young girl lead a mafia family?!

"Not yakuza?"

Gokudera Hayato snorted, "Hell no, we're the biggest and strongest mafia famiglia in Italy!"

The newly introduced Spanner Doyle, the last one of genius trio of Vongola quickly added. "Our influence is worldwide though, so we own roughly half of Europe, Asia and Australia… and the Europe part include England." He stopped, "Right?"

"Right, Tomaso represents us there…" the silver haired boy confirmed.

His charge frowned at his friends, "You guys divide Europe?"

"We have branches all over the world…" Gokudera Hayato declared proudly, "But yeah, we have to share works with Millefiore and Giglio Nero… though Yuni-Hime's family didn't do much on ruling considering their small size. Millefiore have monopoly over US though, and some part of Africa…"

"I see… so Yakuza in Japan is under Vongola's ruling."

"Yeap." The green eyed teen nodded, "Crime syndicate in Asia has been long answering to Vongola, they of course have autonomous right though…"

Lin supposed this was a reality, "This is madness."

Noll then added, "Does it helps if I inform you that Fong Xiao Long is advisor of biggest triad group in China?"

What?!

"Fon-san?" Hayato frowned, "What he gotta do with this anyway?"

He had enough, "Oliver Davis! Eugene Davis!" He shouted, his strained nerve soothed when his charge jumped in shock. "I leave you on your own less than a day and you tell me you join a crime syndicate?!"

"Lin, don't be mad." This was Gene, they switched again? "Technically Vongola is a crime organization but… their businesses are all legal! Though according to Noll, only owning a private militia without permit is the only crime they could be faulted with."

Hayato cleared his throat, "We do own a permit actually...considering government since our sixth head are just our puppets, it's not hard to get it."

"There you go…"

"Though our vigilantism is illegal for sure."

Gene perked up at that, "So you guys act as champion of justice or something?"

"We're originally a vigilante group that got too big and become an army." Hayato explained, "Take notes in history of our famiglia." Gene promptly did so on Noll's notebook, ignoring his twin's nagging to write mafia notes elsewhere. "Nowadays we still send some small fry and some big ones we don't feel like to send to Vindice to fill their prison to authorities… some less sane member of ours took joy to wrap them up like early christmas present before dropping them off to nearest police station."

"Oh! That sounds like what a hero would do!"

Hayato deadpanned, "Gene, did you listen when I said vigilantism is illegal?"

"I heard, but does it matter?"

Spanner clapped, wide eyed in amazement. "He learns fast! How to think like a Vongola!"

"Gene switch with Noll!" Lin barked, "If you can't speak seriously with me, I'd rather speak to Noll!"

Gene fidgeted, "I am not sure how, other than it require whoever not in driver seat of this body to have intense spike of emotion…"

Lin raised an eyebrow, that was easy enough. "What do you think I should say to your parents of this decision." Gene tensed visibly. "And Sawada-san of all people drag you to this…"

In instance the twin who was the original owner of the body was back to the front. "Mai didn't make me do anything, and I am not dragged to this either! We're already involved the moment someone from mafia stole Gene's body…" Lin's eyes widened in shock, "And Urado's case that got my imposter in it? Madoka fell for that…" Naru hissed, "It's a bait to draw me out!"

"Are you implying that Madoka was…"

"It's very possible she was fed a suggestion to think that sending me to investigate my own imposter is a brilliant idea! It didn't help the case was a confidential one, and it involves important political figure. If I went missing in that mansion, they could just blame Urado and none would be wiser to look further because it would be a scandal for someone as important as former prime minister!"

So all this time… they had been involved with mafia before they knew it?!

"They even went after Madoka directly in Shibuya, they know where our office is located! Do you still think I can afford to remain ignorant? Vongola… Mai put me under her protection, but I refuse to stay weak and be on their debt. These enemies use Flame of Dying Will, what good is Qigong or PK against them?" Naru asked Lin with sardonic smile, "Mist flame could conceal a lot of thing, tampering with memories and manipulate people… that just one type of flame, there are six more…"

Lin fumbled, "Still… for you to join a mafia famiglia is just-"

"Is staying as civilian, be a good law abiding citizen would do me any good?" Naru interjected, "I have come to Japan and work under pseudonym, I don't see any point to pretend I am a model citizen."

The Chinese groaned, "And your parents?"

"Given the choice between their sons surviving threats to their life and being a good civilian, I'd like to believe my parents would choose us living and breathing."

Lin had to admit their parents loved them too much to abandon Oliver and Gene over this kind of thing. Not to mention…

"Beside Vongola is already BSPR's main patron by now." Naru pointed out, a development that didn't surprise him considering how many psychics Vongola had in their employment.

Last time he called his parents, Martin was ecstatic to meet Stella, the boy with unique clairvoyance ability and PK-ST. And another man who had unique PK-LT to fake his death. Vongola had sent ten psychics under their wings to be tested by BSPR with several conditions in regards' to their psychic's privacy. Martin didn't really care about publication and was over the moon.

Not to mention the generous funding, and new technology Vongola donated to BSPR's cause. Vongola was borderline buying BSPR. Naru was a little annoyed with how much Vongola had been holding back from parapsychology field, but the data they got make up for it.

Lin groaned to his palm, "Right…" Considering Professor Davis was a research nut like his son, Lin couldn't imagine the man would care if his research was funded by a criminal organization.

"About the funding…" Hayato trailed off, "Don't worry, the money is clean." He assured them, "Most of our wealth are clean anyway, that's why authorities can't catch us."

"Most?"

"The rest is our old money… you know from our pure mafia days? Some from our dealing with citrus fruit, weapons and… cuts from mafia famiglia under us." Hayato explained with a sigh, "Boss and Hime won't even touch them with ten foot pole, so we have been secretly donate them to charity rather than letting them to rot in our mansion."

Spanner chimed in, "Won't you get in trouble with Coyote again? Last week he is still looking for that antique vase from German."

"Don't worry, I bought similar vase from the same brand to replace it already…" Hayato harrumphed, his fingers fanning in dismissive gesture. "Grandfather will never know…"

"...Then, would you pass the money from next heirloom you sold to me? Aunty Luella is going to hold a charity event next month."

"I don't really care where it goes as long as it please our sky…"

Naru turned his attention back to Lin, "You heard them."

Lin was kneeling on the floor now, thoroughly exhausted. It felt like babysitting Kenji-kun all over again. "Do I have to join too now I know about your secret?" He knew he had been told he looked the part multiple times, but to actually joining the mafia…

Spanner waived his concern off like they were pesky flies. "Nah… as long as you didn't tell anyone it's fine."

Why they were so lax about it? Wait… He recalled about Rokudo Mukuro and how the teen was talking about memory tampering. 'No, they're not worried because if I threaten their secrecy they will just wipe my memory clean.' Lin realized.

Mafia was terrifying, not in a sense because they were criminal but what they could do with their flame. Xin's agonized scream echoed in his mind. Suddenly why Sawada Tsunayoshi was such a terrifying existence to spirits made so much sense. Dying Will flame didn't purify spirit, or forcing them to leave, it kills them. Sawada Tsunayoshi was brimming with them to the point he felt like a walking hearth, so of course to spirits he was like a walking personification of true death.

"Your shiki…" Lin was snapped out of his thought by Naru's voice. "Gene said, you're short one… Xin."

Lin sighed, standing up. "The illusionist who attacked Madoka murdered Xin with his flame… I have never heard a spirit scream in so much pain like that. This power you seek to control is very dangerous…"

"I am aware."

"Noll, from little that I know of Dying Will Flame it's a power you achieve after experiencing death at least once…" Lin told him in grave tone.

Naru glanced at Hayato. "That sounds about right…" The bomber teen admitted. "It's the same reason why some psychics awaken their power after life and death experience… some psychic power could be explained as lesser form of Dying WIll Flame, PK especially. PK-LT for example are under rain and sun… PK-MT under lightning, and PK-ST is storm or lightning…"

Spanner chimed in. "But you can't move things with your mind like Noll."

"Yeah, there's still a missing link between Dying WIll Flame and psychic power…" Hayato admitted. "Lin-san is right about the life and death, but… Noll and Gene already went through that." He pointed out. "The purity of your flame should be quite high considering your experience."

That was not what Lin wanted to hear. That was when the tired looking Sawada-san came in and Lin wondered if she could talk sense to his charges. "Sawada-san."

She inclined her head slightly, "Lin-san, welcome back to Vongola HQ… you have a rough day I heard. I am sure you're tired, you can rest in the room we lend you before. So perhaps you want to hold off talking about your willful charge over there for tomorrow?"

On one hand she just dismissed his unspoken request to talk to her, but in the other hand she showed concern for his strained mind none of genius teenagers in the room even bothered to notice. "I will rest… but tell me Sawada-san, is it necessary for Naru and Gene to learn Dying Will Flame?" He asked, "It's a dangerous power…"

"...I understand your concern but you can only fight flame with flame and they come to this family to fight their own battles." Mai explained to him in solemn tone. "I agree with their points but not with the rest of their idea." She stated firmly. "There is nothing else I can say, is there?"

Lin wondered why he bothered to argue with Noll, Gene and their friends. Here comes Sawada-san with few carefully chosen words and he was tongue tied. "Alright.."

Naru frowned. "Alright?"

'We argue with him for so long and one line from Mai, Lin just agree?!' Gene groaned.

"As long as I am allowed to be present in their lesson." Lin haggled.

Mai gave him a disbelieving look, "Uhm… on theory lesson yes, but for the practical, no you can't… how about your shiki?"

Lin almost forgot about his shiki, "I will keep them dormant in their vessel." He proposed. "The illusionist destroyed one of my shiki, is there no way to protect them from dying will flame?"

The princess frowned at that, "You should ask Fon-san about that…" She suggested, "When spirit is concerned only a handful of illusionist that also have medium ability and some spiritualist working for triad group in china knows…"

Naru frowned at her, "You guys could destroy spirit easily and yet you have so little knowledge about them?"

"It's exactly why…" Hayato interjected, "Spirit don't bother us… they can't, not if they care about their existence."

'Their mansion…' Gene murmured softly in his mind, 'There are tragedies… shrouded in rich life energy and yet, there's no spirit lingering there.' My twin swallowed audibly, 'It's abnormal, that place to me feels… alien.'

Naru narrowed his eyes, because of their long history as mafia famiglia surely there were spirits holding grudge against Vongola but if it was like Gene said…

* * *

Naru's POV

I couldn't sleep so I decided to take a walk to clear my mind. Also taking the chance exploring Vongola base on my own, though naturally as a new member and one on probation I couldn't walk around freely. The dull grey access card Hayato gave me could only open a handful of area in the base, but it would do. Gene was excited by our night walk, he was definitely enjoying our new status as rookie mafia member.

'This place looks like it's straight out of science fiction movie! Of course I am excited to take a look around!'

I suppose I could understand to an extend, this place was really tickling curiosity in me. I found the map panel Hayato showed me would help us navigating the base with tapping the access card on the censor. I did so and the layer blinked on to show me a complicated map. Most of the map was blanked out, which shows the area I was not allowed to enter yet.

'They have a garden Noll! A garden underground!'

I couldn't help but smiled at Gene's enthusiasm, then again unlike me Gene loved nature. I decided to indulge my twin and headed to the garden he wanted to see, it was not too far from our current location. Or so I thought, this base was huge, the map made a garden located a few rooms over seemed close. It took me fifteen minutes walk to reach the metal door with 'Garden' in kanji, english and Italian on the LED signboard above it.

I tapped my access card and greeted by large garden and crop field that at least forty by forty feet in size, They must had an artificial sun installed here to be able to grow crops and flowers. For a mafia famiglia, shady was definitely not the norm for Vongola. The garden was arranged neatly with a fountain in the middle, there was a statue in the middle of the fountain, a winged clam with shotguns that shoot water instead of bullet. It looked ridiculous and somewhat artistic because whoever made it was a good artist, considering the feather of each wings neatly sculpted so realistically, along with intricate contour of the gun.

'Hey, Noll… it's a bit late to ask this, but why clam? I mean… Vongola is a mafia empire, why they name themselves clam?'

I was curious of that myself. "Why clam?"

"It's not like we name ourselves." Someone answered me, and I almost jumped in shock if not for the familiar voice.

There she was, sitting on a bench on the corner. "Mai?" She was not alone though, her twin brother, Tsunayoshi was sleeping soundly with his head resting on her lap. Looking closer both of them still in their formal wear, uncaring they would get it wrinkled. "What are you doing here?"

"This is my garden…" She said almost petulantly.

I sighed, "That's not what I meant."

She rolled her eyes, "Brother is feeling under the weather so he is resting as you can see, I in the other hand is just doing some night-exercise."

"Exercise?" While giving your brother a lap-pillow?

Gene snickered, 'Jealous, Noll?'

'Shut up.'

Mai inhaled softly, one hand over her brother's closed eyes and another set in pointing position. A tongue of orange flame lit up on the tip of her index finger, and much to my disbelief she started drawing in the air with her flame. An intricate monarch butterfly the size of an adult's head, the trail of flame was so smooth it looked like light calligraphy. Her hand didn't waver at all as stroke by stroke of flame formed the beautiful art, and after she finished Mai blowed the flame butterfly gently. It flew forward slowly, flapping a couple of time before disappearing.

Next she clenched her fist and an orb of flame formed, spinning lazily above her palm before blooming like a flower, the flame sucked in back to her palm as if rewinded back to a bud, then it bloomed again and repeating again and again.

"You practiced this every night?" I asked in low voice, as to not wake the sleeping twin.

She nodded, "When I have privacy at night… so I skipped this when we're on cases." Then she added, "No need to keep your voice, Onii-chan and I sleep like death. Noise never bother us, as long as there's no danger we will keep sleeping."

She sounded almost proud but I got where she came from, with family like theirs being a light sleeper meant getting little to no sleep. But she exercise this every night? Like mine and Gene's breathing exercise and meditation for Qi-gong I suppose. 'Uhm Noll, were they being serious when they say they expect we can master this Dying Will Flame by August?!'

Gene was freaking out, and I couldn't blame him. "How long do you need until you can start this complicated exercise of… Dying Will Flame?"

"When?" Mai echoed with a raised eyebrow, "We manifested it when we were ten… as for mastery…" She frowned, "To this level, I need around a year.."

"And you're expecting me to do the same in four months… not to mention I have three type of flames and Gene had two."

She blinked at me in confusion. "I think you misunderstood something." She pointed out. "The requirement only mastering your flame adequate enough to defend yourself, no one ask you to be a true master…" Mai explained with a sigh, earning a frown from me. "And you can't use me or my brother as measuring stick, we're sky flame user… not to mention we're a little special."

A little? 'Do you think Mai underrating herself?'

"Special how?"

She huffed, "For one, our teacher is the greatest hitman in the world… and one of the best if not the best tutor in teaching Dying Will flame."

Did I hear her right? 'It makes sense why the guy is so spartan and his first reaction to slightest mistake they make is shoot them.'

"Why a hitman for tutor?"

Mai smiled wanly, "A simple message, you'd either be a competent leader by the end of your training for our family or you're dead." Mai stated bluntly without hesitation.

My eyes widened at that, "That's just…"

"We passed the test with flying color obviously." Mai added proudly, her hands were busy playing with her brother's hair and drawing complicated pattern with flame in the air. "The other factor is genetic… and last is simply natural talent."

She didn't sound like she was boasting, more like understating a fact. "Natural talent you say…"

Mai nodded, "The last is especially true… and a very unfair deciding factor I'd say, but that's how it works. Most of my guardians are natural at controlling flame, Takeshi and Kyou-san are the prime example..."

"And Hayato? He has multiple flame like us."

She smiled in amusement, "Hayato proves that even if it's in your blood, natural talent worth more when Dying Will Flame is concerned." Her hands stopped moving, giving me her full attention. "He is skillful but not what you would call someone with natural talent, he has to work twice as hard as Kyou-san and even then my cloud will leap farther than Hayato could easily…" Mai said, chuckling softly.

"How about Mukuro?"

"On top of natural talent, he has went through body modification…" That stopped both Gene and I on our track. "Or death modification, the procedure is pretty sketchy and you will only get gory detail from Mukuro…" As in how he died repeatedly, his insides rupturing with intense heat and subsequent rebirth. Which was why Mai filed it as 'useless' and gory' details.

Experiment… the most likely fate waiting for us if those guys catch us. 'I am almost afraid imagining what become of my body by now, maybe I have extra limb or something.'

Psh... the sound of the automatic door opened in the background, and we didn't notice the newcomer.

I shook my head, ignoring Gene's nonsensical rant. "How about you?"

"What the heck, it's past midnight and you're pestering Hime?" Came Hayato's annoyed voice, cutting in. "I found your bed empty and come looking for you…" He glanced at Mai. "Is he bothering you, Hime?"

Mai chuckled softly, "No...we're just talking." She leaned back, relaxing. "Anyway, you should go back to rest… both of you… we're going back to Tokyo tomorrow."

I frowned at her, "If you sleep here, you will catch a cold."

"And Over A-class flame user can't catch a cold." Hayato said loudly, "Our body temperature is considerably higher than normal human… cold won't bother us."

Interesting… 'You can pester Hayato for research about it later, in Tokyo… I am sleepy already!'

'Why am I sharing my mindscape with you again?'

'We're born this way, remember?'

'Right…'

* * *

Prologue, Case 08 (Sinister Stable)

It had been a month since their last case, and in spite of their change of status from civilian to mafioso in training, Naru didn't feel the world was turned upside down. Gene was training his flame via-dream, and It was an enlightening experience to Naru and Gene, especially since Dying Will Flame was explained by Hayato with scientific approach, diagram, variables, measured experiments. It was a true science.

Or rather, it was part of parapsychology that could become a 'true' science. It was a revolutionary knowledge, but too bad it was kept as secret. However from what he had learned this month, even Naru had to admit the world was not ready for this power.

"And so, according to this experiment Mist, Rain and Cloud are considered as 'cold' flame… and the farthest from natural flame with more flexibility but stability in comparison of warmer flame among seven flame of the sky." Hayato went on and on.

Clearing his throat, Hayato continued to the next topic. "A lot of people mistook that Fiamma Volt (FV) is logarithmic unit of measurement for temperature of the flame, and the thermal energy it released. This is completely untrue… because only Sky Flame have closest heat properties like natural flame. The amount of energy released by a particular flame is how we measure them, and mist is of course have the lowest energy output with sky as the highest…"

Naru narrowed his eyes, "Something to do with density of the flame?"

"No, before it's assumed to be that way but according to our recent discovery… purity plays a large role in how much energy flame could release." Hayato explained, "Purity of the flame is determined by power of will, which is the fuel of Dying Will Flame… That's why the higher the purity, the color would be darker and the light would be brighter."

'How about intent then?' Gene asked curiously, 'I mean… does it affecting the purity?'

Hayato crossed his arms, frowning deeply. "Well… if you mean bad or good, no… however the strength of your intent and desire works in tandem with Dying Will Flame."

"...I see…" Naru murmured. "Is there any manual book, research thesis or anything?" He asked. "I think by now I have sufficient knowledge enough to do some self-study."

The silver haired bomber looked pained, "Well… I can pass you some of my research thesis, and Shouichi's… Spanner have some notes on weapon that help channeling flame." He listed on. "But that's it…"

It didn't take long for Naru to process what Hayato just implied with how meager information in dying will flame they had, for the supposedly the most influential famiglia. "Hayato… the knowledge of dying will flame all this time was passed on without written record whatsoever?!"

"It's symbol of our power… one of our greatest secret so is it any wonder we're not keen to leave any historical record behind?" Hayato admitted, "And before our generation, those who delve too deep in researching this power always fall to power lust, leading them to their demise. Even now… our research never go further than 'what' Dying Will Flame is… learning deeper about it to exploit this power is just…" He closed his eyes, "Too dangerous, that untapped territory is not somewhere we dared to tread."

"That's absurd… knowledge is knowledge… you guys are hindering yourself because of unfounded fear."

The bomber teen chuckled softly, "I know a parapsychology researcher like you would say that… Shouichi and I often wonder what would you say to our seemingly cowardly approach when Dying Will Flame is concerned." He took a deep breathe. "However, our fear was not unfounded as you say… it's an obvious conclusion, just because no one had tried to jump over the fence didn't mean we didn't see the deadpit behind it."

"A deadpit." Naru echoed. "How did you see that?"

Hayato cleared his throat, "Which lead to the next topic… Dying will flames are physical manifestations of the our life force, but not just our own but also the world. We are children of the earth… that's why human return to earth when they died."

That sounded oddly religious, so there was belief in mafia world.

"As I mentioned before… requirement to use Dying Will Flame is the will, you have to tell yourself that you're willing to die for a cause."

"That power of will alone was obviously unimaginably considerable" Naru admitted. "However, surely there are many human who have that will and yet they didn't manifest the flame."

Hayato nodded, "Second requirement is the ring." He raised his fingers where four skull rings and one beautiful ring with red gem stone rest. "This is the most traditional device used to summon flame, consisting of special metal as conductor and the stone to channel the energy output safely." He

Naru looked at his own ring, the five stones shone differently than gem, the glow was eerie.

"Take cares of yours carefully, these are usually heirloom in most famiglia."

Gene gulped, 'I know Mai give this to us for free, but I shudder to imagine the price'

"It looks modern… the design, nothing like yours." Naru pointed out, the one with biggest stone in Hayato's finger looked fit to be family heirloom.

Hayato blinked at that, "Mine is a family heirloom, yours is custom made recently… Pretty sure that Hime yanked the stones from some heirloom in family's vault."

She did what?!

"Only if requirements are completed you can summon the flame." Hayato finished, "Callous use of Dying Will Flame is not just fatal to your body but also to your soul…"

It didn't take a genius to compute what he implied, 'A true death to body and soul… you will cease to exist.'

Hayato sighed, "Look at the time…" Hayato checked his watch, before sauntered to TV in training room. "I missed Cavallone's Choice Game against Beccio famiglia. Most of it I suppose..."

That was the first time he heard the term, no… he and Gene heard it before. "Choice."

"As replacement of turf war, and other form of all out fight… every conflict have to be solved through this game." Hayato explained with a sigh as he turned the TV on. "Maa, we call it a game but it's more like battle in controlled environment in more ways than one."

Naru frowned at him, "You didn't seem like you're pleased about it."

On TV was something he thought he'd see in military survival course, thick forest, muddy clearing, and traps everywhere. Freshly triggered if the litter of arrows, nets, and other sharp objects was anything to go by.

"It's a system proposed by our bosses to suppress the death toll from conflict in our world." Hayato murmured softly. "It stops unnecessary bloodshed but not conflict, now every minor scuffle end up to a round of Choice, including wounded ego of some more foolish people of ours…" He gestured towards young man with slanted eyes dressed in black suit, running towards a swamp. "Maa, better than a war..."

That was a genius idea actually in Naru's opinion, but it had the downside encouraging menial conflict to crop up. "What's that table on the left bottom corner?" It had symbol of flame and number.

"It's indicating the number of participants allowed in the game… this is a small game, Beccio got one sky, two storm, and one rain while Cavallone got one sky, one lightning, one storm and one cloud…" Hayato listed on. "The game is 'Double Invasion' type…" He read the description on top of the table. "Which mean each side had to take over their opponent's base before the time limit…"

Naru frowned. "There are types of matches even though they're all part of one game?"

"Yeah, if it's all straight fight battle it won't be fair, don't you think?" Especially to brainy famiglia like Bovino, which consist of scientist who resorted to grenade and other explosive because they didn't know how to fight properly. "This game as we called it, Choice mean simply there are a lot of choices, type of game with different set of rules, condition to win and requirements. However it boiled down to another set of rules…"

Naru kept his eyes on the screen, where the rain user of Beccio tried to halt his opponent from entering their base, slowing his down with rain flame. While the lightning user grabbed a rock to be enhanced by his lightning flame and threw it to their enemies' base. It was mind-boggling to see a normal looking rock crashed through metal vehicle that was Beccio's base.

"I will write it down later, but first… all conflicts have to be resolved through diplomacy, and if an agreement can't be reached then the parties may choose to solve it through Game of Choice." Hayato began in solemn voice, "Second, all parties involved in Choice have to join the game voluntarily without outside influence in any form, with sound mind."

Which meant they were preventing using force to start Choice, Naru concluded.

"Third, each side have to agree whatever they put at stakes in the game have to be equal in values." Hayato listed on, watching Cavallone famiglia burst through Beccio's defense. "Fourth, no laws of our world would be violated in this game, if it's found the game would be nullified immediately." Which close possibility of anyone using the game to break the law. "Fifth, the proceeding of the game should be overseen by Cervello."

"Cervello is… a term for referee?" Strange naming, what organization named after brain.

"Close enough, they're basically an organization consisting of judges working for Three Great Famiglia." Hayato corrected him, "They are all specialize in 'judging fairly' no matter what the circumstances…" He finished. "And so, their presence is essential for an official Choice game."

Five rules, first and second revolves on the manner how the game became a 'choice' to conflicting members of mafia world. Third, on the price of the game. Fourth, making sure this game was not exploited to break their law. And last, ensuring the game to be mediated by fair and neutral parties.

"There are two more rules." So seven in total. "Sixth, getting caught cheating is grounds for instant loses…"

Naru narrowed his eyes, "Which says cheating is allowed as long as no one catch you."

Hayato smirked, "You caught on quickly, and yes… of course. We're mafia, it's just normal to fight dirty."

"And the last rule?" The seventh rule of Choice Game?

"Simple, Any bets made in accordance with the rules of Choice Game must be upheld…" Hayato finished, "A pledge in equal weight with Omerta." In short, anyone who dared to resort to this game had to be prepared to hold their end of the deal no matter what or treated as traitors.

On the forgotten screen, Cavallone's skiy had won the game for his famiglia.

Naru frowned, he missed the last of the match but the man on white horse won. Where did he got that horse from anyway? And was riding a horse illegal? "Hm…" His throat felt dry, "Mai, te-" He stopped himself but it was too late, Hayato caught him and looked at him as if he had grown second head.

Hayato turned around and fetched the pitcher of water on nearest coffee table and a cup. "Help yourself."

Naru covered his face with his hand, feeling humiliated by the raise in temperature of his skin. 'Noll, it's alright. It happens to the best of us.' Gene tried to comfort him. 'I miss Mai too, more than her tea. She has been gone for almost a month after all.'

* * *

Flashback

Few days after their return to Tokyo, Mai came in to SPR's office only to drop a metaphorical bomb announcement. "I will be leaving for Italy for a few weeks perhaps more, family business."

Naru was calm when he heard this, "When?"

"Tonight, I am going with my brother… I will leave Hayato with you to continue your lesson."

Which mean they were going to use their private jet not commercial airlines like most people would do, Naru concluded. "Why the rush? Is there a problem in Italy?"

"I won't call it a problem, more like duty calls… it's just the usual our predecessors disagree with our decision and we're called to explain ourselves."

He frowned at her, "That's called problem, Mai."

She shrugged, "Perhaps, but the truth is… while they're our advisors. Vongola famiglia is a dictatorship, they could advise us with their aged wisdom all they want but in the end it's still our choice to listen to them or not."

"...What happen to respecting elderly and manner?"

"I respect them enough, I don't see why we have to follow their outdated wisdom to show it." Mai said in deadpan tone, "I'd think bothering with explaining myself every single time they think we did something that stain the family name attached to us…" Mai snorted about 'good' name. "Is a sign of respect."

"I don't understand why you need weeks to do so."

"There's still a matter I have to settle with Vindice."

At the name, Naru tensed. He and Gene couldn't help it because the name felt like a personification of nightmare. "About the glass orb found in Urado's mansion?"

Mai nodded, "One of many subject we would brought up with them… but we do have annual meeting scheduled with them." Mai said with resigned expression, "Anyway, I also would like to inform you that we're going to purchase the whole building… and install a full surveillance and security system." Mai listed on, "As soon as we finish fixing the damage caused by last attack."

Naru frowned at her, "Purchasing the whole building?" Was it just him or Mai was throwing money like water lately?

"They have found your office, normally I d told you to move out but there's no point, SPR is a business… an open one. Anyway it seems we have to close before we sorted everything out." Mai sighed, "This building would be Vongola's HQ branch to the main one in Namimori… Of course SPR office is still yours. I hope you don't mind if we're building a couple of additions."

Additions? The plural unsettled Naru but considering what at stake he didn't found it in him to disagree. "Alright, have a safe journey Mai."

Naru quickly regretting his 'alright' because obviously he didn't know Vongola when he found by the next day Hayato was holding rolled blueprints, safety helmet on his head and walkie-talkie in another. Several construction workers were already walking around the premise of the building, measuring, discussing and bringing in equipment. Apparently 'additions' Mai was talking about was adding five more storey below SPR building, with new facilities including training room, security system and basements…

Naru had to wonder if Vongola current generation had something against building above ground or if they just had preference for underground base.

Lin looked like he was developing gastric problem when he found out what was going on. Naru was sure Lin was seriously considering an early retirement by then.

End of Flashback

* * *

Naru sighed at the memory as he sank to the comfy sofa of his SPR office, the lounge was somewhat comforting to him. Perhaps because the lack of visits, most of his ragtag team chose to not bother him since they found out Mai was overseas. They had learned it by now that Mai-less Naru was even more insufferable Naru. Or so they claimed.

Another round of restless days without Mai, and now Naru understood it was because 'attachment' to the sky or whatever connection he and the rest of guardians of Vongola shared with Mai. Naru couldn't help but feel a little vindictive with his misery Mai unknowingly caused. Not to Mai, but to whatever entities above that thought he deserved this suffering.

Gene who was feeling the same didn't help, because the sensation doubled from what he remembered he felt back in Silent Christmas case. Gene refused to be blamed, and pointed out it was because now he knew what he felt for Mai, and his feeling was deeper now.

Hayato helped a little, with showing amazing restraint and pretend to look elsewhere whenever Naru and Gene -they still couldn't get a hang of the random switch- made a fool of themselves. Not that it helped their dignity. It seemed among the guardians, Hayato of all people surprisingly chose to pretend he didn't see anything.

Like just now… Gene said that was because like him, Hayato had his own set of emotion he'd like to pretend never exist.

He really needed a distraction from Mai's absence, training his Dying Will Flame was not it. He needed a case, even if that meant putting practical training to a halt, before he drove himself mad with longing. Even a simple poltergeist case would do, he was willing to compromise.

Clack

"Good afternoon!" Someone said cheerfully by their door, "Would you accept my case?"

* * *

Gene's POV

Noll's embarrassment from getting caught missing Mai's tea surprisingly was enough to prompt our switch, and he was content to sit back as wishing for a case to come our way. So here I was, for once in driver seat of his body and welcoming our client. 'Noll, won't this client get suspicious if we accept the case and you act so differently from me?'

'Which mean, it's a good time to practice your acting skill.' Noll retorted, he was definitely not up to feel emotional again to switch position today. 'Mukuro told you that you have a potential to be an illusionist but your inexperience in deception is hindering you. So why don't you start with an easy one, impersonating your own twin."

That was just mean! Sorry, if I hate deceiving people unlike someone!

"So my case?" The potential client sitting across the sofa I occupied prompted.

It took all my self control to not stutter and keep my voice even and cool like Noll. "And you are?"

Now they had my full attention I realized the guy who spoke was young, in his early twenties or mid twenties at most. He was also a foreigner with blond hair like our resident Australian priest, but his eyes were brown. He was tall, and dressing stylishly with a green-and-black jacket over a dark red shirt, completed with vintage jeans.

"My name is Dino Cavallone." Where did I heard that name again? "And the man behind me is my right hand man, Romario." He introduced the dark haired man behind him, wearing standard black suit.

Suddenly it clicked where did I or rather we heard the name Cavallone. "Right hand man… you mean."

Dino beamed at me, "I am the tenth Boss of Cavallone famiglia, we're the third most powerful famiglia allied to Vongola."

We had a mafia boss coming in as client, I was not sure what to feel about that. We had hired a mafia princess and had a high ranked mafia -Hibari Kyouya- as client before so this was nothing surprising, supposedly…

Hayato came in just in time to find laughing Dino-san and freezing me sitting across each other. "Gah! Bucking horse! What the heck are you doing here?! You just finished a Choice game, didn't you?!"

"Yo! Gokudera-kun!" He saluted to our friend. "The game was yesterday~ I have a business in Japan so I asked Beccio to push our game a day early, so it's not live broadcast like usual… but bothering changing the schedule of broadcast is troublesome so…"

He groaned, "What the heck you guys were doing when the Three Great Skies are busy with Vindice in Romania?"

"Ah, it's alright…" Dino-san laughed nonchalantly, "The closest direct famiglie under the Three Great Famiglie is keeping everyone in line, no one is going to get too rowdy in their absence. Beside…" He trailed off. "Vongola have a very scaaaary 'Sun' in your Svariato Division, right? If they dare to cross Cavallone and make trouble I am sure they won't dare with Irie Shouichi watching all the time…"

Shouichi? How Shouichi could be scary? I meant… Shouichi who got stomachache over every little pressure while undoubtedly an influential figure as the leader Division in Vongola, he couldn't be someone those mafiosi feared, right?

"I suppose…" Hayato shrugged, "So, do you need something from SPR?"

"I have a case." He beamed. "So will you accept it? Of course, this is civilian matter so it's not on behalf of Vongola or Cavallone!"

Thank goodness! I was almost afraid rejecting his case would get us in trouble! "We would like to hear what your case is about before we accept it." I explained to him. "But of course first for administration purpose, could we get your name, age and occu-" We couldn't put 'mafia boss' on the request form, could we?

'That would seems shady, I'd admit.' Noll give me his input.

"Okay, Dino Cavallone, twenty four years old…, I am the owner of Cavallone Equestrian Company which based in Italy… we mainly breed horse but we also breed other finest breed of livestock." He listed on without batting an eye.

Of course our worry was for naught, these mafiosi had their civilian cover down perfectly.

"By the way I am also a student of Reborn, so Tsuna, Mai and I are surrogate siblings!" He announced cheerfully. "So thank you for taking care of my siblings!"

He was Reborn's student too? So he had went through… 'Don't pity our client, he hasn't told us his case yet.'

"I see… then what you can tell us about your case?" I almost forgot asking about the case.

He cleared his throat, "Hm… few years ago I bought a number of declining farms from remote village in Kyushu to start a stud farm for finest Japanese horse breed and also to restore some extinct breed. It's a cooperation with animal husbandry universities in Japan for this project you see…" Dino-san began in solemn voice. "I chose that place because while it's quite far from cities, there's no problem with access for cars and other type of transportation. They also have enough land, a lot of human resource and in overall a nice place to keep our horses happy…"

I could tell from his troubled expression obviously it didn't go as well as he hoped.

"And oh boooy… I can't be more wrong." He said with a groan. "For the first year nothing happen, the restoration of farm's facilities like stables, barn, grassing field went on without problem… but on second year some of our workers start to encounter supernatural disturbance."

"What kind of disturbance?" I asked, prompting him to continue.

He exhaled slowly, "Simple stuff like things getting misplaced, and turned up at unexpected place. Objects like brush, saddle, reins and other equipment to groom our horses...it's troublesome but nothing too alarming." Dino-san sighed. "Though some sharp objects near our horses could spell disaster for both our staffs and the horse we take care of… they're delicate and strong animals after all."

Noll and I had some experience with horse riding and the caretaker always warned us to not bring anything that could scare their horse. Which meant the usual mischief of missing items could be disastrous in this site.

"There's also strange noises my employees heard from time to time, rotten smell they didn't know where it come from… They didn't give me the details though." Dino-san sounded displeased by that, "That was by the mid of second year, and I was too busy to give attention to this problem. No one got hurt yet, and the supernatural disturbance is just like an annoying prank than a serious problem…"

That was when I realized this guy was not easily scared by the disturbance, which was understandable considering who he was. "The supernatural disturbance then started to escalate?"

He nodded, "Yes, I think it's around September last year it went up from prank to trouble." Dino-san said as crossing his arms on his chest. "A female handler… Teana is one of my best who just transferred from my branch in Australia met this trouble, she was working that morning alone and suddenly she met a stranger who has no business to be in that barn… she tried to warn the guy to get out from our private property but then he was gone after he entered our feed storage room."

That was not problem enough, she just saw a ghost that ignored her.

"It was a closed room with windows too small for the big guy she saw to escape with, and then suddenly the horses started to get frantic and all doors in that barn were closed violently. She got locked inside with our horses throwing tantrum in panic for a while until someone noticed and got her out with breaking the front door."

That must be a terrifying experience for the female caretaker. "Why did you believe this is not a prank but caused by supernatural being?" I asked.

"It's not like you're short on enemies." Hayato added.

Way to be blunt, Hayato.

Dino-san scoffed, "I am no Shouichi of yours but I do check people who work for me and make sure there's no hole in my securities. All humans in that villages are normal human, I don't think rival famiglie would bother risking to disturb an establishment I build in Vongola territory… a legal business with civilian no less." He took a deep breath, "And also… those old stable doors are heavy and we don't get the time to replace them yet. It's tough to fully close it, and non-corporeal entities slam it close? Not to mention after that incident the men who help Teana had a hard time opening them again."

If this was poltergeist, like in the case of Morishita house, it had considerable power.

"Teana didn't dare to go to the barn alone since then, and some of horses who got stuck along with her back then got sick because of stress." Dino-san said in somber tone. "It escalate from there, all animals in our care got restless in certain part of my farm… more door slamming and missing equipment…" He listed on. "By the third year we start to find our animals missing, and found them slaughtered cruelly. Including some rare breeds entrusted to us."

That must be a considerable damage to his business.

"I am already resigned to get down there to deal with the problem personally." I had a feeling he meant he was going to exorcise the spirits with his flame. "Because Cavallone's reputation took a serious hit… I though it can't get worse but then, it did."

Noll and I frowned at him. "It got worse?"

Dino-san nodded, "Next, the victims are humans…" His right hand-man passed him a file, which in turn he passed to me. "This is why I decided to hire SPR."

I accepted the thin file and opened it, from first glance it was obviously an autopsy documentation. It was horrifying even to me who was no stranger to unnatural deaths. The victims were of various ages and gender, whatever entities responsible obviously had no specific preference. Some of them were dismembered, some left mostly intact but they were all shared the same thing.

'Their guts are eaten…'

One of the victim was a kid, a ten years old boy.

"It's calming down now that I ordered a squad of Cavallone's best to guard the village but…" Dino trailed off. "Maybe this sounds harsh but I don't want to endanger my family members, Ivan, one of my closest subordinates was injured when the monster tried to get in the house of the village chief."

Hayato narrowed his eyes at Dino-san. "The villagers got on your nerves for some reason or what?"

He shrugged, "I'd admit I am not fond of them but I won't let them die without trying to help… As for why... let's say it's my hunch as a boss, that they're hiding something from me… and I hate their suck up attitude even more." Dino-san said bluntly, he inhaled deeply. "Let me warn you first. This case involves a village full of civilians and more than half work for me now… and the village chief know more than me about the case and I suspect they're hiding something from us outsiders…"

So uncooperative clients plus dangerous entities, this was like Yuasa and Ryokuryou all over again. The case was interesting though and not to mention a lot of people needed help.

"Considering the scale of this case we needed assistance, and possibility of villager refusing to cooperate with us… would you be willing to assist us?" Dino-san at least had some degrees of authority considering how much he invested for this village.

He nodded. "You're part of Vongola famiglia, so of course."

"We would like to do preliminary investigation first to decide whether the cause if supernatural or not." I added. "It's possible there's a scientific explanation to this case after all."

The blond nodded again, "Sure, I am not so naive to think the possibility of sabotage by our enemies is nonexistent."

'So, all clear?'

'Alright.'

I took a deep breath and announced. "We will take your case, Mister Cavallone."

He beamed, "Call me, Dino! And it's my pleasure to work with SPR."

* * *

Case 08, Part 01

(Naru's POV)

I called our full team this time and quickly briefed them on our next case, and a couple of issues. Such as the remote location, the danger and…

"Ugh." Bou-san covered his mouth, "I think I'm about to get sick…"

Surprisingly or perhaps unsurprisingly considering her profession, Matsuzaki-san was pretty calm when reading her copy of autopsy document. "As a doctor I'd say these victims were mauled by a beast with strong jaw like tiger or crocodile but there's there's no way animals would just eat their insides and leave the rest of the flesh intact, less dismembering their victims this cleanly."

John was also looking pretty ill, "Matsuzaki-san… amazing you can be so calm reading this." He closed his file. "I am sorry but to see a young boy in that state is just…"

Hara-san had long given up reading through it. "I am also…" She was an experienced medium but obviously she had never been given an autopsy document prior to a case like now.

Yasuhara-san hummed, his face was faintly green but better than the others. "That's straight out of nightmarish movies like jaws I'd say…"

"Hm… I don't recall any youkai with specific taste for guts from well known folklore, but this can't be a simple spirit anymore." The newest addition to our team gave his input.

I had to say he kept his composure while browsing through the nightmarish record, but I could tell it was quite high in nightmarish level if his deep frown and discomfort was anything to go by. "Considering the danger I'd like to offer you a chance to back out from this case."

Surprisingly no one did, even Matsuzaki-san who reasoned if it was in a remote place surely they got some live trees for her to summon. Thankfully too, Fujiwara who I'd reluctant to admit was a vital member to participate because he did say he could hunt demon was willing to join us. As long as this was just a vicious demon and not space bending monster like Urado…

"We will leave in two days, and a warning… the client Dino Cavallone isa surrogate brother or sort to Mai." Judging from Fujiwara's tensing, he knew what I was implying. "His security staffs are going to be in the village too, and considering the danger like in our previous case… we will establish a buddy system. No one is allowed to go off on their own and endanger themselves."

"Got it, Naru-bou!" Bou-san beamed at me.

* * *

(3rd POV)Two days later…

It took a whole day to reach the remote village of Higan, and they arrived very early in the morning. The sun barely rose on the east horizon and the long journey tired both drivers and the passengers. Higan village had a breathtaking view, green carpeted hills in the distance, small houses both modern and traditional side by side, and beautiful weather completing the view. No one would think such a peaceful scenery hid tragedy behind it.

The farm of Cavallone also didn't seem like a nightmarish site like Urado's mansion, or normal like the two schools from their previous cases, it looked like picture perfect farm like one from children's book. Red barn with dark roofs, horses grazing by the green field, foals nuzzling to their mothers. Other livestocks scattered across the open farm, feeding, sleeping or playing.

"Looks like a nice place for picnic." Bou-san commented.

Naru frowned disapprovingly at him, "Our clients are here, behave yourself."

From afar they saw a man riding a white horse with a middle aged man walking beside his horse coming towards their direction. The young man hopped off of his horse and passed the mare to one of the caretakers.

"Yo! Welcome to Cavallone ranch!" Dino greeted SPR team, "I am Dino Cavallone, the owner of this establishment… and this person is the village chief."

The fidgety middle aged man bowed, "I am Ushou Onoki… the village chief of Higan Village." He introduced himself, looking up to SPR team members warily. "Thank you for coming."

Naru narrowed his eyes, and the man avoided eye contact. "If you could show us the room we can use for our base and lodging…"

"Right, this way…"

As they followed the man, some like Matsuzaki-san were complaining about walking on a dirt road in her heels. It didn't escape Naru's attention that their resident priestess was making eyes at Dino. The man seemed flattered by the attention but he didn't reciprocate the gesture. Bou-san rolled his eyes, Masako scoffed to her kimono sleeve, and Yasuhara was grinning like a madman. John was chatting with Dino, surprisingly the priest had met Dino once when they were young.

"I don't know you've inherited your family business, mate."

The older blond snickered, "Uhm, yes… I have. Nice to meet you again John. So… who teach you Kansai-ben? It's hillari-" Then suddenly the man disappeared from John's sight.

It didn't take long for them to find him, considering Dino tripped and now was rolling through the long and steep slope like an armadillo. "Gyaaaa!"

"DINO-SAAAAN!" John yelled after the rolling man.

Naru watched the man's rolling stopped as he bash through a pile of chopped logs for firewood, like a bowling ball striking pins in amazement. 'Hayato is not exaggerating.'

* * *

Flashback

"Watch out if that guy when he makes an absolute ass of himself, okay?" Hayato won't be coming with them because he had a family business to attend. 'Don't let him anywhere your expensive equipment when he is on his own without his family members.'

Naru frowned at him, "What do you mean?"

Hayato scratched the back of his head, "Well, the reason he got tutored by Reborn is a privilege our previous Boss gave Cavallone famiglia because we're close allies… and why Reborn… well he used to be completely helpless wimp before Reborn-san turns him to be the man he is today…"

"There's a but somewhere?"

"But… for some reason he is just dependable when his family members are around to watch him, when he is on his own… he turns back to his loser-self who can trip on flat surface."

End of Flashback

* * *

The SPR team minus Lin, Fujiwara and Naru fussed over their client who almost killed himself with concussion. While the stoicthree watched from afar, wondering if their client lose alarming amount of brain cells in Naru's case.

"If that happens to normal human they would be dead by now, or severely injured." Lin couldn't help but commented, it was quite a fall he took after all. "And yet he looks fine."

Naru supposed anyone who could survive spartan training from a teacher who thought gunshot build character, of course Dino was tough. "Is your Shiki alright with him?"

Lin shook his head, "Not really, they're wary of him but not to an extent they were towards Sawada-san and her twin… or that Byakuran boy…"

Fujiwara who had fell few steps behind so he was right beside Lin chimed in. "Of course… Dino Cavallone is a sky but… purity of his flame is nowhere near the Three Great Skies." He murmured softly.

Naru frowned at him, "Purity?" He recalled the flame of Dino in the game he watched, it had the same color as Mai's and Tsunayoshi's but… "His flame, the color is much lighter and less vivid than Mai's."

Fujiwara scoffed, "Sawada-san and her brother are special cases…" He said in even tone. "The purity of their flame is off the charts, not even a monster like Urado could survive it…"

The image of Urado's last moment flashed through Naru's mind, the scream of agony and the pain in his bulging eyes as the beautiful flame consumed him. "Is that why you and the rest of Onmyouji community are so wary of them?"

He didn't deny it. "Maa… in my case I accept some people are just born with special situation, like myself… you, and the Vongola twins." His jade like eyes narrowed, "In the same time I can't blame anyone for feeling fear, wariness, and doubt towards those with power… it's normal for human to feel them."

"And that's why you're alright collaborating with us so you could keep an eye on Mai?" Naru asked bluntly. "Under order of your family I presume."

Once again the onmyouji didn't deny it. "Hai…" He inhaled softly. "Can you blame us to feel wary towards flame user? Considering what they could do?"

"No, but it's ridiculous to feel threatened by people who hold no hostility against you."

"I know, but the rest of my clansmen disag-"

BANG!

Conversation forgotten, as one the three dark haired men rushed to the scene. The noise was coming from one of the barn, which while painted in new paint and the window looked new was obviously pretty old.

"What's going on here?!" That was Dino, their client. "Mitsu-san?!"

"Boss." One of the caretakers, most likely the one by the name Mitsu fretted. "My son! My son is trapped inside! Alone!"

Dino looked furious, "I told you guys to not go anywhere alone! Especially inside our barns!"

He nodded frantically. "He didn't mean to! The door was open when we're moving the horse out to feed! One of my sons, Tatsu said he saw a boy coming into the barn. But suddenly as soon as he ran in to get the boy out before the kid could get himself or our horse hurt… the door was slammed close!"

From inside they could hear muffled yell from Tatsu, the youth who got trapped. "LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT OF HERE!" Followed by frantic noises from animals inside, obviously both human and animals were in distress.

Bou-san tried to pull the large wooden door open with no luck, "It's so damn heavy!" Then an unseen force throw him a few feet away from the door. "What the?!"

Hara-san gasped, "The spirits inside… they're frightened, they're afraid of something to get in…"

"Tatsu! My boy!" Mitsu-san tried to get close but knocked away by the door like Bou-san.

"Move aside!" Dino barked an order and at once all SPR including his employees stay clear from the door. "Tatsu! Back away from the door!"

"Hai!"

He took a deep breath then kicked the door with all his might, it was only because of his sharp eyes Naru didn't miss the tongue of flame on the heel of Dino's shoes. The door this time didn't stand a chance and opened with force, it was almost torn off of its hinge.

The boy who was around thirteen years old ran out of the barn instantly, straight to Dino and cried relentlessly while ignoring his father's open arms.

"..." The man, Mitsu looked depressed. "Dad is unreliable after all… sorry son." He sulked. "Boss is a cool guy, I know…"

Fujiwara sighed, "Even a father's love got beaten by a Sky's charisma."

The boy's sobs died down. "Uuh… Boss…"

"Are you alright, Tatsu?"

Tatsu nodded, he was a healthy tanned boy with light brown hair and wearing shirt with Cavallone's logo on the back. "I'm fine now… I was so scared, I thought whatever slamming the doors are going to slam me too…" Then he gasped. "The boy I saw… is he…"

Dino returned the boy to his father, and Naru beckoned for half of his team to follow Dino inside. The horses were frightened but they calmed down considerably when they saw Dino came in. "Shh…" Dino said soothingly, [Easy boys… girls...don't be afraid, your sky is here to protect you.] He sang softly in his native language, calming the herd down.

"Wow…"

"Shh!" Dino hushed Bou-san who was commenting, "Please don't speak loudly… they're delicate animals. We would be in trouble if my horses kicked their stable doors open or hurt themselves…"

Bou-san nodded sheepishly. "Sorry."

"I have to say you have ways with horse, mate." John complimented.

The boss of Cavallone just smirked, "Thanks… now… where are you little boy?" He wondered.

Lin frowned, "Maybe the boy is a spirit?"

Dino shook his head, "No, I feel someone's presence here… " Then he went to the feed room, where they stored sacks of horse's fodder. "There you are… Kyou-kun."

* * *

In the corner of the dimly lighted room, beside the stacked up bags of fodders sat a small boy. He looked like he was about eight years old, with fair skin and light brown hair. He was wearing set of clothes that looked fairly expensive, dark blue short pants, knitted light blue vest,and white shirt. The boy was obviously from a rich family, nothing like Tatsu who at young age had been working to help his father.

The boy stood up and ran towards Dino, noticing the strangers he didn't know the boy quickly hide behind the Boss. Not wanting to spend longer time in obviously haunted barn the Boss ushered the boy and SPR team out, then led the team to one of small gazebo like structure that was used for caretakers to rest while watching over the livestocks.

The boy had calmed down and Dino beckoned for Naru to follow him, to speak in private while the rest of the team settled down. Lin and Fujiwara joined him as Dino didn't mind them who already in the know.

The boy looked at them curiously before pointing at them, silently asking about the newcomers. "Oh, they are Ghost Hunters from SPR… and they're here to help our farm and the village." Then he introduced the boy. "This boy is Towa Kyoushirou…"

The boy lighted up and it caught Naru and his team off guard to be looked at admiringly by the young boy. The boy opened his mouth but no sound escaped his lips.

"Is he…" Naru didn't finish his sentence.

Dino looked down at the boy clinging to his leg sadly, "This boy is the witnesses of the demise of sixth victim."

The sixth victim was… that ten years old boy, the only children who had been killed.

"And since then… he can't speak." Dino finished, "He used to be a very cheerful and good kid but now…" Shaking his head tiredly. "He loves to write and he can't even bear writing what he had seen and I can't force him to."

Naru crouched down, so his eyes were on the same level as Kyou. "Is there any objects he is attached to in particular? Preferable one he always carried with him?"

Dino nodded, "I believe he always keep a pen and notes in his pocket…" He turned towards the boy. "Can you lend him?"

Kyou hesitated, before shaking his head.

"Aah, I am sorry… he is very attached to his possessions." Dino apologized.

Naru sighed, he had learned his lesson from Ayami-chan that pushing a child to cooperate would get him nowhere. Mai would get mad if she knew in her absence he made a kid cry. 'Wise, Noll… you learn your lesson.' Gene snickered.

'Shut up.' Naru retorted, "Then can you give me your hand then?"

Dino frowned, "I am sorry, but may I ask what are you planning to do first?"

Of course they needed an explanation before allowing him to do something that could potentially harmed a delicate child. For precaution Dino covered Kyou's ears, the child just blinked owlishly and didn't move from his spot. "I am a psychometrist… " Naru began to explain, "I can peer into his past so we can find information about the entities he saw with a touch."

"Won't it bring harm to him?" Dino asked, still skeptical.

"No."

"How about you?"

Lin glanced at Naru who didn't seem intend to answer that question, "Since the boy is just traumatized by what he saw there should be no problem."

Dino sighed in relief, his hands still covering Kyou's ears. "Thanks goodness! I was pretty worried hiring you guys for this case. If something happen to you my adorable sister, Mai would have my head!" He said cheerfully.

'Huh?'

Naru and Lin blinked owlishly at the announcement while Fujiwara just rolled his eyes. "Excuse me? What do you mean?"

"Aha ha ha… never mind! So you just need to shake hand with Kyou?"

Naru frowned at the blond, "Just long enough to allow me to read his past…"

Lin interjected, "But considering it's not a simple vision I'd like a place where Naru could lay down just in case."

"Alright!" He let go of Kyou's ears. "Now, Kyou-kun! Help these nice Onii-san, kay?"

The boy was about to nod when a harsh voice barked at him. "Kyoushirou! What are you doing there, how about your homework?!"

The boy scooted closer to the blond, mouthing 'Tou-san' with fear in his eyes. Naru didn't miss this, what a father had done to frighten his son so badly?

The owner of the voice was a man in his thirties, Kyou's father looked like an older version of the boy but his eyes lacked the warmth the child had. "Towa-san." Dino inclined his head in greeting but from the frown in his face obviously he didn't approve of the man's scaring the child. "You don't have to yell to Kyou-kun in front of my guests."

The man looked chastised, "I am sorry Cavallone-sachou… I just don't want my son to bother you."

It seemed the man was one of Dino's employees, but obviously from his suits he didn't work in the farm but an administrative job or sort. "This is Towa Yashirou, the accountant I hired to manage the finance of this establishment for me..." The man bowed to Naru and the two Onmyoujis. "And Towa-san, they are Paranormal team I hired."

"Shibuya Kazuya." Naru introduced himself smoothly. "I am the CEO of SPR, Shibuya Psychic Research… beside me is Lin Koujou, my assistant and Fujiwara Hikaru-san…"

"An onmyouji affiliated to SPR." He finished.

Naru was ticked, 'Since when you're affiliated with us?'

'Our team is growing fast… two Onmyouji, two mediums… maybe next we will get another Bou-san-or-' Gene was cut off by sudden outburst from the accountant.

"But Sachou!" He protested, "A psychic Phenomena research team sounds like a shady business!" Then he pointed at Naru who didn't seem perturbed by the rude gesture. "And their leader is a kid! Psychics and spiritualists like them are just swindlers who cheat money off of good people in trouble!"

Gene was stunned by the accusation, 'Even for a non-believer, that's quite a harsh accusation! We don't even ask for a lot of money!' At most they charged just enough to cover the investigation cost like electricity, tapes and the likes. Sometimes for free because the data was enough for payment. They were after all a 'research' organization, so they were not looking for profit in the first place!

"We should go to lawyers, there must be some mistakes done by the construction company when they renovated our facilities! Or police to catch criminals who responsible for our trouble! Not these phonies!" He finished, looking at them with thinly veiled contempt.

Naru frowned, the was different from Matsuyama's smug arrogance. This man didn't just look down on them, he despised them as if he had personal grudge against anyone working in paranormal field.

"That's enough, Towa…" The man froze in shock, there was a pressure coming from the blond and everyone in vicinity were stunned stiff. "I said they are my guest, and you dare to accuse men my sister trust as swindlers?" His once warm eyes were cold now, and Naru was reminded once again this was a Mafia Don.

Towa cowered, "I didn't mean to offend you.."

"You already offended me." Dino hissed with no small amount of anger in his voice. "Now, go back to your office and don't you dare to disturb my guests or you will answer to me."

The man nodded frantically, he glanced discreetly at his son.

"I will send your son back to your house myself, later." Dino growled at him.

That was his final dismissal and the older Towa quickly escape with his tail between his legs to a modern building that Naru assumed was their office. As soon as the man was out of sight, Naru commented. "That's a lot of contempt aimed to someone he never met before."

Dino patted Kyou who snuggled closer to him gently. "Well… he is a good worker but not exactly a good person, and quite a strict father to Kyou-kun." He summarized. "But I am also surprised by his instant hostility the moment he know your profession… I mean he didn't show any indication to deny the supernatural phenomena happening around here are just hoax or anything like that before."

Fujiwara exchanged glance with Lin. "That's very unusual, non-believer I met so far would be quite vocal about their skepticism… not out of nowhere went off of his handle like that."

"True." Lin agreed, "Not to mention his hostility against us is unusual as well."

Dino sighed, "Well… I guess you guys should settle down, get some rest before you start your investigation. Your team especially the girl in kimono looked ready to keel over."

Naru supposed he was right, they should wait to set up the base. With a tired team, it was just asking for trouble if he made them lift heavy equipments.

"I should have sent a helicopter for you to use." Dino mused.

Naru smirked, musing if all skies had a thing for flying vehicle. "Then I shall take my leave, I think I left my team on their own for too long." They must be lazing around or sightseeing instead of resting.

"Let's-" Dino stood up from his seating position, following Naru.

That was when Naru felt a tiny hand grabbing his, and looking down to find the smiling Kyoushirou. It was not an innocent smile but eerie smile that unsettled even him. Then he saw it…

He was sitting in a classroom, an elementary school classroom judging from the smaller size in comparison from ones he saw in Yuasa and Ryokuryou. On his desk was a bowl of untouched school lunches, a bowl of stew, salad, bread and milk. The class was mostly empty saves a couple of boys, pointing at his direction with sneer and mocking grin.

The group of boys came over, dropping squirming worms to his bowl of stews. They were laughing at him cruelly, there was no sound but Naru could feel familiar anger at their treatment to him. It was the same anger he felt when children in orphanage mocked him and Gene for their psychic abilities. Naru controlled his emotion, not letting the emotion to cloud his judgement.

He recognized the boy who dropped the worms, it was the latest victim, the boy who died mauled by the monster. The vision shifted and now he was in unknown part of the village, watching wide eyedly as the boy who bullied him mauled and devoured by a black shadow larger than human adult. He was watching very closely, he was scared but he didn't feel unsafe.

Because of the part of hands in his shoulders, cold but also comforting.

'I will always protect you… always…'

His eyes snapped open and one world escaped his lip.

"Mother?"

* * *

AT last! Another case, which is what you're thinking now dear readers... I hope you don't mind an original case not jumping to canon case of Okobu-sama... Dino is here to grace Sky Ghost Hunt as a client at LAST! I have been planning him to be a client for a long time actually :D And I'm glad AT LAST I did it!

Sorry if it feels typical and predictable to have a farm case for Dino ha ha ha... but I can't think of what else that could fit Cavallone Famiglia.

Poor Naru have to be worried Dino would break his equipments by accident ha ha ha

Anyway, I hope I depict Mai's reaction to Naru's and Gene's decision nicely... She is still unhappy with it but willing to be fair about it. Considering her hesitation I show so far I think it's make sense...

Next Chapter Preview...

"There's a legend told from mouth to mouth in this village, but no one is willing to tell us..." Yasuhara reported with grim expression. "This village hate spiritualist and psychics..."

"What legend make it right for them to scorn an innocent child?" She growled, "Or hate us who tried to help them?"

"Maa... it's just what you'd expect from Matsuyama-sensei's hometown..." Yasuhara grinned towards his former mentor who walked pass the window of building they used as their base, wearing overall and covered in... horse dungs. Yasuhara opened the window and shouted, "You looks so good in that, Sensei! Kyaaa~"

Matsuyama blushed, whether in fury or embarassement was still up to question. He wisely fled the devil he thought was a role model student of his old working place, "Daaaamn youuuuu!"

"Aww! Sensei, don't be so shy!"

Bou-san and Ayako exchanged looks, "Well, at least someone is enjoying his stay in this forsaken village."

Review Please!


	46. Case 08, part 02

**Yay, welcome to eighth case of Sky Ghost Hunt! Let me comment on your reviews for last chapter… UNBELIEVEABLE! You guys LOVES Matsuyama that much?! Or is it our TrollYasu?**

* * *

 **Case 08, Part 02**

 **Venice, May  
**

Festa Della Sensa, the ascension Festival of Venice. Which was held on the first Sunday after Ascension Day in Venice. The ceremony commemorates Venice's marriage to the sea and in past times, the Doge threw a gold ring into the sea to unite Venice and the sea. And in modern times a regatta headed from Saint Mark's Square to Saint Nicolo' culminating with a gold ring being thrown into the sea.

"How romantic…" Mai commented, sighing wistfully as their personal zeppelin flew over Venice. The view was superb as she could see the regatta, the festival ship sailing to the next checkpoint. They also flew quite low so Mai could watch everything, with a shroud of mist flame hiding the air vehicle they had nothing to worry about.

"Indeed." Yuni who was standing by the balcony of the zeppelin with her agreed. "Unfortunately, considering today is the anniversary of our own ascension as the Three Great Skies, we spend it to review our work."

Yuni must have wanted to see the fair below, Mai guessed. "At least we can enjoy the view…" She walked back towards the round table which was occupied by Byakuran and Tsuna. "For once your theatric love for high place is not so bad, Byakuran…"

The boy was not enjoying the view obviously. "It's just May but in North America alone we already got over thirty round of Choice Game and another three scheduled next month!" Byakuran reported as slammed the thick stack of report on the smooth mahogany table. "And I still catch some illegal fight over territory in remote corner of New York and other cities!"

Mai sighed, placing her own report which was slightly thinner than Byakuran. "In Asia we got twenty two till May and… another six pending for approval."

Tsuna or rather Giotto had the thinnest stack, "Over twenty but another twenty pending for the next three months." He reported curtly. "And some have rather ridiculous reason to happen which boiled down to wounded ego of theirs…"

Yuni smiled sympathetically to her fellow skies. "It's not a good year for us, is it?"

Byakuran smiled sardonically, before he blew up. "AARGH! This wasn't what we had in mind when we make Choice as replacement for war!"

Mai sipped her coffee daintily, heeding no mind of Byakuran's tantrum. "We did expect menial conflicts would crop up, as slowly Choice is accepted as some sort of honorable duel in our society…" Which was easily achieved with publicity of the game and recognition of power the game gave to participants. It was not their best move to make their violent society to accept Choice as replacement of war, but what else they could do to make the non-lethal game attractive prospect for their future?

Byakuran growled, "The game Sho-chan I painstakingly created is not a duel to regain their manly honor!"

"Maa…" Giotto recalled the olden days, "At least you guys don't have to worry about any army or all out turf war anymore." While manly honor was a petty thing to fight a full blown battle between famiglie for, he had to say it was better than war where honor was the first thing chucked out of the window.

War… Just hearing that word made them feel ill, at the time of synchronized feeling with his fellow skies Byakuran wondered how the heck he thought world war was a good idea? Then again addled mind was the price he had to pay for his power. All of them sitting in this table paid a price for their power.

"Dear honorable ancestor." Byakuran called respectfully, because he knew Giotto disliked him. "Do you think we should set a rule on what matter could involve Choice Game?"

Giotto looked at him with like he had grown second head, "While I appreciate respect to elderly, listening to you speaking so respectfully to me is just unsettling."

"Why did you ask Giotto anyway?" Mai wondered, "And to your question, we could but we have to be really careful…"

Yuni nodded in agreement, "No one will likes it if we say their reason is too frivolous to start Choice." Even the three Great Skies couldn't afford stepping on too many egos.

"We're running a dictatorship, but in the end we still have to be a good dictator. Less we have rebellion in our hand…" The reason mafia world didn't whine too much when Choice System was introduced was because the Three Great Skies made it seemed like they still respected 'power' as measuring stick, and assumed the system was to make sure their already small community kept healthy size without getting too weak.

"I see Byakuran's point though, I don't want to see another case of 'insult to my dignity' to give extra work to Cervello." Mai pointed out. "We're overworking them since the Choice system is established."

"Or another wounded 'macho pride' on request form for Choice."

"Huh? You found that kind of ridiculous request? Don't tell me you accept it because it's funny."

"I did consider to let that request past, just for some giggles." Byakuran admitted sheepishly.

Mai and Giotto glared at him, "Don't you dare… So we will set some rule on standard of cause to request Choice…" Mai murmured softly, "There no end to amending our laws, is there?"

Byakuran nodded sagely, "It's so tiring doing this year after year… can't we just tell everyone to stop being criminals or _else?"_ The Three skies stared at Byakuran in disbelief. "What? Eventually we want to convince them to stop being criminal!"

"Hai, let's drink some coffee…" Mai decided, "Someone already didn't think straight, we need some caffeine to function!"

"No I need sugar." Byakuran grunted as stuffing his mouth with marshmallow.

They stared at his chipmunk like face, "You're going to get fat."

"Hmph!"

* * *

 **Higan Village, SPR's Base**

"Because the activity is focused on my farm I will provide this log cabin house for your use." Dino announced as as his right hand man, Romario fished a set of keys with wooden horse keychain.

Ayako and Masako were amazed, "Such a nice log house…"

It was quite a large log house with rich yellow log wall stood in nice contrast with green scenery of the farm. The two storey log house had terrace with slab stone storage, unpolished wooden fence, with comfy looking bench beside a glass coffee table. The roof was dark green color, and there was a chimney protruding by the center of the house.

"This looks really good for a vacation house."

Romario unlocked the door, and Dino gestured the team to come in. "it is a villa… there are suggestion to open the farm for public so people who get tired of buzzling in the city to spend a quiet and peaceful vacation in here…" Dino trailed off, "I stop the project from going further though… since we're breeding rare breed of horses and I'd rather not amateurs to mess around here…"

Naru who had been quiet so far interjected, "I see…" Mentally he translated that as in his mind as Dino not wanting to open opportunity for sabotage. Mafia Don were paranoid bunch. "So about the electricity and wireless connection...?"

Dino beamed, "Ah yes… we have set everything up for your team." He gestured towards the living room, the furniture had been pushed to the wall to free more room for SPR's equipment. "Feel free to ask my subordinates to help labor work."

"Thank you, but we have enough people for that."

Bou-san whined. "Eeh~"

Naru sighed, "We will start setting up our equipment after lunch… you guys can go rest for now." Their eyes widened in glee, Naru was giving them a break?! "So I expect, by the time I conduct interview everything are already in place..."

"Hai~"

Dino smiled at them, "The bedrooms are upstairs, we have five and each have double beds… since your Boss said it would be safer to bunk together there's also extra futon in storage room over there."

Masako and Ayako exchanged glance, "Of course there's no having one room all to ourselves." Masako harrumphed.

"Haa! Do you have problem with sharing a room with me?!"

Naru ignored the commotion his team made, inclining his head to Dino who excused himself from their base, before heading towards the bedroom. Surely they could sort the room arrangement on their own, he figured he would share room with Lin as usual. The bedroom was around the same size as one they got in Miyama's mansion, with double bed, a study desk and a closet. The room like the rest of the house had a rustic feel to it, and had two windows facing the farm.

"Naru… about the vision you saw…"

He had been wondering when Lin would bring it up, as soon as they had their privacy apparently. "Well…"

The door opened, almost slamming to Lin who quickly stepped away to let slightly harried Fujiwara Hikaru inside. "I am sorry but please let me to share room with you."

The two Ghost Hunters frowned at him, "Why?"

"As I am here as affiliated onmyouji of SPR it's just prudent for me to abide by your rules." He began, his jade like eyes shifted to the side. "So of course I have to share room with someone but… The Monk, Takigawa-san said he called dibs on John so I am left with Yasuhara-san… and he is a little enthusiastic and started to compliment my _fine_ features…"

Naru raised his hand in halting gesture, taking pity on the young Onmyouji. "I can imagine the rest… I suppose Takigawa-san refuse to be alone with him so you guys decide we men should share one room for three."

Hikaru nodded, "I am really sorry but… Yasuhara-san is a little unnerving. Never I imagine I'd find a common people make me uncomfortable."

"It's nothing to do with his lack of supernatural power… it's just his personality."

He glanced at the closed door nervously, "Uhm, is he part of Vongola?"

"No, I believe he is a civilian."

"Yet he acts like one of them."

Naru quieted down at that, "I am one of them but I don't act like Yasuhara."

"I mean the more eccentric members of Vongola…" Hikaru corrected, "None of my clansmen have been quite the same after the misfortune of meeting one of them."

Lin and Naru believed this was where they should stop asking. "Right… so about your vision…" Lin swiftly switched the topic. "What do you mean by mother?"

Naru shook his head, recalling the vision of pair of cold hands on her shoulders and the feeling of fear mixed with safety. "It's not _my_ mother, but Kyoushirou-kun's."

"The boy's?" Lin echoed.

Hikaru cupped his chin, "Hm… my shiki thinks the boy have a guardian spirit, it's a faint presence but he has one. It's not uncommon for a mother to protect their child even after death… well if the mother have spiritual power." He explained, "A clansman of mine was protected by his mother's spirit until he had his come of age."

Naru frowned, "The boy's father married a woman with spiritual power?"

"The boy himself don't have any special power, I think." Hikaru added. "So what did the boy see?"

He sighed, "A large mass of darkness shaped like a human… crouching all four over the dead boy."

"Larger than human?"

The dark haired psychic nodded, "Slightly… it's not too clear." It would be a very simple case if he could see what monster they had to deal with. Oh well, he just had to send Yasuhara to check local library later after lunch.

 **Towa's Residence**

Nakata-san was in the middle of sweeping their yard, the trees around their house were getting unhealthy lately so there was a lot of leaves to clean. So she had lit up a small campfire to burn the trash. Kyou thought she was too lazy, mother used to say burying the leaves, returning them back to earth was much better even though it was troublesome.

His mother was a wonderful woman like that, and yet… father hated her. His father was a very cruel man.

"Takaaki-sama?" Nakata-san, their maid seemed surprised when his father was back so early from work and carrying a stack of familiar books.

Ignoring their maid's inquiry, his father dropped the books to the tin container and set it on fire. "This village don't need this anymore."

Nakata-san nodded frantically, "Ah yes…"

Not long after his father left, Kyou approached the still burning campfire while Nakata-san was watering the flower bed nearby. His dull brown eyes shifted to color of jade for a moment, watching the book with title 'Legend of Higan Village consumed by the red tongue of flame.

* * *

 **Few Hours Later…**

 **Naru's POV**

We had our rest and I'd admit it was the right decision considering they started working in high spirit. So after we set up our equipments, I sent Hara-san with Matsuzaki-san to look around the farm, Yasuhara-san with Fujiwara-san to library, Bou-san and John for checking temperature and last Shima and Toujou to take care the rest of our equipment. Lin and I started the interview session and called Dino-san to start sending his employees who had experienced supernatural disturbance.

The first was Teana Wilson, an Australian woman with fair complexion like John, but narrower blue eyes and paler shade of blond. "I suppose my Boss has told you that I was the first who experience a major incident."

Thankfully she didn't speak in Kansai-ben, just a normal Japanese though slightly choppy. "Feel free to use English." Everyone else was out of the base so there was no fear I would be found out because of my accent.

"Thank you but I need to practice." She declined politely.

"Very well." I nodded, "Dino-san said you were alone when you saw the man that morning…"

Ms. Wilson nodded, "Yes… I was just moving the horse to the barn. It's not a work I need an extra hand for… not to mention by the grassing field and track there were guys working too." She explained, "So I moved the first, second and third horse myself to their stable… and it's the fourth, Suzuka… the most quiet mare under my care suddenly stop on her track and refuse to get inside her stall."

I frowned at her, "And then?"

The blond woman looked up from her lap, "She got really restless and spooked by something, it's like she thought I was dragging her to a butcher." Her crossed fingers fidgeted, "And that was when a man I didn't recognize came out of Suzuka's stall. I was sure it was empty and this man just walked out of it?"

She sounded incredulous when recalling the event, "Can you describe the man to me?"

"Uhm… obviously a man, I'd say he is average height for Japanese man but he is broader." Teana recalled, "I am not sure it's the bad light in our barn, or the ghost should have such a dark skin but he just looks 'dark' to me. He was also pretty muscular…"

Not a very specific description.

"I told him. 'Sir, this is private property… you should be here. Is there anything I can help you?' Because it's not the firt time people got lost in this large farm." She explained, "He ignored me and walked straight to our feed room. I was pretty intimidated and didn't think straight back then I'd admit." She seemed embarrassed by what she said next. "I picked a pitchfork and followed him to the feed room."

Gene whistled, _'Very brave of her.'_

' _Or foolish.'_ I added mentally. "But he was gone?" Ms. Wilson nodded. "How does this feed room looks like?"

She cupped her chin, "Well… it's a small room where we stack bags of fodder, on one wall we stacked lots all the way to the ceiling and on the other wall is… the only window in the room, if you can call 15 inch by 10 inch square hole a window." She trailed off unsurely, "I mean, I can't fit in there so how could he?"

We should check the room she described just to make sure later, I made the mental note. "Was that when the phenomena escalate from simple apparition?"

Ms. Wilson nodded, "Yes, because I could recall clearly I was in no way half-awake or drunk and the man looked too real for me to be a figment of my imagination. So I backed away, pitchfork in hand just in case… then the doors started slamming. Lights flicked on and off as I ran to the front door, by pure luck I didn't run to anything but by bad luck the exit door closed right on my face. That's when I noticed our horses were as scared as I was and… what else I can do but scream and bang the door for help?"

Obviously that was a better course of action than curling up and crying.

"The guys arrived a few minutes later…. And it took them around ten minutes to pry the door open." She finished her story. "We got our horse out from the haunted barn as soon as we could, we thought it's the only one problematic barn before the same thing happen at random in other barn of ours."

I frowned at that, "Only when someone goes inside on their own?"

She shook her head in negative, "No, Mister Shibuya… there are some people who got stuck in pair, or group of three…"

"I see…" The spirit usually prefer attacking a vulnerable individual when they were alone but this was not the case. Though the small number of group perhaps meant it was not something worth noting. "Is there anything else you'd like to add?"

She cupped her chin, "Well… other than that one time my experiences are the same with the rest, hearing random noises and bad smell."

"Could you specify the noise?"

"Well… it's a bit weird, but most of the time the noise can't be identified… it's like jumbled up background noise. And one time I recognize it…" She trailed off unsurely, "It's sound like squealing of a pig."

"And the smell?"

Ms. Wilson wrinkled her nose, "Smells like one time we found a rotting dead rat under my sofa back home, perhaps worse."

I sighed, "Well, thank you for your cooperation . Please don't hesitate to talk with one of my staff if you find anything remotely connected to our case."

At my last sentence the blond woman paused from pushing herself up from the chair she just occupied. "Well… remotely connected…" She repeated after me. "I am not sure but… I heard one of local farms that just assimilated to our company has an incident."

"Is it paranormal in nature?"

She frowned, "I am not sure, but… a goat was slaughtered cruelly. The native kicked quite a fuss before it died down."

"Who is the owner of this local farm then?"

"I am sorry but I don't remember but… I believe that's a few days before I got locked by the spirit."

So the first dangerous incident could happen before Ms. Wilson's.

The next four had similar experience, either they got locked up in one of the old buildings or they found the butchered animals. Coming in next were Ino Mitsu-san and Ino Tatsu-kun, father and son pair who was transferred from Cavallone's farm in Hokkaido. They also revealed one detail about Dino-san's company in this village the boss forget to mention, that most senior staffs were transferred from other branches of his farm. So there was a lot of workers who got involved with no clue what did they do to earn spirit's hostility.

So far we had Dino-san's employees only, as the Boss promised the native villagers would come tomorrow. He seemed displeased by the arrangement himself, saying the villagers needed an internal meeting first. It was very suspicious.

"Ah yes, so Tea-san told you about the first goat that got killed?" Mitsu-san sipped the tea Tojo had served for him and his son. "I believe it's Matsuyama-san's farm… I helped the old man to dig the grave few months ago before his younger brother return from city. So I saw the butchered goat but… it's strange."

"Strange, how?" I prompted him to continue.

He set his cup of tea down, "I was the one who found the yorkshire pig that got butchered few months ago, and the old cow a few days after… so I know how the animals look after monster was done with them." He trailed off. "The goat I saw back then didn't get eaten at all."

That was strange indeed considering from the report we assumed all animals got eaten, at least their insides. "Could it be just prank?"

"A prank by a psycho perhaps." The man grunted, "We people who works with livestocks have iron rule to not be cruel even to animal we raised to eat… to take a life and leave it there just to root…" He trailed off. "Make me think the monster who ate his victim a little is better…"

That was a pretty morbid line of thought, _'They works for a Mafia Don, even if they have no idea…"_

The boy sitting beside his father looked restless, "You can tell us anything, Tatsu-kun."

The brown haired boy almost jumped from his seat, "Ah uhm… since we're talking about spirit and supernatural stuff." I snorted mentally at his phrasing. "I wonder if rumor about Medium is related."

Medium?

"What is this rumor about medium?" I interjected, ignoring Mitsu-san's confused 'where did you hear that from?' to his son.

He crossed his arms, "I was in sixth grade last year and I overheard some juniors from fifth grade talking about bullying Towa-kun."

Towa-kun? The boy who was very attached to Dino-san? "Was he bullied because… he talks to people no one else could see or the likes?" Like Gene did?

Tatsu shook his head, "No, the medium they're talking about is not Towa-kun himself… it's his mother."

"His mother?" I echoed. "Not the boy himself?"

Mitsu-san seemed shocked, "That's strange."

I frowned at his reaction. "What do you mean, Mitsu-san?"

He rubbed the back of his head nervously, "Well… Towa-san's secretary is my wife and she often visit Towa residence. My wife, Sumi said… it seems Towa-san's wife was either not living with them or she was already gone… Sumi have never seen the woman serving tea or the likes as how a wife should. It's all Towa-san's mother and their maid…"

Tstsu crossed his arms, "Okaa-san said that? I spoke to Towa-kun before he became mute… he got nothing to talk about other than how pretty his mother was and how she wised he looks more like her. The kid is so shy and that's the only topic I got him to talk about… not that I can talk much to him since whenever I saw him I have to drive his bullies away or drag him to infirmary."

Typical situation, but how come Towa-san had a wife that had never been seen by his own secretary to the point she thought the wife didn't live in his house? _'I have heard hiding psychic child in fear of their power but a wife? Why did he marry the woman in the first place? The man obviously hates anything supernatural!'_

"What else do you know about Towa-kun's mother?"

He sighed at that, "Nothing on her medium power or anything supernatural… or why I have never seen her around in the village. I just assume it's family stuff I shouldn't ask…"

"Anything would be good, even things you think not supernatural." I encouraged the boy. "Maybe how she looks?"

Tatsu-kun nodded, "She is pretty… with straight jet black like slk, said Towa-kun. She is really pale with red lips even though she didn't wear any makeup." That description almost matched Hara-san, I couldn't help but thought. "She likes to wear pretty kimono and very soft-spoken…"

' _Definitely a woman like Hara-san, at least a stereotype Japanese beauty.'_ Gene added.

"But I think the most striking trait Towa-kun told me is…" He trailed off and cut off by sound of door opening, revealing our researcher, Yasuhara and Lin's fellon Onmyouji, Fujiwara.

He looked unhappy, "Boss… sorry for the interuption."

Tatsu-kun who had turned around to look at the newcomer pointed at Fujiwara, or to be specific his eyes. "Eyes like pair of jade… yes, Towa-kun said his mother have the same eyes like him."

"Eh?"

* * *

 **That night, 8PM (3rd POV)**

After a tiring day Naru decided before letting them go, it would be prudent to call a meeting to hear their oral report as a group. Unlike in their previous cases, the death toll was higher and in the open so Naru deemed it prudent for everyone to be well-informed on respective investogation.

Bou-san was the first, reading from his temperature report. "I have walked around the farm with John, and the temperature are mostly normal for this season though there are cold spots in some barn. Erm… we also check the humidity, lights and inclination…" The latter was helped by Shima to measure them. "Just in some still in progress renovation the lights and humidity are bad…"

In short, a normal haunting temperature which didn't fit the monstrosity implied by the tragedy happening in this village.

"We also hanged out around places where the victims were attacked, but again… nothing unusual. So most likely whatever kills in this place didn't stay in one place." Bou-san concluded.

Masako, their medium was next. "As per your request… I visited places where the victim was found, and indeed I found their spirit bound to their place of death. However… they were all too shaken after their brutal death to speak coherently with me." She informed them. "Their thought is filled with fear and denial of their death, these types of spirit are no good…"

AYako glanced at his partner, "There are some live trees around the shrine in this village though…" But so little, it was a remote village but for some reason the trees are mostly dead. "So I suppose I could help to give them a lift before we go."

The doll like medium added, "Yes… as for the older spirits here, the one haunting the barn and other buildings in the farm… I think long time ago the same tragedy had happened. All they could remember is that they're killed by a monster…" She covered her mouth with her kimono sleeve, "I am not sure how long ago. They all wear kimono but peasant kimono, I think they were farmers from how they dressed."

Naru frowned, "Did they tell you why they locked the doors?"

"When I asked them… they keep saying along the line 'to keep monster out' and desperate pleas."

"So they're protecting the people in the farm?"

"They think they did."

The same as in Urado's case, spirit were doing unpleasant mischief in hope to warn the living. "How about you Yasuhara-san? Fujiwara-san?"

The researcher of their team sighed, "You won't like what I found big boss…" He trailed off, "Absolutely nothing."

Bou-san sputtered, "Eeh?! What do you mean you got nothing, Shounen-team?" The two shounen raised an eyebrow at that.

Naru narrowed his eyes, this was the boy who could keep up with Madoka in last case, it must be serious if he could find nothing. "Explain."

He grinned, "As expected from you, Shibuya-san… what I mean by nothing is… both local libraries and one belonged to local elementary school have emptied all books on their legend."

Fujiwara nodded, "There are books on history and folklores but nothing on local legend… but the book is undoubtedly exist, Legend of Higan VIllage is the title."

"How did you know that book exist if you can't find it?" Ayako asked curiously.

Yasuhara fished a book, which titled the history of Higan Village. "This book…" A very thin one which was retelling history of the village. "It says this village is created by a group of samurai and their family that fled war to protect the princess… according to this, the village was born around the beginning of Tokugawa Shogunate. To be honest nothing unusual but… there's a period of time when the village suffered a sharp drop in population that believed to be a plague by the author."

"A plague?" Naru echoed.

The researcher nodded, "However the most interesting part is… the plague kills the livestocks the villagers raised before them too got sick." He pushed the open book towards Naru. "Which is again not unusual like bird flu but the author then mention about a legend from other book that said otherwise…"

"And this book is the Legend of Higan Village, you spoke of." Naru concluded. "Definitely interesting…"

Then much to Naru's puzzlement Yasuhara produced another copy of the same historical book and passed it to him, it took just a moment for him to spot what was wrong with the second copy. "As you can see Boss… someone cut the pages on plague off of other copy. We could pass it as prank if not for how neat the cut is… and if we didn't look closely we won't know there is a page missing."

Naru pulled the book so they could see the middle part, and indeed there is a bits of paper left from the missing page. If someone just wanted to play a prank they would just rip the page, not making sure no one know a page was missing with such a neat cut using cutter. "How did you find an unmolested copy?"

It was their young onmyouji who answered, "There are only two copies in local library for this book, and Yasuhara-san had trouble finding one that's not on loan because the librarian got it mixed up with other book. I was about to ask for the librarian to help us when I saw the loaned copy was returned by a middle school student."

Yasuhara pulled a library card on the back, which recorded who's borrowing the book and how long. "The kid keep this book since last summer for his summer homework." And forgot about it. "He paid quite a sum for fine… and more than happy when we offered paying it for him in exchange for lending us his library card for a while." He laughed like an old man as showing them a card that was not his like a trophy. "Only locals could take their books out, you see…"

Naru smirked, "May I assume that policy is a recent thing?"

"I believe so."

He crossed his arms, "Hm…" Most likely tomorrow interview would be a challenge. "Let's retire for tonight, morning briefing is at nine tomorrow. Don't be late." The dark haired psychic warned them.

* * *

 **[Day 02] Higan School Library**

Higan was a small village in the first place, with total population of sixty two according to latest census. So understandably the village only had one school building, with elementary school consisting of three classes on the first floor while middle and high school sharing the second level. It was quite a surprise for Yasuhara to see a class shared by three different grades, and not all chair even filled by the kids. No class in elementary level even had more than ten children.

"My~ my~ Japan's birth rate is really steadily declining." Yasuhara couldn't help but commented as he and Hikaru passed the classroom on their way to school library. "If not for Dino-san this village is going to be another abandoned rural place in Japan."

Hikaru supposed being Yasuhara's research partner was not so bad considering he was also good in folktales and history, as it was part of his education as Onmyouji. However he'd rather not sharing sleeping quarter with this man for sure! "What a thing to comment on of all things… You'd better not say that in front of villagers, Yasuhara-san."

"I won't." He beamed, "Especially since villagers of this place feel like how teachers in my old school used to be."

The Onmyouji tensed as they entered the library. "Ryokuryo High School Case, huh…"

There was no one manning the library and considering the small population it was no wonder the school didn't hire a librarian. "Oh, you have heard of it?"

Hikaru nodded, "Yes… your school gathered media attention, if SPR didn't step in back then I think someone from my clan would have." Though the truth was, Vongola interfered first.

"Glad to know someone care." Yasuhara mused, "Anyway… you didn't wear your onmyouji costume today." For once the onmyouji was wearing white dress shirt, brown pants and tied his hair in braids.

"It's not a costume." He was ticked, "And I _am_ a genuine onmyouji."

"Is it because dressing in traditional clothes attract attention of the villagers?"

He shook his head, "If just attracting attention I wouldn't mind… but you saw the librarian's reaction when she saw me."

Yasuhara recalled the friendly looking middle aged woman's face souring when she saw Fujiwara's attire, and the suspicious look she threw at the onmyouji from time to time. "I reckon she share the same opinion as Towa-san, the accountant of Dino-san you said outright accuse us for swindlers."

He nodded, "I don't mingle with other spiritualist outside of my clan much, and I usually work alone, so I don't really know fake spiritualist. Matsuzaki-san met a couple of them in this business though, so did Hara-san… then again to my clan exorcism is not much of a business. Considering we work for our emperor..."

Yasuhara whistled, "I see… I have been with this team just one case longer than you and back then I was their client, but I think we're together not just because we're friends but also because the spiritualist in our group believe in each other skills. When I met them for the first time I can't help but wonder if they stick with each other because of that."

"I suppose it's not unusual for even spiritualist to feel skeptical of others who works in the same field?" He asked Yasuhara.

"I think so." He agreed as he browsed rows of book in literature section. "But I think healthy amount of paranoia is just fine, I mean… who wants to openly acknowledge there are invisible dead people capable of killing you?" He wondered out loud as he pulled a book out of the shelves, "However denying what in front if your eyes is just dumb like this one ex-teacher of mine… he still deny existence of supernatural after he saw a dog demon wrecked a class right in front of him."

"I think rather than dumb that's called being delusional." As in denying reality.

"Right! And you know the funniest part, Matsuyama-sensei is the culprit!"

" **I DIDN'T ASK TO GET CURSED!"** Someone hollered, cutting off their conversation.

Yasuhara turned around, confused, before his lips pulled to a very devilish grin even Hikaru backed away from him in fear. "Oh my~" Was it just his imagination or Yasuhara was really growing horns and tail? "Matsuyama- _sensei_ , long time no see." The former student council president chirped.

There he was, the former councillor of Ryokuryo, Matsuyama Hideharu stood not far before them in jersey. The man looked more tanned than the last time Yasuhara saw them and older, and his appearance was messier. "What the hell are you doing here, Yasuhara?!"

"Eeh~ you don't know? I am Researcher of SPR now and we're hired to investigate the farm and the village by Mister Dino Cavallone!"

"Cavallone-sachou?"

Then it clicked to Yasuhara who had read the interview file and identify Matsuyama-sensei as family member of Matsuyama farm that had become part of Cavallone company, and also the first victim that got a goat of theirs killed by the monster. "I have no idea this is your hometown he he he… this must be a fated meeting."

Matsuyama for once was being sensible when faced by grinning Yasu-troll who in his last months in his old work place took joy in… _trolling_ him. He ran like mad, dignity be damned.

* * *

 **SPR's Base (Gene's POV)**

While Noll had said it would be difficult to interview native villagers if someone had done their best to sabotage us so early in investigation, it was not helping us to deal with stubbornness of denying everything happening so far could be paranormal.

"The sheep I take care off must be eaten by wolf or fox." The man by the name Mori-san denied hotly, "Not any of paranormal nonsense! Who believes in such old superstition nowadays? Only backwater folks who don't know better."

Noll sighed, "Mori-san… you're free to have your own opinion, and I am not here to convince you otherwise. Just answer my question, could you please tell me the morning you found the dead sheep?"

The man sputtered, and I was impressed Noll didn't even point out some stupid mistakes the man who claim to be logical and intelligent folks spouted. As in one, wolf is already extinct in Japan and fox was too small to hunt an adult sheep. No one mention about superstition, and yet he denied believing something already. "Well…" At last he relented and tell us how he found the carcass.

This repeated three more times, in which Noll had to tell them he was not here to corrupt them with paranormal nonsense, and they should answer his question without denying existence of supernatural in every wasted breath they inhaled.

' _Good job for being patient.'_

' _I don't think Dino-san will appreciate me antagonizing his employees… this is the same case as Matsuyama Hideharu in Ryokuryo. This feels like dealing with a swine of pig instead of one."_

' _Indeed.'_

SLAM!

I felt Noll contemplate lecturing Matsuzaki-san who slammed the door of the base open but decided against it when he saw her thunderous expression. With a face like that, it was not because of our resident Monk's teasing, whoever incite her wrath most likely deserved it and we had no intention to be collateral victim.

Hara-san hid it better but from her frown and thinned lips, obviously she was not in good mood either. "Naru, I am sorry but we're turned down by the front door of Towa-san's residence…"

"Turned down…" Matsuzaki-san growled, repeating the term as if it was a great insult. "Turned down means the owner of the house was _polite_ about it, like 'I am sorry but the master of the house won't seeing anyone today' or something along the line! We're told 'this house is off limits for the likes of you!' by that old woman!"

I had to say that was beyond rude.

"Who is this old woman you're referring to, Matsuzaki-san?"

Hara-san was the one answering, "I think it's Towa Takaaki-san's mother, the matriarch of Towa family… ." She murmured softly. "I am no stranger to people questioning my profession but I have to say… this level of hostility is unusual."

That was true, not even Ryokuryo with Matsuyama acted as if we had done a great injustice just with gracing them with our presence. That was when Takigawa-san and John came in, not in bad moon but not in good mood either, though rather than annoyed they looked disturbed.

"I assume you've been treated with Higan village's brand of hospitality." Noll said in deadpan tone.

Takigawa-san scoffed, "Indeed… you see considering we're good with kids and all, when we saw a couple of kids playing near the clearing outside of this farm I approached them to ask some question. I even played hero with them and got my poor tummy kicked for my trouble."

John laughed softly, "Boys don't know how to hold back when playing, I also got some bruise when they got too excited."

He nodded sagely, "Then comes the angry parents grabbing their kids away from us as if we're going to kidnap their kid." He huffed, "They're the ones who leave the kids out without supervision and we got tongue-lashing for our trouble babysitting them?"

Noll scoffed, "You're not the only one… so, did you get something for your trouble at least?" My twin asked the monk and priest.

"I asked the kid if they know anything about monster in legend…" Bou-san explained, rubbing his temple with a sigh. "Only one kid answered, he said…"

" _You mean the one where a demon coming to our Village, Onii-san?"_

"Their parents grabbed them away from us before we could ask anything else, throwing insults and accusing us corrupting their children." Bou-san finished. "Really… what the hell is wrong with this village?"

Noll narrowed his eyes at them, "A demon hm… so there is a legend with demon."

Takigawa-san nodded sagely, "The one million question is… what's with the secrecy? If we solve this case and get whatever terrorizing this village out of their hair, it would be for their own good right? We're not converting anyone to believe in supernatural, so what's their problem with us?"

"Takigawa-san…" John chided him, "Even though they didn't treat us kindly…"

"John, since Yuasa I learned my lesson… from Mai-chan especially." He told us seriously, "In Ryokuryou too… observing human around the location is also important." The monk pointed out. "If Jou-chan is here I am sure she would zero-in to their abnormal hostility to us…"

Matsuzaki-san agreed, "Bou-san is right… it's damn suspicious the whole village act like this towards us."

John turned to Noll, "Shibuya-san, what do you think?"

"I have to agree before the supernatural phenomena… their unusual behavior is disturbing." Especially since they deliberately hindering our investigation, this was the first time we dealt with outright sabotage.

"Should we ask Dino-san for help?"

Noll shook his head, "He already knows… and he is as displeased as we are with their uncooperative attitude. But you have to understand he is also an outsiders here, an influential one but still not part of this village. Relying on Dino-san's influence would just make the villagers fight us harder…"

They winced in unison, "Right… " Takigawa-san sighed, "Come to think of it, with their attitude... Dino-san is already do a good job to get us here."

That was when Yasuhara-san of all people came in and the only one returned in a very good mood. "Hello guys, guess who I met in school library today!"

We stared at him in disbelief, and Fujiwara-san who came with him looked like he had a massive headache. "We don't feel like playing guessing game today, Yasuhara-san."

He grinned, "None other than our old sensei, Matsuyama-sensei! Higan Village is his hometown!"

Suddenly, it made so much sense… go figures that annoying sensei just had to be from this village.

* * *

 **[Day 03]**

I was never good at writing report, that was Noll's job to write what I saw and I was not going to take that job from him, ever. Or Lin's for that matter. So when nothing happen the next day, no one got locked in random barn, no one got killed or animal butchered outside of butcher house, and the villagers were still treat us with their very own brand of hospitality…

As in avoiding us and acted like vicious stray cats whenever they thought we were going to convert them to ghost worshipping cult. The funny thing was John, our resident priest was treated genially enough for some reason. Because if there was anyone with remote chance of converting anyone it would be our John, because… he was in Japan for _missionary_ work.

Yasuhara-san was busy with researching history of this village, but he swore by next day he was going to hunt Matsuyama-sensei down. Never imagined even Noll felt a _little_ sorry for him when we heard Yasuhara-san's plan and his giggling. Fujiwara-san wisely kept his distance from the glass wearing researcher of ours, which was impressive because anyone else in the team would have fled from Yasuhara-san. Maybe not John because he was too nice, but even Noll and Lin wouldn't want to deal with Yasuhara when he was like that.

Matsuzaki-san went with Hara-san to interrogate… trees, believe it or not. For once Hara-san sympathized with the miko who lost faith in humanity after what happened yesterday and resort to communicate with non-human entities. I had to say medium like us understand her sentiment perfectly. If human in this village won't talk, she'd rather speak to trees.

Noll even give her 'go ahead' with the idea.

Bou-san and John were tasked to ward the barn to give the staff a peace of mind to work without bothered by the spirits. Bou-san reported that while non-native staffs were happy with their effort -whether they believed the ward worked was still up to question- the native staffs were displeased with stupid charms on their work place. Loudly commenting we were frauds who charged for paper with scribbles and making the barn looked creepy.

Luckily John was there to stop Bou-san from killing someone, and he even kindly informed them the charms were free and they were welcome to ask for protection charm free of charge.

Our case aside, Mai didn't even call and it soured both my mood and Noll's. I even jumped in to front seat to ask Dino-san about it at night when he came to check our progress.

"The Vongola guardians would know what Mai and the others are working on I am sure." He told us, before calling one of Vongola guardians to check exactly that. "Hello, Kyouya."

Why of all guardians he calls Hibari-san?!

"Kyouya…" He said in scolding tone. "Save the death threat for later, tell me… how the annual meeting goes." He sighed, "It's my business to know about my brother and sister… and you're my student."

Hibari-san was Dino-san's what?!

"So give me some news… it's not like I ask anything confidential." He prompted his student. "Eh? Hong Kong and- Kyouya! Don't hang up on me!" He looked at his phone in annoyance. "Well, I definitely can't rely on Kyouya ever when it's about asking someone's whereabouts." Then he turned to me. "Kyouya said Mai is in Hong Kong… she is meeting with the triad."

Triad, Chinese crime syndicate…

Sometimes it was still hard to compute that Mai was really a mafia princess, no… more like _the_ princess of crime syndicate all over the world considering Vongola's influence was worldwide.

"By the way I have been meaning to ask..." Dino-san trailed off, "Do you have multiple personality disorder or something?" He asked somewhat cheerfully, as if he was asking about the weather.

It was a bizarre question I understood the reason but normally people won't ask such thing outright, then again he was not a _normal_ person. He was not even from a _normal_ background, so perhaps asking whether someone had personality disorder was the same as asking whether someone had a cold in mafia world. "Uhm… we're twins sharing the same body… I am Eugene… but my Japanese name is Kazune. Kazuya is my brother you saw the whole day."

He nodded understandingly, "That's unusual."

Yet, you didn't act like it.

"By the way… do you have special cellphone Vongola members use?"

I fished my or rather Noll's cellphone, at first glance it looked like a normal smart phone but if one looked closely the material the body was made of felt different than standard phone. It was sturdier and slightly bulkier than normal phone, and I had a feeling this device could survive explosion . I was pretty sure it was heat resistant too to some extend considering it was mafia special phone.

Noll had been pretty curious for quite sometime if there was any special function this phone had but turned out it was just sturdy phone. Aside from… strange hole on the back.

"Oh… there's flame socket on it, so you're a flame user."

That made me pause, "Uhmm, is that unusual?" I echoed Noll's question, "I am under impression all mafiosi are flame user too."

Dino-san blinked owlishly, "Oh, you're really a new guy… new at learning your flame too?" I nodded, "Damn, since Mai ordered from Talbot on December I thought you have some experience already…"

"How did you know I got my ring from Mai?"

He smiled at that, "Well… the craftsmen of that ring is a pretty elusive person and I had appointment to get a new ring in the same time Mai got that special ring…" Dino-san pointed at our ring. "The design is unusual… and it didn't stand out at all."

THat was right, the ring was easily hidden to those who didn't look closely.

"In our society, a flame ring is symbol of status." He explained, "So classic and ornate design is common so everyone could see them…"

Which explained glaring design of Hayato's skull ring and Mukuro-sensei's eyeball ring. Speaking of ring… Mai didn't have ring herself, perhaps that watch had the same function?

"As for your previous question, actually majority of our society are non-flame user." Dino-san informed us, "We flame users make up around…" He trailed off, "Around 26.4 percent of population last time I checked."

Not even half? "Why?"

He laughed, his eyes softened as he explained. "Isn't that obvious? Not everyone have resolution to die for a cause or even have access to a flame ring!"

That made sense alright, "I see…" Then turned the phone around, "So what will happen if we inject flame to this hollow part?" Suddenly I was on the back seat, and I groaned at my twin, whose curiosity was apparently an intense enough emotion to provoke our switch.

Dino-san blinked owlishly, noticing the change of demeanor. "Eeh, I don't know?"

Silence… if a pin dropped now we could probably heard it.

* * *

 **Naru's POV**

He mentioned it and he didn't know?

"All guardians had the same phone you see… and other closest members of Vongola to Mai and Tsuna. What it was for, I have no idea."

Right,I forgot this man was not Vongola member but the Don of allied famiglia.

"By the way, if you're in the middle of training… how are you doing?" He asked.

I sighed exasperatedly, "Not very well… I can lit my ring but the flame keep flickering and unsteady." Aside from the time we saved Mai, I didn't progress as well as I hoped in practical side. Gene's flame was steadier than mine but it was so small according to Hayato, he was not going to get anything out of it.

We got the most of theory down, but it didn't help much. Hayato had warned us that Dying Will Flame was a step up from psychic power in a sense, and theory was just theory. Your mind understood the mechanic but didn't mean your body and spirit does.

The easiest example was, even a genius like me couldn't quite explain why ourbrain work differently than normal human to enable us to perform PK and ESP. That was why… 'even idiots like Ryohei could master his flame.' and he didn't even understand more than twenty percent Hayato had taught us. Then Hayato added we should be thankful it was Mukuro and him who were tasked with teaching duty.

Brilliant flame user they were, the other guardians couldn't teach Dying Will Flame in sensical way. Which was a hypocrisy in highest order in Hayato's part, because I still remember once upon a time he tried to teach Gene and I how to skate with MIT level physic. Even I know understanding the mechanic of psychic behind skating was not going to help anyone to master standing and sliding on slippery ice.

"Show me then." Dino-san instructed, cutting off my musing. "I am Kyouya's teacher, I can at least give you tips."

There was no harm so I did as he told me. "Here I go." I lit the ring, red, green and blue flame flickered to life.

He gave the flames an appraising look, eyes narrowing. "Three flames at once? You're the other twin, Kazuya… right?" I nodded. "Hm, I think you have the same problem Kyouya used to have… He has natural talent but somehow he can't get it right as quickly as he should and his flame flickering like yours even though he has massive capacity."

"Perhaps my case is slightly different, having three type of flame…"

"Hm… you're lighting up all three on purpose, by the way? It should be easier to focus on one."

"Unfortunately I can't control which ring to lit." Which was frustrating because according to Hayato focusing to my primary flame should be easier. "I have a massive capacity for life energy, perhaps that's why."

He blinked, "Oh, Tsuna have the same problem at first too I recall."

Go figures… Mai's older twin and I seemed to share a lot of problem when our power was concerned.

"Then, are you afraid?"

What? "Did you just ask if I… am afraid? Afraid of what?"

His brown eyes gazed at me sadly, and I could tell… even though he was looking at me, on his eyes the one he saw was the shadow of someone else. "Of yourself…" He answered. "Your power… that's what hindered Tsuna the most in the past."

I was afraid, he said? _'Noll?'_

Then someone's voice echoed in my head, not Gene's… but gentle and grieving voice of Mai's older twin.

 _"If I lost control…  
All I can do is hurting people and destroying everything around me…  
I don't want their respect for my power, I don't want it…"_

Suddenly it dawned on me that I was… I was afraid, that for the first time in my life I was facing a circumstances where I desperately needed my power, the power I was afraid of… a power I had to control by myself. Also the fact that Tsunayoshi-san unlike me who had a choice to say no to use my power, like I told Kasai Chiaki back in Yuasa… he never had that choice.

" _Someone have to do it…"_

Mai said that before, that line refer not only to her brother but also herself. Even at great cost, they had to do it as scions of their family.

"Or it could be the same problem Kyouya had…" Dino-san's musing interupted my thought. "He is not life-force tank like Tsunayoshi, but he is still the strongest guardians of Vongola."

News for me, though to be fair I never asked Mai and had no interest of power rank in Vongola. _'He has the attitude of an apex predator I have to say…'_ Gene mused, _'It makes sense though… he is the ldest, and while Mukuro-sensei is strongest traditionally illusionist aren't front-line fighter from what I learned so far.'_

"So how did he overcome it?" I asked.

He looked sheepish, "Mai would be mad if I teach you this… she was pretty upset with how I presented this solution to Kyouya." Dino-san crossed his arms, sighing sadly. "Though to be fair it does seems like I taught Kyouya the wrong way."

Mai was upset?

"Because I told Kyouya… the best way to ignite his flame properly is to get pissed off."

What?!

"Because after teaching Kyouya for a while I come to a conclusion getting irritated and resolute is the same to that aloof pupil of mine." Dino-san explained with a chuckle. "Mai said I am pouring oil to flame, as if they needed Kyouya to be more temperamental than he already is…"

' _I have to say Mai is right… from little I saw him, Hibari-san is pretty moody and temperamental.'_

Not really, if he channeled that temperament to something advantageous.

' _Destructive you mean?'_

"So it's just a matter of perspective." Dino-san concluded. "What your resolution is… some can get away with desire igniting flame as the fuel, but you see… flame is an emotion based power. So the more emotion you pour to that resolution he bet-" He stopped on his track, "Uhm, Kazuya?! What's with horrified face?"

For some reason we switched again and I was on the back seat, _'Gene?'_

"No wonder Noll have harder time than I do…" He moaned. _'While you're no robot… you're not the most emotional person, and you like thinking you're above feeling, don't you."_

" _..."_

" _..."_

Dino-san stared at Gene or rather us in disbelief, "Erm… I think you have a lot of work ahead of you, man… That's quite a handicap if you're unused to feeling strong emotion."

Of all things that could stop me from learning Dying WIll Flame…

* * *

 **Few Hours later…**

What didn't Hayato notice this?

' _Because he is a scientist like you? Do you think, it even cross Hayato's mind that you didn't get this right because you didn't put enough feeling in it?! That Gokudera Hayato? He would think you get an equation wrong somewhere in his flame formula…'_

Well, I couldn't imagine Hayato of all people telling me I got something wrong because I didn't put enough feeling. He liked to put an aloof mask but unlike me, he was actually as emotional as Gene with explosive temper in addition. Which mean, he was not short in emotional department unlike me.

Then again with Hayato as a teacher, it was not much a stretch while he got the part 'resolution' and 'will' right, he failed to mention emotion in equation. Which made sense considering my PK ran wild if I get emotional, Flame of Dying Will required the same strong emotion. I was used to be in control of my emotion, keeping my power in check.

And DIno-san tell me I have to let go of that control?

' _To be fair… it makes sense that the few first times activating flame need strong emotion before you get used to it. Kinda like how ketchup bottle need a good shake after opened first?'_

I can't lose my control. Unless you think it was a good idea, poltergeisting I mean.

' _No, it's not… but I think we all know how we get it right the first time right?'_

Huh?

' _Love is a wonderful thing.'_

We're not talking about it, not in the middle of a case. I don't want to get distracted.

' _Mai is a wonderful distraction, isn't she?'_

Shut up Gene!

Someone cleared his throat and as I cracked one eye open I found Lin looking up from his laptop, Shima and Tojo blending in the background and pretend they didn't see or hear anything. Which reminded me again that I might be Lin's boss but he was my subordinate like Tojo and Shima were, which was why he couldn't turn a blind eye on anything I did the way the two did.

"Is something bothering you?"

I sighed, knowing I couldn't get away with 'no answer' because obviously Lin thought it was something my parents -his real superiors' would worry about. "My training is not progressing at the rate I could feel satisfied with."

He frowned, "I'd think this power is not something you should rush to learn… you still have plenty of time."

"I suppose…"

Sound of footsteps from outside alerted us of our co-workers' return, it was a good thing they had no skill in stealth so I could always sensed their coming. Judging from the noise, it was Matsuzaki-san and Hara-san. The sound of high heels and geta were distinctive.

"We're back…" Matsuzaki-san announced, followed by Hara-san. Not far behind them was Yasuhara-san and Fujiwara. Soon, Bou-san and John returned, and our team was complete to report their findings.

 **3rd POV**

Ayakolooked grim, it seemed she found something but if she didn't feel smug about it meant whatever it was definitely not a good news. "What is it Matsuzaki-san? DId you find something from Kodama?" Kodama, the nature spirits inhabiting trees in Shinto religion. Though in the miko's belief they were more like minor gods than spirits.

"Well, the good news they did tell me something… but the bad news…" She trailed off somberly. "The tree spirits knows what's happening in this village, not the detail perhaps because nature spirits like them usually are detached from mortal affairs… they said…" The miko crossed her arms, "The villagers has been disrespectful and ungrateful, and so they deserve the punishment…"

Naru narrowed my eyes at that, "Did you ask them to elaborate what the villagers had done to deserve this punishment?"

"I tried." She sighed exasperatedly, "But the spirits are unwilling to help this village, it seems in recent years they had cut down a number of old and living trees."

Which earned them disfavor from the spirits. "Are the tree spirits the culprit?" Bou-san asked. "Nature spirits aren't exactly forgiving lot."

Ayako frowned at him, "I know how kodama curse human, and no… what happens in this village is not because of their curse."

Which made sense, tree spirits won't eat human like a beast. "What do you think these villagers had done?" Bou-san wondered out loud.

She shrugged, "Saa… considering their attitude to us I bet something akin to defiling a temple I'd say." The miko tapped her chin, "The nature spirits around here more or less content to just watch the villagers to get their just desert."

"Nature spirits could get quite vindictive." Fujiwara added with a sigh. "The misfortunes in this village pleases them to a degree, I'd say."

Masako frowned at him, "Must the whole villages suffer for mistakes of small number of people? Especially the boy who had been murdered brutally?"

Ayako and Hikaru exchanged glance, obviously the medium while used to deal with human spirit was amateur when nature spirits were concerned. In the other hand miko and onmyouji worked closely with them. "Nature spirits tend to think faults of small group of humans have to be shouldered by one community…" Ayako explained, "That's why it's not rare in folklore if one villagers angered a God or nature spirits, the whole village suffered the brunt…"

"I believe there's one tale in which a group of children disrespect a jizo because they didn't know better and the whole village are punished because they didn't teach their children respect…" Hikaru finished, "Human morality doesn't apply to them." Or anything remotely human.

Masako looked somber at that. "Still… it's not right." Then she realized something. "Do you think they'd refuse to help purifying the lost spirits?"

Ayako couldn't help but smile at that, the medium cared very much for the dead. "Well...I will try my best, I would like to think they're more lenient to the dead…"

Naru cleared his throat, "Matsuzaki-san, anything else?"

"Well…if possible I'd recommend the villager to not venture too deep to the forest." She informed the dark haired psychic. "While they're content to let the curse run its course, I don't think the villagers won't meet any misfortune in the woods."

Bou-san snorted, "Dino-bou would listen, but the villagers? As if…"

Yasuhara agreed, "They seems to be under impression listening and believing supernatural would lower their inteligence…." He paused, "Or standing." He shrugged. "Very Matsuyama-sensei's kind of mindset really…"

"It's his hometown."

Hikaru was very confused, "What makes this person so special?" He asked, "I can't help but think Yasuhara-san thinks our current situation is an amusing irony."

Yasuhara smirked, "Why… of course it is! After all he has been on receiving end of a nasty curse last year, we saved him and not a few months later, retiring and hoping for a fresh start in his hometown, karma returns for payback!" He snickered, "Not only that… he works as councillor in school again, but because there's so few children here he also works under Dino-san as caretaker! He is taking care of pigs now!"

Indeed to SPR team, Matsuyama's presence in this village was proof karma was a bitch.

"Yasuhara-san, rather than concerning yourself with that pig I'd say it's more productive to report us about your finding." Naru pointed out.

He beamed, "Of course big boss! So! We tried to gather some information from villagers… but since Fujiwara-san even in casual clothes looks like a spiritualist." WIth long hair and mystic air around him. "Regretfully he has to stay out of sight so I can finish my question before the villagers run away."

Hikaru sighed, "It's ridiculous… they seems to think I have some sort of disease or something."

Yasuhara threw his partner a sympathetic look, "Anyway,... I found out that there's a legend told from mouth to mouth in this village, but no one is willing to tell us about the story..." Yasuhara reported with grim expression. "And also… this legend have something to do with Towa-san's son and wife."

Naru frowned at that, "But not with the man himself?"

"No, but as this village hate spiritualist and psychics… they didn't view him in a good light for marrying a medium." Yasuhara explained, "I found where he used to work before, he is not well liked."

"He has an attitude." Bou-san pointed out. "Of course he is not liked."

"Actually…" Yasuhara trailed off, "From what I found it's nothing to do with his personality, but because the legend make the villagers views anyone associated with Kyou-kun's mother in negative light?"

"What legend make it right for them to scorn an innocent child?" Ayako growled, "Or hate us who tried to help them?"

"Maa... it's just what you'd expect from Matsuyama-sensei's hometown..." Yasuhara grinned towards his former mentor who walked pass the window of building they used as their base, wearing overall and covered in... mud and perhaps animal waste too. Yasuhara opened the window and shouted, "You looks so good in that, Sensei! Kyaaa~"

Matsuyama blushed, whether in fury or embarassement was still up to question. He wisely fled the devil he thought was a role model student of his old working place, "Daaaamn youuuuu!"

"Aww! Sensei, don't be so shy!"

Bou-san and Ayako exchanged looks, "Well, at least someone is enjoying his stay in this forsaken village."

Naru eyed the direction Matsuyama disappeared to thoughtfully, and picked up his phone and dialed. "Dino-san… I'd like you to bring one of your employees for an interview."

Yasuhara's gleeful look when Naru made that call made SPR team minus Naru and Lin to back away slowly from him.

* * *

Half an hour later, Dino showed up with a very depressed Matsuyama in tow. The former teacher of Ryokuryou looked like he was going to his execution. Bou-san thought it was a delicious irony the teacher who wanted to stay behind to oversee interview now looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there. Dino was plain confused with the situation, and left SPR to have Matsuyama on their mercy.

"So Matsuyama-sensei, I'd like to ask a few question."

"I thought you value privacy of your clients?" Matsuyama choked out. "Can you ask me without… _that_ in the same room."

What he meant by _that_ of course was Yasuhara.

Yasuhara faked a wounded look, "But sensei! I _am_ a researcher of SPR, of course I can be here! I have plenty of respect for your privacy!" Then he added, "Beside, we're not asking a private question!"

"But I have never seen anything here! I don't get locked in the barn or hearing anything weird!" He almost squeaked, "Why did you ask me?! Ask someone else!"

Naru let Yasuhara to have his show, because even though Matsuyama was obviously mellowing out, he was still a pig. Matsuyama didn't even realize why they even got through trouble to get him here.

Their resident researcher's smile was wide and innocent, of course no one was fooled. "Why? Of course it's because you're the only one in this village who owe a life debt to us!"

Matsuyama froze, "But… that's your job! The school pays-"

"Hm? Actually Matsuyama-sensei… breaking the curse is not SPR's job, we're paranormal investigation team… researchers." He explained in lecturing tone, "Cleaning up the paranormal mess like curse breaking and exorcism is a 'thank you' from us. It's like how scientist is paid to investigate a disease and found everything about it, but doesn't mean he has to figure out the cure…"

Matsuyama gaped at him.

"And so, you _owe_ SPR… your life." He shook his head frantically at that. "Or we can just tell Cavallone-san, what a wonderful teacher you were…"

The teacher swallowed heavily, the last was a blackmail! "What do you want from me?!"

"Relax…" Instead of relaxing, Matsuyama tensed up. "We just want you to answer a question no one else in this village willing to answer." He frowned at that, "Tell us about the legend of Higan Village?"

Obviously that was not what Matsuyama expected they want from him, going as far as blackmailing him. "You want to know about that old legend? That's it?"

Naru didn't fail to note that unlike other villagers Matsuyama didn't seem to think the legend was a big deal to share with the outsiders. "Then if you'd like to do us the favor, sensei…"

Matsuyama didn't understand why they wanted the old legend but it couldn't hurt to get them off of his back, right? "This is the tale that has been passed down in this village, a demon that came to Higan village as calamity…"

 **A demon?!**

* * *

 **Palermo, Italy**

Mai was tired, it was a good thing she could go back to Japan soon. She was going to chew Dino-niisan out for taking Naru and SPR team to a dangerous case when she was absent! They still didn't master their flame yet, last time she hard from Hayato. She'd rather not get them in a tempting situation to use power they couldn't control yet.

When Hayato and Mukuro were busy to boot and let the twins out of supervision.

"Rough day, Hime?" Lancia asked her from his driver seat as Mai hopped into the backseat of the car.

Mai cracked one eye open, before closing them both. "Always a rough one… considering allied famiglia that prefer me to meet them over my brother is the likes of Giegue family…" In short, family who respected power of fear so while they defer to both twins, they liked Mai who played the cunning sister of Neo Vongola Primo more.

Lancia smiled at her, starting the engine. "Well Hime, you can take a nap before the next-"

Knock-knock-knock

Someone knocked the window, and Mai's eyes snapped open in shock because she didn't even notice the intruder. The said intruder even had the gall to open door and claimed the seat on the other end.

" **You!"**

Mai knew the intruder was not here for her life, but given the choice she would rather assassin visiting than this…

"Hello, long time no see half of Vongola twin skies…" The man greeted her. "Since that fated day…"

Her eyes narrowed, murderous amber met amused onyx orbs. As if he was unconcerned by clear desire to kill the sky wished to unleash upon him, then again an immortal wouldn't fear threat to his life. Mai knew this, after all this man… no this monster…

" **What do you want… Checker Face?"**

He was the god and demon of mafia world…

* * *

 **Mai is barely in action in this chapter ha ha ha... I think lately Naru and Gene more of a main chara than she is. By the way the meeting on zeppelin serves no purpose other than Byakuran like high place, and I though it's cool LOL**

 **Review Please!**


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